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Silk Threads
“We want Lisa Van der Linde found.” David Brewster, lands this task, more than twenty years after Lisa, the only daughter of Rotterdam based businessman Johann Van der Linde, disappears. In 2010, she becomes the sole heiress and major shareholder of the Van der Linde Corporation. They want her found, dead or alive.
Lisa, assured a life of leisure, privilege, is expected to marry the right man, conform to the norms of the ultra rich. Instead, at age fifteen, the painfully shy Lisa, meets Eugene, a badass from across the tracks. Eugene is good with women, and Lisa, no match for his practised skill.
“Come next week,” is the first command Eugene issues to Lisa. “Never cut your hair again,” follows shortly. She obeys both. Lisa, who usually avoids contact with people, locks eyes with Eugene across a hall, ten minutes before he makes these demands.
She was not to know he only attended the social to meet her, seduce her, use her.
The story tracks their unusual relationship, intertwined with David's quest for Lisa, and his own budding romance with Henrietta.
Set in Johannesburg and Bulawayo, Frankie Kay explores themes of love, dependency and racial interactions within the context of very different character types.
Shy, intelligent, Aspie Lisa, terrified of people, living inside herself. Elusive Eugene, as constrained by his character as are we all, forever in the background, manipulating, dominant. David, a people person. Henrietta: cool, controlled poised.
Lisa, assured a life of leisure, privilege, is expected to marry the right man, conform to the norms of the ultra rich. Instead, at age fifteen, the painfully shy Lisa, meets Eugene, a badass from across the tracks. Eugene is good with women, and Lisa, no match for his practised skill.
“Come next week,” is the first command Eugene issues to Lisa. “Never cut your hair again,” follows shortly. She obeys both. Lisa, who usually avoids contact with people, locks eyes with Eugene across a hall, ten minutes before he makes these demands.
She was not to know he only attended the social to meet her, seduce her, use her.
The story tracks their unusual relationship, intertwined with David's quest for Lisa, and his own budding romance with Henrietta.
Set in Johannesburg and Bulawayo, Frankie Kay explores themes of love, dependency and racial interactions within the context of very different character types.
Shy, intelligent, Aspie Lisa, terrified of people, living inside herself. Elusive Eugene, as constrained by his character as are we all, forever in the background, manipulating, dominant. David, a people person. Henrietta: cool, controlled poised.
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First published August 27, 2013
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About the author
Frankie Kay
6 books4 followersI'm an author from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I've written a novel, Silk Threads and a few short stories. Although Frankie is a pen name, she is the me who never grew up, the crazy kid who spoke to animals, talked to the wildflowers and asked awkward questions...I love: music, the silence..., distant horizons. I hate: crowds and spending money.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 6, 2014
A rare find amongst the romance books - more a drama than a classic love story
For the first few chapters of this book, the storyline appeared to follow the classic formula: shy rich girl seduced by bad, poor guy. The happily ever after to be provided by a third character, the hero.
Pretty soon I discovered there was nothing classic or simple about this book except the writing style. The ideas are complex and the relationships complicated, more like real life than a regular romance story. The sexuality is particularly liberal although in keeping with the plot.
I was intrigued by Lisa from the start and I couldn't put the book down. I had never heard of an Asperger and Lisa's diaries gave me an insight into this character type. Although this story could have been set anywhere, I enjoyed reading about Africa, the racial dynamics and some history I had only heard of in newspaper articles.
The ending is very good, totally unexpected.
And the character Eugene...brilliantly done - the author gives us girls the opportunity to walk on the wild side - I loved him.
For the first few chapters of this book, the storyline appeared to follow the classic formula: shy rich girl seduced by bad, poor guy. The happily ever after to be provided by a third character, the hero.
Pretty soon I discovered there was nothing classic or simple about this book except the writing style. The ideas are complex and the relationships complicated, more like real life than a regular romance story. The sexuality is particularly liberal although in keeping with the plot.
I was intrigued by Lisa from the start and I couldn't put the book down. I had never heard of an Asperger and Lisa's diaries gave me an insight into this character type. Although this story could have been set anywhere, I enjoyed reading about Africa, the racial dynamics and some history I had only heard of in newspaper articles.
The ending is very good, totally unexpected.
And the character Eugene...brilliantly done - the author gives us girls the opportunity to walk on the wild side - I loved him.
December 29, 2018
This read surprised me. It's a bit of a mystery-drama, based mostly in Bulawayo and Johannesburg, against the backdrop of the BDSM underworld.
The copy I had could have done with a good proof-read and edit, but that didn't really detract from my reading pleasure. The kinky bits are VERY kinky (I would imagine in the vein of "50 Shades", which I haven't read) but I also enjoyed the characters. The story jumps between time-frames - early 80s and 2010 - and sometimes I struggled to figure out what time I was in (especially with the characters that entered later). There were some random chapters that probably weren't necessary (e.g. about David's father) and the spoken dialogue between characters sometime felt stilted/clumsy and lacked the nuances of the narrator.
That said, I enjoyed the read and found it quite gripping. The copy I had also had a (rough) short story ("Jack and Jill") at the end which briefly described Eugene's parents' back-story. That was a lot rougher and almost brutal. Apparently there is also a sequel planned.
The copy I had could have done with a good proof-read and edit, but that didn't really detract from my reading pleasure. The kinky bits are VERY kinky (I would imagine in the vein of "50 Shades", which I haven't read) but I also enjoyed the characters. The story jumps between time-frames - early 80s and 2010 - and sometimes I struggled to figure out what time I was in (especially with the characters that entered later). There were some random chapters that probably weren't necessary (e.g. about David's father) and the spoken dialogue between characters sometime felt stilted/clumsy and lacked the nuances of the narrator.
That said, I enjoyed the read and found it quite gripping. The copy I had also had a (rough) short story ("Jack and Jill") at the end which briefly described Eugene's parents' back-story. That was a lot rougher and almost brutal. Apparently there is also a sequel planned.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews