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Industrial Divinity: A Splatterpunk Love Story
A female FIGHT CLUB for a post-COVID world, an ATROCITY EXHIBITION for an embittered generation of Internet addicts, a response to THE ROOM that would make even Hubert Selby Jr. cringe--INDUSTRIAL DIVINITY is a transgressive love story by 2020 breakout author REGINA WATTS.
Once upon a time lived a woman who was immortal but not invulnerable. This is the story of everything that happened after she discovered that fact. This is the story of a virus. It is the story of a country that is afraid of change. This is the story of a woman who becomes a sadomasochistic performance artist called "The Degenetrix" during a time when the human race is more isolated than ever before.
This is the story of the Degenetrix and the career she built by mutilating herself on the Internet for the pleasure of strangers, of stalkers, and of a mysterious benefactor who showers her with wealth but refuses to reveal his identity. This is the story of love during pandemic, of alienation in an alienated world. This is the story of pain and of lust and of the human mind.
But don't worry. This is a happy story, and you are permitted to feel happy while you read it. Empathy is the greatest of all human virtues and the human race has been put on this planet called "Earth" so as to learn it.
Such is the will of spider-mother.
Once upon a time lived a woman who was immortal but not invulnerable. This is the story of everything that happened after she discovered that fact. This is the story of a virus. It is the story of a country that is afraid of change. This is the story of a woman who becomes a sadomasochistic performance artist called "The Degenetrix" during a time when the human race is more isolated than ever before.
This is the story of the Degenetrix and the career she built by mutilating herself on the Internet for the pleasure of strangers, of stalkers, and of a mysterious benefactor who showers her with wealth but refuses to reveal his identity. This is the story of love during pandemic, of alienation in an alienated world. This is the story of pain and of lust and of the human mind.
But don't worry. This is a happy story, and you are permitted to feel happy while you read it. Empathy is the greatest of all human virtues and the human race has been put on this planet called "Earth" so as to learn it.
Such is the will of spider-mother.
324 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2020
7 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Regina Watts
93 books227 followersRegina Watts is an an absolute goddess of femdom fiction who loves writing torrid smut about the corruption of innocent girls and boys by wicked, more experienced young ladies and depraved older men--and if those dirty old men get what's coming to them at the hands of those same corrupted youths, even better. From kinky experimentation to twisted taboos, nothing is too extreme for Regina. Check her out on twitter @WritesWatts or follow Painted Blind Publishing's website for more information about her work, whether it's erotic fiction or transgressive literature.
*Author's Note: Pay no attention to my Goodreads genres I noticed they didn't include 'erotica' as a category and got a lil passive aggressive lmao
*Author's Note: Pay no attention to my Goodreads genres I noticed they didn't include 'erotica' as a category and got a lil passive aggressive lmao
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 9, 2021
Have you ever encountered an author that writes like you think? You know, that inner dialogue you have with yourself in the shower or while zoning out on your lawnmower? And when you read something written in that voice, you recognize it instantly and almost get a little jealous at it: "Well, hello there, my Muse! How come you never helped ME write a book, you double-crosser?!" That's how I felt reading Regina Watts. So if you are intrigued, my little degenerates, let's dive in, shall we?
The book opens with one of the greatest scenes from Tennessee Williams' "Streetcar," then introduces us to our main protagonist working in a diner, who is baffled at how many apples possibly exist in the world, until she accidentally cuts herself while preparing one of the fruits for a pie and realizes it healed instantly. A few more episodes of escalating injuries later, and the woman realizes she has superpowers--she is invincible.
From there, this exquisitely twisted fantasy romance is a quirky and intense read that was right up my alley. This ocean of prose, beautiful and exhilarating, salty and dangerous, is like a fairy tale told to an alien intelligence in the far future, a sadomasochistic Cinderella story preached in a cathedral of some religion yet to be born, a campfire legend of an apocalyptic world.
