Not a Man

The Shuki Series #1

by M.A. McRae

THE STORY OF SHUKI BOLKIAH

Once in every while a unique vision emerges without warning and without precedent, that follows no trends, is virtually impossible to copy, and that has a resonance that grows and grows until it risks taking you over entirely.

Such a book is 'Not a Man'.

At its core, it's the story of a ten year old boy, Shuki Bolkiah, who is so grossly abused that he will never grow up to be a normal adult human being.

But it is so much more than that …..

Firstly, there is the writing that is almost like a whispered prayer, a sacred text.

Then there is the abuser who really does love the boy he abuses and wishes to care for him forever.

…. and there is the country, harsh and magnificent, where deadly feuds spring from nowhere and many women are treated far worse than Shuki, ill-used and left to starve.

Finally, there is Shuki himself, so irresistibly beautiful, so vulnerable, so intelligent, and so deadly in his turn.

This is not a man. This is not a book. This is humanity in the dark and in the light. This is hope.

Genres: M M Romance, Abuse, Dark, Erotica

558 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2011

Reviews

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disturbing and dark and absolutely riveting. Shuki is a very beautiful boy, who after being castrated, exerts a sort of dark pull upon the people around him, making lots of men want to own/rape him. The story follows his life from a child to a young man. The opening scenes, when they castrate him, are cringe-inducing, and he is still dependent on the master who castrated him! I especially enjoyed that Shuki is not a passive character, but constantly thinking and acting and self-aware. His wariness makes the reader also constantly aware of how untenable and dangerous his situation is, but his energy and cleverness give hope that he will save himself.

I didn't enjoy any of the sex scenes in this book, but I don't think the author's intent was to write any enjoyable sex scenes. The human dynamics in this story are what kept me reading most of the night in order to finish this in one sitting.

I did also have a slight quibble about how much irresistibility could really be attributed to his being an eunuch...but it is one of the main premises of the book that Shuki is irresistible, so I went with it. I enjoyed this immensely, and couldn't put it down for six straight hours. And even though it ended very satisfactorily, I bought the sequel straightaway...

[Yblees · Rating 5 out of 5]

You see the insanely high rating this book has? Absolutely, utterly deserved! A must read for anyone who liked Skaia, and I think, Anne Somerville's Darshian Chronicles, because this is a much more satisfying read than either of the others. Also, anyone who is interested in the slave/restricted freedom genre. And I would not regard this as BDSM,although there are abuse themes.

The author says it's not written as erotica, and I agree, and completely approve. Brillant storytelling, a strong focus on plot, populated with an entire extended family of characters, 3 volumes plus 1 to come. Cheap! What more can any reader ask for?

Oh, and the author requests her readers please BUY FROM SMASHWORDS instead of Amazon, because they actually pay her royalties instead of insisting on $100 credit limits before any payout.

EDIT: March 2015. Just finished reading the final volume "The Frost and the Sunshine", and in the process of re-reading this all over from the beginning again.

[Alina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a review for Not a Man plus The King's Favourite.

I give this two stars, not because I liked the books though (I utterly hated them) but because I loved the protagonist.

I would never in a million years recommend it though, for 3 days I was heartsick, ashamed and full of hate, and I really don't think these are the feelings a book should evoke (it's a case where the bad overwhelms the good).

I would have started the third book as well but I couldn't put myself through it after how book 2 ended.

Now let me explain why I feel this is such a study in contrasts and why I feel like the message behind it is wrong and completely unrealistic on so many levels.

Shuki is a wonderful character and a wonderful human being despite meeting throughout his life a long list of horrible creatures. People commented that the bad guys are not portrayed as horrible and that they are still capable of love.
I disagree, in the way that McRae portrayed them, they are worse than monsters. They are apparantly decent people, capable of love and emotions but none of them have the smallest amount of empathy towards Shuki. I can't believe this can be true in real life, I can't accept that a person can forget his humanity and make countless excuses for how they treat and use this boy. Shuki's appeal shouldn't be enough for decent people to forget themselves and this is not a Gabriel García Márquez novel, where the fantastical and magical is obvious enough to allow you to read the underscoring message instead of the factual.


Shuki's introduction to this story is heart-breaking but the reader is immediately invested in him and his story. He's the victim of two monsters: his owner (a sick paedophile) and the masochistic paedophile doctor that operates on him. Through the story, his Master and other characters comment on how he was actually loved. The word love is ashes on their tongues. Love cannot exist in the absence of empathy, you cannot love without giving. There can be obsession and lust but not love. Ironically though, the only person who seems to understand this is Shuki. I wanted at least one character to explode in indignation on behalf of him... nobody does.

Then there's the so called civilized world. There's the doctor that barely holds himself together in order not to molest Shuki. There's the most unrealistic character ever, the self-defence instructor who forgets himself for a moment, rapes Shuki and then is brought down by regrets. There are his Oxford colleagues and the moment that almost breaks him. Look, I could understand a group of 3-4 characters that has it for Shuki, the paedophile priest and teacher, the brutal African and maybe another character. But for 10 or more characters (all from a limited group of 20) to want to abuse and rape him is complete bullshit.

Also, the fact that the rest of the characters are conveniently away (with no actual mastermind planning) is again unrealistic. The fact that Ben, one of the few bright spots of the first books, ends like he does is just overkill. It's one of the instances of McRae piling up too much, plot wise, against Shuki.

Then, in the second book, Feroz... I can buy the beginning. Spoiled teen king wants the fascinating eunuch. Shuki grows to care for the little bastard, gets involved in politics, gives precious advice to everyone, saves the king's life a couple of times, but for more than 10 years Feroz cannot bring himself to give Shuki back his freedom. He's actually a decent character with this big, huge failure, not capable of putting Shuki's needs and happiness above his absurd desire.

The plot than takes a turn for the worse with the author entering the biggest overkill of all, the kidnap and prolonged capture from the terrorists. Look, I get that one of the underlining themes of the book is how Shuki's terrible life actually has a positive effect on the outside world. But the book really could've done without the 4 months torture and abuse after everyone else was either killed or rescued. Even more, the fact that Feroz obsession doesn't end there or the fact that Elei goes on a crazy mission just complicates everything unnecessarily.

And finally, the one thing that killed it for good. I was warming up somehow to Elei, thinking maybe he was the one, the bright spot of Shuki's existence. And then at the end he goes ahead and expresses his desire to possess, not to love and cherish and empower and bask in the other's strength and vulnerability and intelligence, but to possess. Not for one selfless moment does he want to just put Shuki first or express his regret that as his lover, he's incapable of giving Shuki sensual pleasure. And that was the deal breaker for me; you can't write about Shuki, create this huge empathy towards a character and not have a counterpoint to his drama.

[S.M. Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Shuki. For a book of such immense length, I was quite startled that the urgency with which I started reading Not A Man never once let up.

I wanted to know what happened next, and next, and next. It reads almost like a writing exercise of "...and then..." - it keeps urging you forward as you hope for Shuki to find happiness.

It's not a pretty book, which seems to be something I tend to say about books that I adore. I like books that aren't pretty or predictable.

Dark fiction is my favorite, so long as there is always an element of hope, and Shuki is the most hopeful little boy (who grows to be not a man) that you will ever meet. He has the grace of acceptance contrasted with strong feelings of damage and, vengeful emotions, and ultimately a resilience that is easy to root for.

When he was finally broken, I was a little bit shattered myself.

I can't speak to any realism about the portrayal of either Arab or Oxford cultures, but I will say that I was very content to read this as a novel of epic fantasy. This novel has some highly fantastical elements - which I've become aware of more in hindsight then while I was reading - including how nearly every male who encounters Shuki immediately wants to rape him, and that so many of his "friends" would be willing to betray him without regard to either his humanity or their own.

But this is Shuki's truth, whether merely perceived or real, and I did not question it as I followed the story to its end. I've already purchased The Kings Favourite, although I need to drop back into my own real life for a day or two before I can allow myself to be sucked back into Shuki's world.

Finally... other reviewers have said Not A Man is not an erotic book, but I beg to differ. I found it quite erotic, in a dark sort of way.

[Debbie Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, brutal, shocking. Warm, compassionate, tender. All these things and more. Rarely have I gone through so many different emotions reading one book. This is a very long and incredibly detailed story with a huge cast, yet I was never confused or wondering who each character was – nor was I bored, or bogged down with too much information. Instead the author weaves a rich tapestry, pulling threads from a middle-eastern culture that at times seems archaic and extreme to 20th century Oxford University and back again, showing you layer upon layer of depth as slum boy Shuki realises his good looks can be both blessing and curse.

What is fascinating is how the author writes with such authority about another culture. Whether this is pure research or she has lived this life, I don’t know – but it sounds so authentic and believable. While the brutalities of Shuki’s masters are shocking, there are moments of real tenderness and love, and the family bond is strong and close. They share everything – including Shuki. And how far can you go, before love and sex become inextricably entwined?

There’s a lot of sex in this book. And not all of it is good sex, so don’t read this if you are easily offended by graphic descriptions of such things. But I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the different standards by which other cultures live – even today. Shuki’s story could well be real.

One of the best books I have read in a long, long time.

[Lisa Hinsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book truly blows me away. The author takes on a very touchy subject – of eunuchs and writes so sympathetically so beautifully, it’s almost like watching a painting come alive. I was engrossed by this book, watching Shuki forced to have a castration to make him more docile, but his intelligence is not dulled, and the operation seems to give him more determination rather than take it away. The book takes the reader from Arabia to Oxford as Shuki manipulates the men who fall for his guiles and beauty. He survives not just the horror of the operation, but violence, and the love a man (his master) Shuki both wants and doesn’t. Don’t buy this book unless you have some time set aside – once you start reading you won’t want to stop.

[Karen Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shuki's story starts when he is kidnapped from the slums at 10 years old to work as a 'bed-boy', then castrated to keep him 'beautiful'. This is a shocking story told extremely well. The relationship between Shuki and his master, plus the other servants in the house is examined, and a compelling picture is drawn of a young boy who has lost everything: family, puberty, the possibility of having a family, even the freedom to walk around by himself for fear of rape. He deals with his situation very matter-of-factly: at least he isn't starving. He takes revenge on the doctor who performed the 'small operation', becomes a master at manipulation, putting away plenty of money and finally escapes to find his place in the world. But this is more than a tale of abuse; the book examines an extremely religious society and the hypocrisy inherent within it. Not only does nobody help the child Shuki, his family and religious leaders turn from him as something dirty and unmentionable. The role of women is looked at as well – kept in ignorance and hidden from the world, their only roles are to obey their husband and have babies.
Shuki gets as far as Oxford, a world away from the society that recreated him as a eunuch, but even there he is too much of a temptation, showing that the baser sides of human nature are equally present no matter the society – some societies are just more honest about their depravities.

Reading this book took me through a whole range of emotions: horror, admiration, disgust, hope despair, pity, anger to name but a few. – it's safe to say I was moved! This is an original, compelling and gripping read and I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone with a strong stomach.

KA Perkins
Dead Reckoning

[Marita Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the whole book on authonomy.com, which was the unedited version, so my rating is in relation to that. But,if I've given a 5 to an unedited version, the edited one should be even better.

The reason I liked this book so much was because of the main character Shuki. There was some horrible moments in the book that made me cringe,but he was such a strong and lovely character that you wanted to follow him to see that he made it through and that he was alright in the end. The story also had a good pace with no boring bits. M. A McRae is my pick for the best author that has come out of authonomy.

Once I get some free time I will buy the edited paperback version to see if anything has been changed.

[Kynthos-the-Archer (Kyn)]

Found 3 Chapters here for free-read - http://authonomy.com/books/16777/not-...

I am liking it so far. Will get it from SMASHWORDS later.

SMASHWORDS BUY LINK - http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/...

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a long and ambitious novel with an extremely harrowing premise. On the strength of positive reviews, I gave it a go despite the subject matter. Having read it all the way through, I feel that the author has managed some remarkable insights. Nevertheless as a novel it has some shortcomings. Here is a work that is clearly self published that would really have benefited from some rewriting that would have made it much more publishable.

