I realise that this review is not exactly topical. This book came out months ago but I only just read it as I refused to buy it and relied on a friend of a friend to send it to me, which they duly did. Thanks friends.
You were expecting to hate With My Body by Nikki Gemmell and you didn't, at least not straight away. It is an easy read, in as much as it moves along quickly.
The book is written in the 2nd person, a viewpoint that becomes an irritating affectation after about the second paragraph. (Ed: Should you stop? You think not.) It concerns "you", a 40ish mother of 3 boys in a comfortable but boring marriage. Despite not wanting sex, "you" is too tired, poor thing, she still craves the excitement of the affair that she had at 14 with an older man. Yes, that's right 14. The middle section of the book chronicles this series of rapes in explicit though somewhat repetitive detail. In fairly quick time you are shouting (in your head of course - there are children about) "Can't you think of another word to describe arousal besides wet?" (You won't look at water the same way again.)
The sex scenes are not particularly new. The author admits to being influenced by The Story of O, Pablo Neruda, and Anais Nin for instance. You were reminded of the movie Nine 1/2 weeks and even Sex and the City. The scenes are sometimes even clinical,
..the clit. Which has eight thousand nerve endings. Can you believe it? Twice as many as the boring old penis
You begin to wonder if perhaps this an episode of QI.
The sex scenes get raunchier and raunchier culminating in a blindfolded group sex scene with strangers. Despite this abundance of sex, the protagonist is not enthused when it comes to fellatio. Perhaps this is a ploy by the author to show that although her character is being raped it is consensual rape. Perhaps it is just a prejudice of the author. Whatever, it is a jarring note in this part of the book.
This part ends with the inevitable break-up, not a plot spoiler since "you" is not married to her former lover at the beginning of the book. Flashback over, 40 year old "You" decides she needs a holiday back to the scene of the crimes, so to speak. On this holiday she has a revelation that sheds light on the break-up and then she returns home to work on a happy ending. Yay.
All the characters are caricatures, even "you". Granted "you" is two caricatures, 40ish bored housewife looking for meaning in her life and 14 year old sexpot. How "you" developed from 14 to 40 is glossed over in the literary equivalent of a montage. Hubby is a snag, well meaning, dependable, long suffering (the man went for two years without sex with barely a whimper) and boring. The children are
"the serious one", "the naughty one"and "the baby one". You's dad is a silent, distant working-class man. Step-mum is an unambitious, controlling bitch with no self esteem. First sexual experience is with a woman hater, the second with the fantasy older man whose only problem with taking a 14 year old on magical sexual tour is being caught; otherwise he is artistic and sensitive, (you make gagging noises).
While several interesting issues are touched upon nothing is dealt with in depth.
"You" is sure that her marriage will last while you watching from the outside are pretty sure it would be doomed and will end when the kids have grown up if not before. Already they have nothing in common and barely communicate. A crisis brings them together, but really for how long?
The fourteen year old conducts a raging affair over the summer holidays and no-one in the rest of her life; Dad, Step-mum, even realises that she's barely at home. There's not even a quizzical look. During said affair, while there is excruciating detail about the acts themselves the only concern in the aftermath is in not getting caught. No hickeys in obvious areas; no bruised mouths. There is no mention of other bruising or chafing, the fact that after sex that included a chain there may have been some trouble walking, let alone riding a bicycle the several kilometres back home. Yet not even the vindictive Step-mum notices even enough to suspect that "Your daughter is running wild!" even though she's read and been disgusted by the girl's diary.
The girl herself is only concerned as to whether her lover loves her and if she can trust him. She is not worried about pregnancy or diseases or (you only mention this because she goes to a convent school) sin. Mundane things like periods have no place in this book. Perhaps these considerations will take away from the "romance".
When 40ish "you" returns from her holiday away from her husband and wants sex, he is merely grateful, not suspicious or even curious.
The ex-lover is not met in the adult life probably because he cannot be a sympathetic character if met in real life and outside of a fantasy. If sympathetic, "you" would then have to choose between boring husband and exciting ex. If not, the issue of rape, barely alluded to in the book would need further exploration. Ms Gemmell takes the easy way out.
As vehicle for female porn, this book is a reasonable attempt but you suspect that Ms Gemmell was hoping for art. If so, then she has failed.
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