The title, "Industrial Divinity," has several meanings as I see it. First, a particularly generous fan with the username m0t, who plays an important role later in the book, refers to the main character as "my industrial divinity" in chat. Second, it also calls back to the protagonist's alleged immortality and the industrial application of those divine powers as perverted by a mechanized and dehumanizing culture. Our main character realizes quickly that she can exploit her talent for rapid bodily regeneration. The narrative details her rise to stardom as an internet sensation as she injures herself again and again for the camera, calling it a magic trick or performance art for a society looking for greater and more extreme dopamine hits. But there is a third context, one which I am not free to discuss here as this would firmly enter spoiler territory.
Let's just say the book has several layers that will defy your expectations in a good way. For example, it starts off appearing to be all about the dehumanizing effects of technology and could easily have been an episode of "Black Mirror." To further drive the point home, the characters are not really given names. Our protagonist is referred to as "the woman," her sometime lover as "the art student," her business partner as "the stranger," and the first fan she meets as "#1." The only names that appear in the book are those of real visual artists, serving as chapter titles or place holders for different sections. But by the third act, any theories I had as to where this book was going, how it would end, and what it all meant only proved to be inadequate. What seemed like a rather dark and sad tale about a very likeable personality who felt she had to abuse herself day after day to be someone blew up in my face. And I was very happy it did.
Let us talk briefly about the bones of the narrative, namely the characterization, the pacing, and the action. This is one of a handful of recent works I've experienced that delivers truly contemporary dialogue that feels organic, believable, and relatable. As awful as are their behaviors sometimes, you remain invested in our main characters who, despite their outrageous relationships, are entirely plausible, likeable people you'd meet everyday. And each character has a satisfying arc befitting their personalities. The pacing is cinematic, almost perfectly done except for one area in the second act that seemed to drag just a little bit. Otherwise, I felt constantly on edge wondering where the story was going to take me next. The overall mood is delightfully unpredictable, here dark and brooding like the lovechild of Dostoevsky and Kathy Koje, there full of suspense and dread, and all the while being oddly joyful without being campy. Sometimes it seemed childishly naive, preachy, and self-important; other times it was frighteningly deep, mature, and self-aware. I read this book while listening to an SPK mix in the background, and let me tell you what a serendipitous choice that was. The music's transitions from bubble gum pop to sexy tribal ambient soundscapes to terrifying orgasmic industrial screechings really matched the various tones of the narrative.
Most impressive of all was that the book could be so brutal and disturbing, yet actually be a pleasure to read. And while blood and body fluids abound, the focus is not on gratuitous gore. The author does a stunning job placing images in the mind's eye that aren't fully realized on paper. Don't go into this expecting pure carnage candy. This is something much more. How the author can delve into such extreme content while somehow still keeping it "classy" and thoughtful is certainly beyond my limited cognitive capacity. You'll just have to read it and see for yourself.
"But Warren, you seasoned dabbler of the forbidden bedroom arts," I hear you cry, "this book is called a splatterpunk "romance"! So is it steamy or what?!"
Well that brings me to my final point. Yes. Somehow, there are moments of genuine romance, and it can be quite tender while at other times it can make more than gooseflesh stand at attention. I don't think it matters whether you are a libertine or just enjoy your meat and potatoes, whether you embrace your perverse Id or your more prudish Super-ego. Regina Watts knows how to pull your strings. She also understands the seductive powers of language, even as disembodied glowing letters on a digital device. And she perfectly captures the inherent intimacy of social media celebrity. They feel like friends or potential dates, not some distant idol on a big screen or in the tabloids, which can lead to some intense obsessions out there in the network. The romance is at first delivered in a clinical and detached voice, then can sometimes border on the Victorian, or be spry and playful, depending on the mood of the protagonist and the development of her relationships, making the whole rather believable and engaging, though you may find yourself feeling the need for long soaks in a lavender epsom salt bath in the end.
So I hope I gave you a good taste of what this book is like without spoiling anything significant for you. In conclusion, "Industrial Divinity" is a solid work of transgressive fiction that asks serious questions about the difference between art and pornography, highlights the lonely process of fragmentation of the individual self in a society more connected than ever before, harmonizes the marriage between sex and death, and hints at quantum answers to metaphysical questions.