Nevertheless this book was never terrible. The writing was of a high standard - no nonsense in a style that reminded me of some Swedish translated books I had read (including "Let the Right One in", which shares some similarities to this work in terms of content too)

This is a book about an Arab boy, Shuki, kidnapped from the slums of some city in the 1970s, and then castrated for the sexual gratification of the man who has basically enslaved him. That premise, on its own, made me wonder about the wisdom of reading this book. Nevertheless the reviews were good so I gave it a go. The castration happens early in the book, which is not really a problem. Nevertheless the development of Shuki as a character took a sharp turn when, in chapter two, he was committing murder. That really did not fit with the character before or after the event, and really did not work. I almost gave up on the book at that point.

Considering its length, I felt the book failed to describe its locations. Shuki lives in a world separated from our own by distance and time, and yet there was precious little description of this world. I was not sure how much the author really knew of the Arab world, and by the end of the book I remained just as unsure. An Arab reader could be highly offended by this work as being full of misconceptions, or they could be full of praise for describing their world warts and all... but as an outsider all I felt was that the world was largely a blank stage for the book's characters.

As regards the characters, Shuki is nicely described, and after the wrong turn with the murder we settle in to an extremely well drawn protagonist. Nevertheless he is almost the only character to gain much in terms of the characterisation. Other characters - particularly female ones - just seem to drift in and out of the story with no development whatsoever.

The book is about sexual abuse and the evil acts of abusers, especially that first one. I think, therefore, it took another wrong turn by essentially making all the men in the story potential abusers, all captivated by Shuki's beauty. The author claims that this was based on historical descriptions of captivating eunuchs - but more recent history of castrati shows that this is not always the case, and in any case just seemed both implausible and to substantially weaken the message of the book.

What is more, the book follows Mary Renault's Bagoas character in having Shuki remain essentially a boy forever. In fact we know eunuchs tended to grow tall and gangly (and often fat), so that read a little more like someone's fantasy than a medical reality.

So all in all this was a good and ambitious novel, attempting a sensitive treatment of a very difficult subject, but it would have made a better addition to a professional publisher's list had it been largely rewritten. Instead the author seems to have chosen self publication, and consequently the story will probably never reach its full potential.

[Trisie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A raw, unnervingly cold, disturbing, functionally detached and emotionally suppressed writing that paradoxicaly makes the story even more emotive and effective.
I think the blurb says a lot about the plot. Shuki is castrated against his will as a child by his master, who claims it'll make him more beautiful. Shuki is horrified when he finds out what's going on but he deals with the situation very racionally for the child he is. He keeps fighting for his independence and goes very smart about it, he definitely isn't some naive child and can manipulate people around him pretty successfully.
People around Shuki do terrible stuff to him (mostly trying to rape him - really, everyone wants to rape Shuki, just get used to it) and what's the most alarming is the way they rationalize and excuse their behavior. They are acting as if the atrocity they are doing to Shuki is actually his fault or something they do for his own good.
As for the relationship between Shuki and his master just let me say that it doesn't offer a black-and-white view of things and I was sad when the master died (yes, the same master who caused Shuki so much anguish). He was crazy, twisted and cruel but he adored Shuki.
Shuki manages to escape and starts a new life, he is getting confident and starts calling himself Shane to emphasize his transformation from a bed-boy to Oxford student. It's very disturbing to read about times when he's raped by strangers who are obsessively attracted to him since Shane mostly treats it, well, as a common daily thing that is just inevitable for him, even if he does everything to prevent it.
He is brought to his knees many times but he always manages to go on and it's heart-wrenching to read about the incident that makes him Shuki once again. I was literally choking on my tears and feeling of a betrayal of Shuki/Shane while reading it.
I would recommend this story to readers who want to read something different and original and doesn't insist on the classical romance (there is love, real friendships and some h/c stuff and all but definitely different from other MM books) also be prepared to read about sex that isn't about pleasure for both partners.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most under-appreciated books I ever read.

The things this book shows you are sometimes really unbearable despite it being written in a matter-of-fact way.
Unbearably cruel, unbearably sad, unbearably lonely, unbearable angry, unbearably helpless,unbearably devastating.

But Shuki is brave, clever, cunning, and the most of all, survival.

In terms of background, the world of Islamic culture and relatively primitive living is very fascinating. The book has calm and no-hurry tone throughout, even though the length is quite long, it rarely drags.

