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Trash, Sex, Magic
A tender, joyful, raunchy, radiant novel. Imagine The Metamorphoses or A Midsummer Night's Dream transported to the woods of Illinois. When a development company cuts down a beloved tree, and tries to drive out Raedawn Summer's family, strange things start to happen.
Raedawn Somershoe lives in a trailer on the banks of the Fox River. She likes men and men like her. It runs in the family: her mother, Gelia, can seduce a man just by walking across a road. When they set their sights on a man, something magical happens. Alexander Caebeau drives a bucketloader for a construction company. He's lonely, homesick, tired of cutting down trees and putting up ugly buildings. He dreams of going back to the Bahamas, but when Alexander meets Raedawn Somershoe, something magical happens. Raedawn has just lost her lover. Her mother is keeping secrets from her. Her childhood sweetheart has come home and is looking for answers. Riverfront developers want Rae and her family gone. She may just be falling in love with Alexander Caebeau. And the Fox River is beginning to rise.... Something magical is about to happen
Raedawn Somershoe lives in a trailer on the banks of the Fox River. She likes men and men like her. It runs in the family: her mother, Gelia, can seduce a man just by walking across a road. When they set their sights on a man, something magical happens. Alexander Caebeau drives a bucketloader for a construction company. He's lonely, homesick, tired of cutting down trees and putting up ugly buildings. He dreams of going back to the Bahamas, but when Alexander meets Raedawn Somershoe, something magical happens. Raedawn has just lost her lover. Her mother is keeping secrets from her. Her childhood sweetheart has come home and is looking for answers. Riverfront developers want Rae and her family gone. She may just be falling in love with Alexander Caebeau. And the Fox River is beginning to rise.... Something magical is about to happen
292 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2004
15 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Stevenson
66 books59 followersI started swimming at 40, riding horses at 42, roller derby at 52, speed skating at 54 ... something's backward there. Read about my latest bruise at https://www.facebook.com/JenniferStev...
I've been writing since I was four, and didn't publish a story til I was 34 ... something's backward there too. Read about my latest books at http://www.bookviewcafe.com/index.php...
Living my life backwards means I get to eat bacon every day and goof off all summer. Don't be fooled. Writing is still a job.
I've been writing since I was four, and didn't publish a story til I was 34 ... something's backward there too. Read about my latest books at http://www.bookviewcafe.com/index.php...
Living my life backwards means I get to eat bacon every day and goof off all summer. Don't be fooled. Writing is still a job.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 23, 2011
Trash Sex Magic is easily one of the most unusual, original, and most memorable fantasies I've ever read. The writing is gorgeous and poetic, and the images so vivid that I can still hear the river running, smell the flowers and plants, and feel the pain of the tree that was chopped down.
In summary, the story is about a group of people who live on trailers on the bank of a river. The "trash" in the title no doubt means the unkind term of "trailer trash". There is definitely some sex and magic, though none of it is tawdry.
Trash Sex Magic is a beautifully written, warm and unusual novel. I would highly recommend it to fans of unusual literary fantasy who don't mind a touch of romance.
In summary, the story is about a group of people who live on trailers on the bank of a river. The "trash" in the title no doubt means the unkind term of "trailer trash". There is definitely some sex and magic, though none of it is tawdry.
Trash Sex Magic is a beautifully written, warm and unusual novel. I would highly recommend it to fans of unusual literary fantasy who don't mind a touch of romance.
February 6, 2009
dammit! i meant to like this book! i love small beer press, and they gave me a really nice t-shirt at the small press fair, but this book was just... ungreat. theres magical realism and then there is just plain silly. part of what makes magical realism work is the creation of a mythology. there has to be some structure, not just weird shit happening for the sake of weird shit happening. it wasnt terrible - there were parts that were fine. i dunno - it read like a romance novel with delusions of grandeur and a really great cover.