The resulting effort here will sure to be a treat for those who like suspense, dark comedy, social satire, and boundary-pushing literature. Regina Watts is a genuine talent, one that I'm sure will excel in any genre, so this author's career is one to follow.
This may not be agreeable to everyone's palate, and some folks may dislike some of the political commentary contained herein, but I can't help but give this my highest recommendation.
Give it a whirl if you have the guts.
The book opens with one of the greatest scenes from Tennessee Williams' "Streetcar," then introduces us to our main protagonist working in a diner, who is baffled at how many apples possibly exist in the world, until she accidentally cuts herself while preparing one of the fruits for a pie and realizes it healed instantly. A few more episodes of escalating injuries later, and the woman realizes she has superpowers--she is invincible.
From there, this exquisitely twisted fantasy romance is a quirky and intense read that was right up my alley. This ocean of prose, beautiful and exhilarating, salty and dangerous, is like a fairy tale told to an alien intelligence in the far future, a sadomasochistic Cinderella story preached in a cathedral of some religion yet to be born, a campfire legend of an apocalyptic world.
The title, "Industrial Divinity," has several meanings as I see it. First, a particularly generous fan with the username m0t, who plays an important role later in the book, refers to the main character as "my industrial divinity" in chat. Second, it also calls back to the protagonist's alleged immortality and the industrial application of those divine powers as perverted by a mechanized and dehumanizing culture. Our main character realizes quickly that she can exploit her talent for rapid bodily regeneration. The narrative details her rise to stardom as an internet sensation as she injures herself again and again for the camera, calling it a magic trick or performance art for a society looking for greater and more extreme dopamine hits. But there is a third context, one which I am not free to discuss here as this would firmly enter spoiler territory.
Let's just say the book has several layers that will defy your expectations in a good way. For example, it starts off appearing to be all about the dehumanizing effects of technology and could easily have been an episode of "Black Mirror." To further drive the point home, the characters are not really given names. Our protagonist is referred to as "the woman," her sometime lover as "the art student," her business partner as "the stranger," and the first fan she meets as "#1." The only names that appear in the book are those of real visual artists, serving as chapter titles or place holders for different sections. But by the third act, any theories I had as to where this book was going, how it would end, and what it all meant only proved to be inadequate. What seemed like a rather dark and sad tale about a very likeable personality who felt she had to abuse herself day after day to be someone blew up in my face. And I was very happy it did.
Let us talk briefly about the bones of the narrative, namely the characterization, the pacing, and the action. This is one of a handful of recent works I've experienced that delivers truly contemporary dialogue that feels organic, believable, and relatable. As awful as are their behaviors sometimes, you remain invested in our main characters who, despite their outrageous relationships, are entirely plausible, likeable people you'd meet everyday. And each character has a satisfying arc befitting their personalities. The pacing is cinematic, almost perfectly done except for one area in the second act that seemed to drag just a little bit. Otherwise, I felt constantly on edge wondering where the story was going to take me next. The overall mood is delightfully unpredictable, here dark and brooding like the lovechild of Dostoevsky and Kathy Koje, there full of suspense and dread, and all the while being oddly joyful without being campy. Sometimes it seemed childishly naive, preachy, and self-important; other times it was frighteningly deep, mature, and self-aware. I read this book while listening to an SPK mix in the background, and let me tell you what a serendipitous choice that was. The music's transitions from bubble gum pop to sexy tribal ambient soundscapes to terrifying orgasmic industrial screechings really matched the various tones of the narrative.
Most impressive of all was that the book could be so brutal and disturbing, yet actually be a pleasure to read. And while blood and body fluids abound, the focus is not on gratuitous gore. The author does a stunning job placing images in the mind's eye that aren't fully realized on paper. Don't go into this expecting pure carnage candy. This is something much more. How the author can delve into such extreme content while somehow still keeping it "classy" and thoughtful is certainly beyond my limited cognitive capacity. You'll just have to read it and see for yourself.