This book is definitely worth a try. I even dare you.

ps. I wouldn't say it is a mm romance, strictly speaking. I can't think of any genre it would fit perfectly. Maybe Literature -> Fiction -> Gender Studies... if there is a genre as such. Nevertheless, it is one really fascinating and gripping story.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

First came across this book on Authonomy (Harper Collins' showcasing website for unpublished manuscripts), and is the only upload on the site I've ever given the max 6 stars to. Although the subject matter is challenging, the 'voice' is lovely and the main character and his story highly engaging.
Not the sort of book a traditional publisher would consider, but don't let that put you off. Well worth checking out.

[Samantha Towle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a Man is a beautifully written book, about a very delicate subject. I will admit I did find it hard to read in places, but that aside it was still a compelling book to read as I had to discover if Shuki would ever find freedom, and ultimately find his own form of happiness. I will not spoil for anyone, but urge you to read this well crafted novel for yourself.

[Tucker · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is about a kid who gets raped a lot. So many times, it becomes difficult to continue turning pages. Words fail, although some extra words were nonetheless provided at Disruptive Dissertation. This book does, however, without question, make the "eunuch" shelf.

[Frank · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have no idea why this book has such a high rating. It reads like a rambling Fanfiction, almost every character has unrealistic, horrible ulterior motives, and the main character is completely unbelievable.

This goes on for three more books?!

[Boyslove · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Book.

Wow.

Speechless.



Read the blurb. Buy the book. How come this has so few ratings? This book deserves way more attention.

I felt so many emotions while reading this.
The way the story is told is KEY. Perfect story telling. Perfect pacing. This book made me CARE about the main character and his journey became very important to me.

I can’t recommend this book more. Do yourself a favor and buy this work of art now.

UPDATE: after reading the second book, I did a bit of research. I hadn’t realized just how accurate many things in these books are. This author obviously did quite a bit of study on cultures and things that happened in that time frame.. and things that still happen today.

I am a Third Culture Kid. I grew up in various different cultures and understand the mindset, worldview, family structure, religious expectations etc of various cultures, which made this an especially interesting read for me.

I agree that you cannot judge one culture and their ways, through the lens of another culture. But at the same time, it is very hard not to. A true wish to understand people and why they do what they do and live the way they live is essential, I think, in order to truly grasp another culture.

[Ana Ruiiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to say I enjoyed it, but I didn’t, it’s dark, I spent most of my time reading this book feeling resentful. I’ve had a temper headache for almost 3 days now. I don’t say it’s bad, but my poor boy couldn’t catch himself and then something bad happened again. I’m mentally exhausted, and to think there are other 2 books makes me want to cry.

[Marisa Wikramanayake · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The hero is an eunuch.” said the author Marj McRae.

“Wait, what?” was my reaction. She emailed me the link, I downloaded Not A Man in e-book form and dove in.

An eunuch – I expected there to be a few descriptions of not so very nice things – violence and rape. I mean, it’s a young boy being castrated. And frankly, I was stunned by the level of research and detail. I now know a lot of very interesting things about castration and about Oxford.

That’s right, Oxford. As in Oxford University. You see, Shuki, is not content with the fate of other eunuchs – lovable as along as they are beautiful. He has other plans. He wants his freedom and Oxford University is in his sights. And with his brains, he manages to manipulate others into providing him with the skills and knowledge he needs to succeed.

This is not a book for the faint-hearted. The relationships Shuki has with people are odd to say the least, mostly because as an eunuch, relationships work out very differently. Very differently. Rape is a constant threat and theme, at times accepted as something that will despite precautions inevitably happen, and at other times something absolutely terrifying. Nearly every named male character Shuki meets in the book, feels an urge to act. And you do find a lot of information on what happens to women in particular societies, those of lower social orders and those whom tragedy has befallen.

You do find yourself cheering Shuki on, you want him to not be raped, you want him to win and achieve things even if it means that he has to resort to pimping himself to the highest bidder to pay for Oxford’s fees. You want him to find someone he can be happy with regardless of the fact that he cannot feel sexual attraction and you find yourself wondering who it will be. And then you dive into despair when the most horrifying things imaginable happen to him.