Read
November 2, 2016Raedawn Somershoe lives with her wild, outspoken mother in a trailer along the banks of the Fox River just outside of Chicago. Living next to them are the remaining members of the Gowdy family, the parents having vanished suddenly one night, leaving a drunken uncle named Cracker in charge. King Gowdy is back after ten years away, unhappy about his wild brothers and the even wilder nine-year-old twins named Mink and Ink who were left behind by one of Cracker's many girlfriends. He wants order, he wants his parents back, and he has an ambivalent attitude toward Raedawn, wishing to marry her and take her away from their crazy life there on the riverbank -- yet being afraid of her amazing sexual attraction.
The Somershoe women have apparently always been so earth-bound they sensed things no one else did, channeling this mysterious 'electric' through sex. They don't harm anyone. Sometimes they can help. But each has had a secret lover who is... not easily defined.
Meanwhile, their area is going to be condemned as soon as a developer can complete the purchase so that he can put up fancy riverside town homes. The work crew begins by hauling down a mighty tree, and prepares to clear the rest of the land while the rest of the legalities are straight-armed onto the residents. But this tree-cutting causes all kinds of unexpected reactions.
The story unfolds from that point, the narrative voice sliding in and out of everyone's point of view. Nothing is what it seems, any change is possible. The reader gradually becomes aware of one inescapable fact: when that tree was cut down some kind of power was let loose, and it needs to be grounded again or the river won't just rise, it will flood disastrously, causing the weather to go wild, and various life forms to metamorphose at frightening speed, breaking all the rules of biology. And the trailer residents know it.
The narrative voice is sometimes omniscient, particularly when dealing with couples, but maintains a distance so one never finds a hidden narrator. The prose ranges from poetic to down home dialogue, the pacing sometimes whip-sharp, other times flitting and stopping like a chattering magpie. The story could be termed magical realism, though its bones are fashioned to a familiar frame, creating an interesting tension between the expectations of that structure and the open-ended possibilities of magical realism.
Bottom line is, books I like are are about character, and I was deeply engaged with the trailer people and those who befriended them. Long after I finished this one, I found myself thinking about a certain small fox.
The Somershoe women have apparently always been so earth-bound they sensed things no one else did, channeling this mysterious 'electric' through sex. They don't harm anyone. Sometimes they can help. But each has had a secret lover who is... not easily defined.
Meanwhile, their area is going to be condemned as soon as a developer can complete the purchase so that he can put up fancy riverside town homes. The work crew begins by hauling down a mighty tree, and prepares to clear the rest of the land while the rest of the legalities are straight-armed onto the residents. But this tree-cutting causes all kinds of unexpected reactions.
The story unfolds from that point, the narrative voice sliding in and out of everyone's point of view. Nothing is what it seems, any change is possible. The reader gradually becomes aware of one inescapable fact: when that tree was cut down some kind of power was let loose, and it needs to be grounded again or the river won't just rise, it will flood disastrously, causing the weather to go wild, and various life forms to metamorphose at frightening speed, breaking all the rules of biology. And the trailer residents know it.
The narrative voice is sometimes omniscient, particularly when dealing with couples, but maintains a distance so one never finds a hidden narrator. The prose ranges from poetic to down home dialogue, the pacing sometimes whip-sharp, other times flitting and stopping like a chattering magpie. The story could be termed magical realism, though its bones are fashioned to a familiar frame, creating an interesting tension between the expectations of that structure and the open-ended possibilities of magical realism.
Bottom line is, books I like are are about character, and I was deeply engaged with the trailer people and those who befriended them. Long after I finished this one, I found myself thinking about a certain small fox.
May 20, 2012
Jennifer Stevenson's book tells about brutally poor family that lives on the banks of the Fox River in northern Illinois. A real estate developer begins clearing neighboring land for an apartment complex and wants their land, too. As construction begins, he disrupts the local, natural magic that expresses itself most strongly in the sexual allure of the women of the poor family, especially Raedawn. Slowly, the dimensions of the magic emerge, and on a stormy spring night, the land explodes into a new balance. For some, it is disaster, for others, pure joy.