"But Warren, you seasoned dabbler of the forbidden bedroom arts," I hear you cry, "this book is called a splatterpunk "romance"! So is it steamy or what?!"
Well that brings me to my final point. Yes. Somehow, there are moments of genuine romance, and it can be quite tender while at other times it can make more than gooseflesh stand at attention. I don't think it matters whether you are a libertine or just enjoy your meat and potatoes, whether you embrace your perverse Id or your more prudish Super-ego. Regina Watts knows how to pull your strings. She also understands the seductive powers of language, even as disembodied glowing letters on a digital device. And she perfectly captures the inherent intimacy of social media celebrity. They feel like friends or potential dates, not some distant idol on a big screen or in the tabloids, which can lead to some intense obsessions out there in the network. The romance is at first delivered in a clinical and detached voice, then can sometimes border on the Victorian, or be spry and playful, depending on the mood of the protagonist and the development of her relationships, making the whole rather believable and engaging, though you may find yourself feeling the need for long soaks in a lavender epsom salt bath in the end.
So I hope I gave you a good taste of what this book is like without spoiling anything significant for you. In conclusion, "Industrial Divinity" is a solid work of transgressive fiction that asks serious questions about the difference between art and pornography, highlights the lonely process of fragmentation of the individual self in a society more connected than ever before, harmonizes the marriage between sex and death, and hints at quantum answers to metaphysical questions.
The resulting effort here will sure to be a treat for those who like suspense, dark comedy, social satire, and boundary-pushing literature. Regina Watts is a genuine talent, one that I'm sure will excel in any genre, so this author's career is one to follow.
This may not be agreeable to everyone's palate, and some folks may dislike some of the political commentary contained herein, but I can't help but give this my highest recommendation.
Give it a whirl if you have the guts.
March 31, 2021
You may be forgiven to expect a depraved body-horror story when you start a book about a self-mutilating performance artist (The Woman, aka The Degenetrix). Although horrific in parts, the author does not rely on overtly graphic descriptions of violence and sex to shock, disturb or arouse, instead she cleverly draws the reader in with empathy to feel The Woman’s fear, pain and passion. What begins to unfold is a dark love story, a modern fable criticising an ego-obsessed society that is frequently connected, yet so emotionally disconnected.
And you may be forgiven when you are half-way that you know what this book is about, where the story will go…. oh you mortal fool! No, this is something else, something metaphysical and mind-bending.
The Degenetrix has had you in her web all along, but she is a kind goddess, don't resist, give yourself to her and she will forgive.
I will read this again and again.
And you may be forgiven when you are half-way that you know what this book is about, where the story will go…. oh you mortal fool! No, this is something else, something metaphysical and mind-bending.
The Degenetrix has had you in her web all along, but she is a kind goddess, don't resist, give yourself to her and she will forgive.
I will read this again and again.
June 17, 2021
I didn't know what to expect from this book, as I met this author on a Livestream hangout and was impressed by her descriptions of her work and her knowledge of Jung. I asked her which book of hers I should read first and she ended up sending me this one.
It's the most empowering, feminist splatterpunk book I've ever read. A beautiful story of hope expressed through the pain of a woman that cannot die. And it's through this pain she's able to access the source of all life, and death, and explore infinite variations of herself. I've never read anything quite like it. It's gory, painful, searing, brutal, beautiful, and passionate. It's a happy story. A love story. A celebration of life through all its shades of experience, even those we deem awful.
It's the most empowering, feminist splatterpunk book I've ever read. A beautiful story of hope expressed through the pain of a woman that cannot die. And it's through this pain she's able to access the source of all life, and death, and explore infinite variations of herself. I've never read anything quite like it. It's gory, painful, searing, brutal, beautiful, and passionate. It's a happy story. A love story. A celebration of life through all its shades of experience, even those we deem awful.
