Old Bill by HAL

Review by ausie-import   [other reviews by ausie-import]

Reviewed:

I'll start by agreeing with HAL's blog comment that it isn't a "nice" story. As anyone who has read my reviews would note, I prefer romantic stories with characters who I can identify with.

This story is as close to opposite as I can imagine.

But, the characters have the feel of being "real". The situation is one that is entirely plausible and the plot is realistic. It is well worth a read, if only to encourage some thought about the dynamics of men and women interacting in extreme situations. And, if this thought carries over to questions of what defines consent in relationship, then it's a bonus.

Absolutely not a "stroke" story. It made me ask myself questions that I usually avoid, as in, "What would *I* have done in the situation presented?"

Lower "Appeal" score because the subject is one that I'm not comfortable with, even though I feel that the story asks questions that are worth asking.

An average write can write stories that meet my preferences and get me to read it. A really good wrier can build a story around situations that I find off-putting, and get me to read it with the quality of character development and plot, as this one did.