Stevenson knows the Fox River down to the weeds on its muddy banks and the traffic on the highway beside it, but she also details the effects of feral poverty without romanticism. And she puts a unique spin on the idea of magic, which Raedawn cannot imagine living without. Stevenson, in an interview, explained how the magic in her book works:
"I put the word 'magic' back in the realm of nature, where I feel it is most potent and in fact real, as opposed to the 'funny hat and secret handshake' version of magic you get among adolescent boys. . . . I think trying to decide whether the way nature uses the life force (magic) is good or evil is a presumptuous and contemptible and futile human behavior. . . . Real magic isn't obedient; you can't predict it. . . . But sex is the life force in raw form, and nature is bigger than we are, and sex makes us feel that."
Stevenson knows the Fox River down to the weeds on its muddy banks and the traffic on the highway beside it, but she also details the effects of feral poverty without romanticism. And she puts a unique spin on the idea of magic, which Raedawn cannot imagine living without. Stevenson, in an interview, explained how the magic in her book works:
"I put the word 'magic' back in the realm of nature, where I feel it is most potent and in fact real, as opposed to the 'funny hat and secret handshake' version of magic you get among adolescent boys. . . . I think trying to decide whether the way nature uses the life force (magic) is good or evil is a presumptuous and contemptible and futile human behavior. . . . Real magic isn't obedient; you can't predict it. . . . But sex is the life force in raw form, and nature is bigger than we are, and sex makes us feel that."
July 26, 2010
Maybe I was feeling particularly picky the weekend I picked this up, I did try to start two other books and those disappointed me as well, so I may have to factor in that I was just in a critical mood, and didn't give this book enough of a chance. After 25 pages, I just realized I was skimming the long descriptions of the setting to find some reason to care about the two main characters and coming up remarkably empty-handed and empty-hearted.
The plot summary on the back cover makes the women sound full of magic and gumption and sass, but instead it's all the murky mess of misunderstandings. The magic is more like misleading readers about the full extent of the plot, to falsely create a sense of mystery and intrigue. I was just bored.
I also found the descriptions of the trailer park and the accents to be stereotypical and borderline condescending. Didn't find anything believable or true about these women that I could connect with.
The plot summary on the back cover makes the women sound full of magic and gumption and sass, but instead it's all the murky mess of misunderstandings. The magic is more like misleading readers about the full extent of the plot, to falsely create a sense of mystery and intrigue. I was just bored.
I also found the descriptions of the trailer park and the accents to be stereotypical and borderline condescending. Didn't find anything believable or true about these women that I could connect with.
May 18, 2007
A refreshing answer to all those cookie-cutter gritty urban fantasies - trailer park fantasy! Full of glorious rampaging nature and sex goddesses in hot pants. A pure joy from beginning to end.
October 1, 2010
A stretch of land outside of Chicago is lush and fertile. Fecund. Why? Because something about it requires a man to sacrifice himself (somewhat unwillingly) to turn into a tree, a Tree of Life, as it were. The women who live near him/it are filled with a vivacious sexual energy. Why? Because they are lovers with the tree.
In some ways, this story really works. The feeling of the earth being alive comes across quite well, though the imagery is highly repetitious. The repetition goes along nicely with the magical feel of the story, but it's also boring.
I'm a big fan of suspending belief in the ordinary for the sake of story. I really, really am. But the absurd unbelievability of so many things in the story (too many to list except why did that guy literally turn into a snake?) made me sigh and want to stop reading the book.
I like the idea of this story more than the novel itself. I think it would have worked better as a short story, with its power contained instead of sprawled and weaker than intended.
In some ways, this story really works. The feeling of the earth being alive comes across quite well, though the imagery is highly repetitious. The repetition goes along nicely with the magical feel of the story, but it's also boring.
I'm a big fan of suspending belief in the ordinary for the sake of story. I really, really am. But the absurd unbelievability of so many things in the story (too many to list except why did that guy literally turn into a snake?) made me sigh and want to stop reading the book.