October 23, 2021
This book by REGINA WATTS turns horror on its TROPISH head. Full of werds n phrases that snap/crackle/pop off the page bout a woman wit an Immortality yet vulnerable to the visscitudes of life/liberty and fucking. She meets strangers: both men n wommin/takes pictures of the ones she diggs and reminisces over them. All the while dealing with creepiness of life in both hueman form and simply what existential crises throw at her. The author knows her way round werds and has summa da best philsophikal musings I have read in a book. Think CLARICE LISPECTOR as a horrotica writer butt more HIP. Easily one of mah new favorite books in the genre. In fack, I wood say that Regina Watts has pioneered a new form and given the old form a new lease on life. A must read!!
September 7, 2021
To say that Industrial Divinity is my new favorite book would be an understatement. Like every other Watts book, I always learn something new from all the references sprinkled in, and I end up going down a rabbithole of new information as I stay up late into the night researching topics like Anais Nin and Yukio Mishima. The references within all of her books that I do understand end up feeling like inside jokes, further immersing me into her stories and making me enjoy them tenfold.
Industrial Divinity is well written and is one of those books that will stay with you afterwards. The story is brutal and passionate, beautiful and gory. The performances described later on in the book, especially the ones including kinbaku, painted a mental image so vivid that I swore I could reach out and touch it. Using the pandemic as the background of most of this book was genius. The rise of streaming and Onlyfans during this time was used perfectly in the story, giving the woman a platform that would capture audiences and skyrocket her success. I loved seeing so many real life events take place within this story and how it affected the characters.
Industrial Divinity took splatterpunk back to its roots, using the violence as a tool to push the narrative along and telling a compelling story.
Industrial Divinity is well written and is one of those books that will stay with you afterwards. The story is brutal and passionate, beautiful and gory. The performances described later on in the book, especially the ones including kinbaku, painted a mental image so vivid that I swore I could reach out and touch it. Using the pandemic as the background of most of this book was genius. The rise of streaming and Onlyfans during this time was used perfectly in the story, giving the woman a platform that would capture audiences and skyrocket her success. I loved seeing so many real life events take place within this story and how it affected the characters.
Industrial Divinity took splatterpunk back to its roots, using the violence as a tool to push the narrative along and telling a compelling story.
June 6, 2022
Wow, I was incapable of stopping when I started this book, it's like several books in one, there's Splatterpunk gore, transgressive elements, erotica, some surnatural parts and a love story. I love how this book has an artist name for each chapter, it was a really nice touch. I think Dottie For You and Industrial Divinity are almost sibling in terms of content, the core of the book and the love story look alike, but I did prefer this book because of the discovery elements to it, the "creations" of the divinity. I think when she discover her "power" and she seems to be unable to have an orgasm without the pain, the story could have gone much more darker, I would have like that, but we would had lost the Regina Watts signature writing. Overall a 5 stars read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2023
What an extraordinary book. There are some novels that just immediately want to push long-standing favourites out of your top 10 (or even top 5), and this was one of them for me.
A modern fairly-tale (and knowingly, charmingly told within that framework) about a nameless woman who discovers she is immortal, and then spends the rest of the book refining her chosen career path of self-mutilation as performance art.
That's an oversimplification though, and there's so much more to her story than this. It's about human connection and human frailty, about friendship and family, about the rat race and the possibilities afforded by infinite wealth, about the pursuit of the ultimate expression of one's art, but most of all it's a book about love.
When I look back at my favourite kind of novels and collections over the last thirty years, turns out they're often about art and its intersection with the horrific, the transcendent. Industrial Divinity fits the bill perfectly, and exceeded the high expectations I had of it.
A modern fairly-tale (and knowingly, charmingly told within that framework) about a nameless woman who discovers she is immortal, and then spends the rest of the book refining her chosen career path of self-mutilation as performance art.
That's an oversimplification though, and there's so much more to her story than this. It's about human connection and human frailty, about friendship and family, about the rat race and the possibilities afforded by infinite wealth, about the pursuit of the ultimate expression of one's art, but most of all it's a book about love.
When I look back at my favourite kind of novels and collections over the last thirty years, turns out they're often about art and its intersection with the horrific, the transcendent. Industrial Divinity fits the bill perfectly, and exceeded the high expectations I had of it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews