Reviewed: - (Review Updated: )
There's something about the world of a Rachael Ross story that's about 15 degrees off what most would consider normal . . . at least 15 degrees. But then, that's part of what makes them so much fun to read.
"Trials of Wendy," posted under Ross' alternate nom de plume of God of Porn, is a case in point. It's written with style and humor, in what comes across as an authentic teenaged voice. And it rolls merrily along, accepting the bizarre and deviant as if it was all just everyday stuff.
Ross apparently isn't everyone's cup of tea, for reasons that I can't completely figure out, beyond the fact that a lot of her stories include elements of homosexuality. But for anyone looking to put a toe in the water, this is a good start, a short piece that's more just a slice of life than a full story. It feels like it's part of a larger tale, but works fine by itself.
The titular Wendy (pun not intended . . . ah, hell, okay, it was intended) is just your average Catholic school girl . . . if your idea of average is one in which a teenage girl lives as the only female in a family with five men and is sexually involved with all of them. And that includes a gay younger brother who likes to wear her panties to school.
In the hands of a lesser writer, a story like this could come across as a real mess, or even kind of ugly. But it's the up-beat, matter-of-fact way that Wendy relates to her life that makes "Trials" a pleasure to read. It's all done tongue in cheek . . . and other places.
There are few writers at SOL who can match Ross' mix of writing quality, story-telling ability and light-hearted eroticism. Give "Trials of Wendy" a read, and you might find you're looking for more of her stories, under God of Porn, rache and Rachael Ross.