RaveLambda Literary... deliver he does. This is no sophomore slump. Though it could be considered a sequel, and maybe that is what it’s meant to be, both the writing and stories told are an elevation of what preceded. An expansion. And a strong one at that ... For a book called Cleanness, there is a lot of glorious dirt in its pages–both real and metaphorical ... The author, though, could also be referring to the manner in which he writes–precise, unfussy, clutter-free ... There was much chatter about the sex-scenes in the first book–of the world he described there, anonymous sex in public places. The ones in this novel are on another level altogether. No description or emotion is softened, or minimized. Their frankness unsparing ... The sex scenes can be uncomfortable, sometimes very much so, but they are also titillating, joyful, a turn on, and also a turn off. Greenwell uses these scenes as places of self discovery ... Greenwell returns again and again to the power of carnal wants and exposes them as confusing, exciting, infuriating, relentless, and wonderful emblems to our humanity. You may find yourself wanting to judge the characters for their blatant actions and needs, but a turn of phrase, a word, a simple description placed ever so gently and matter-of-factly will change your perception. As a reader, I recalled some unconventional, perhaps frowned upon desire that I once craved, or acted upon, and my judgment of the characters was altered with empathy. Greenwell takes wayward longing and makes it a unifying force.
