Into The Darkest Corner

Sue Roebuck, author of Perfect Score and Hewhay Hall, is a regular contributor to Book Blather. I love reading book reviews and author interviews on her website. She kindly agreed to share the following review with my readers. She calls it a rant. I say it’s a well thought out opinion piece. You decide.

Who hasn't heard of 50 Shades of Grey? Probably many of you have read it. But I'm not going to. Going into the world of a controlling, sadistic man like Christian Grey who gets off on fear, abuse and violence, and an unrealistic character like Ana whatsername is just not for me. Many have said the book's sexy, others have said the birth rate next year will rise because of it. But I say that women who find Grey's predilections are very few indeed. BDSM is fine when two people consent to it. But when fear becomes part of the equation, just forget about it.

                                                                                             

What's provoked this little rant? Another book has.

This one portrays exactly the same scenario. A CG character but with a realistic female victim who is left so traumatized by what's happened to her that she suffers from OCD, Post Traumatic Syndrome, horrific panic attacks and acute depression. And she's no wimp - she's a strong character who fights courageously against this awful man who is charming and handsome and...well, everything Christian Grey is.

And this book is realistic? It sure is. I hope quotations are OK, but here goes, this is what Catherine, the main character says, "I'd always thought that women who stayed in abusive relationships must be foolish. After all there had to be a moment, a realization that things had taken a wrong turn and you were suddenly afraid to be with your partner....It isn't that simple." And this one, also from her: "Do you know what the worst thing was?....It wasn't sitting in there, in that room, waiting for him to come back and kill me...It was that afterwards nobody, not even my best friend believed me."

And the name of this book? Into the Darkest Corner by debut author Elizabeth Haynes. FIVE stars, Ms. Haynes. Well done! You're telling it how it really is: how awful and terrifying it is to be in an abusive relationship and how inadequate the victim feels when she blames herself and when no-one quite believes that the charming boyfriend or husband is capable of torturing her both mentally and physically. This is an unputtadownable (like that word? It's my favorite) book. Not at all depressing or maudlin, this is a suspense/thriller that will have you calling for more.