But Shuki is persistent even though his main flaw seems to be how blind he is for most of the novel to the fact that he will always be wanted, coveted and desired in ways that extremely dangerous and that knowing self defense and displays of power are not enough to protect him or those he cares for.

The book itself starts out a bit odd – I felt a bit like everything was just being described for the first few pages but once you knew Shuki, you were dragged in which I think says a lot about McRae’s ability to create characters.

Genre: Literary Fiction
Author: Marj McRae
Series: Shuki series
Publisher: Samray Books via Smashwords.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book that keep me up way past my bed time and one that I read straight through without stopping for anything. It was compelling and at time dark. This wasn't a romantic book and despite its heavy handed use of rape it was almost clinical in the sex. What made this book so interesting was Suki who absused and castrated at the age of ten goes through life trying to make the best of thing and make his life better. It is interesting to see how he deals with everything that is thrown at him and what eventually takes him down.

That being said the book does have some flaws that I noticed not so much as I was reading the book but as I sat down to write the review. The first that EVERY male character in the book wants to have sex with Suki straight, gay, friend, or pervert. To me that is just over kill and unrealistic. To make it worse supposedly "good guys" turn into raping monsters when they can't have him then swap back to over the top remorseful men after the act.

The second thing is no ten year boy, no matter what his background, is going to be so self possessed and smart. Suki is the perfect character in that he is brilliant and beautiful. He also is a master of manipulation at the age of ten. He reads more like an adult character and never even has any small flashed of childishness.

The third and final thing is that I suspect the whole Islamic/Arabian culture in this book is made up of stereotypes and no real research or knowledge of the culture. I could be wrong since I don't know much about the culture but it seems like every stereotype of the culture is played out in this book. And of course Suki's "family" ends up breaking many of them to become "good guy" under Suki's influence.

None of these things really caught my attention as I was reading the story. The characters, writing style, story just pulled me in and I forgot to really pay attention to things that didn't make sense. Suki's story was different and unique from alot of slave stories out there and his character was also special. Despite its flaws it was well worth the time spent reading it.

[Paul Trembling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a comfortable read. It is an easy read, in the sense that the words flow smoothly, the narrative is well paced, the descriptions are clear, and so on. In other words, I didn't find myself having to constantly stop and re-read passages to try and work out what had happened, or who had done what. Indeed, I was fully absorbed in the narrative from the first page. However, it is not comfortable reading - in fact, it is quite harrowing in places. And that is appropriate, given the subject matter. A wealthy man takes a boy from a poor family, uses him for sexual pleasure, has him mutilated, keeps him as his eunuch, his 'bed-boy'. The process is described in some detail - as are other scenes, just as disturbing. But this is not just a sordid tale of sex and violence. The author gives us a much richer and deeper story. She shows us the cultural background and economic circumstances in which these things happen. She shows us the people who do these things - and they are not stereotype monsters, but fully developed personalities, with all their shades of light and dark. She shows us how these events have their effect, not just on the perpetrator's and victims, but on their family and friends as well. And she shows the difference between desire and love: for Shuki, the central character of the story, is desired by many yet can feel no desire because of what was done to him - but he can still give love, and still needs love. It seemed to me, in reading this powerful and moving story, that in the end it was about how love can triumph over desire. And, in spite of it being uncomfortable to read, ultimately it is a beautiful story.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather disturbing but if it bears any similarity to the reality of boy forced to be a eunuch and how predatory other men can be - very shocking. Parts of it read a little disjointedly but I would say the first two thirds were pretty solid and the last third a little weaker. The shock of what happened at Oxford appalled me.

[Sue Moorhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and thought provoking read. (My first love is still the Penwinnard books by the same author though). A very different sort of fantasy and a well deserved Authonomy website medal winner by an excellent writer. Loved the Oxford connection as I know Oxford well.

[Smallbrownfrog · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a disturbing book, not just because the main character is repeatedly abused, but because he is universally blamed for the things others do to him. So if you want to read a book where rape is the fault of the victim, here's your book. Otherwise steer clear.

[J.S. Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A striking book on an unusual topic. Not for the unduly sensitive, but M.A. McRae writes with passion.

[Rosalind Minett]

A brave and sensitively managed story of a lovely boy who is spoilt in the worst sense of the word.