I like the idea of this story more than the novel itself. I think it would have worked better as a short story, with its power contained instead of sprawled and weaker than intended.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2016
This is urban fantasy more of the Charles De Lint school than the modern paranormal romance type (though there is romance here), edging in places into magical realism. Lovely, lyrical nature descriptions link inexplicable occurrences, which the characters accept and move on from because it's all they've ever known. The first few chapters were a slog for me, but as the magic (and horror) thickened, my interested was caught.
If I had one complaint, it's that, like some of De Lint, it seems to glorify/exotify poverty in places. Also, um, there's a lot of references to adults having sex with kids, and while I understand why it's there and why the characters themselves have normalized it, that doesn't make it a comfortable read.
If I had one complaint, it's that, like some of De Lint, it seems to glorify/exotify poverty in places. Also, um, there's a lot of references to adults having sex with kids, and while I understand why it's there and why the characters themselves have normalized it, that doesn't make it a comfortable read.
April 21, 2020
I loved this book, although I wish she had given more knowledge of what was happening that every character seemed to know BUT the reader, Alexander, and other outsiders....I was hooked after the first few chapters, I swear it wouldn’t have ruined anything to know more of what was going on!!
January 27, 2009
4 stars meaning that I am glad I read this book, it was more than just killing time in a neutral manner.
A rare crossover book, in that it piqued Kathy"s (my partner)interest and she read it before I got to it. She liked it well enough.
The title is a pretty good description of what goes on in this novel. It does leave out the strong connection to nature that pervades the whole thing. It would probably be more descriptively titled, Tree Trash Sex Magic.
It's nice and steady all the way through, though it misses the high points (and low points) of other 4 star books, like say Michael Swanwick's latest.
Strangely, I read this book in intervals spaced out over a long period. I never felt super compelled to keep going with it.
I guess the big surprises and payoffs aren't that huge, on the scope of things. It's more about characters and their relationships with eachother and with nature.
A rare crossover book, in that it piqued Kathy"s (my partner)interest and she read it before I got to it. She liked it well enough.
The title is a pretty good description of what goes on in this novel. It does leave out the strong connection to nature that pervades the whole thing. It would probably be more descriptively titled, Tree Trash Sex Magic.
It's nice and steady all the way through, though it misses the high points (and low points) of other 4 star books, like say Michael Swanwick's latest.
Strangely, I read this book in intervals spaced out over a long period. I never felt super compelled to keep going with it.
I guess the big surprises and payoffs aren't that huge, on the scope of things. It's more about characters and their relationships with eachother and with nature.
July 31, 2009
Wow. I don't even know how to classify this novel. Fantasy? Magico-realism? Eco-porn?
It definitely has lots of trash, sex, and magic in it. The plot isn't as great as it could be - it's more like a long short story.
I was drawn to this because it's set a stone's throw from where I spent the first 18 years of my life, on the banks of the Fox River in northern IL. The main characters are dirt poor and live in trailers in a small town.
The descriptions of the wildlife, the trees, the fish, the flooding garbage, the spring weather, the riverboat, a construction site, the thunderstorm - Stevenson just got it all right. Except I'm pretty sure there aren't any cottonmouths there. The biologists all say they don't come that far north
Pretty amazing fiction....hard to say if you'll like it. You'll probably either love it or hate it.
It definitely has lots of trash, sex, and magic in it. The plot isn't as great as it could be - it's more like a long short story.
I was drawn to this because it's set a stone's throw from where I spent the first 18 years of my life, on the banks of the Fox River in northern IL. The main characters are dirt poor and live in trailers in a small town.
The descriptions of the wildlife, the trees, the fish, the flooding garbage, the spring weather, the riverboat, a construction site, the thunderstorm - Stevenson just got it all right. Except I'm pretty sure there aren't any cottonmouths there. The biologists all say they don't come that far north
Pretty amazing fiction....hard to say if you'll like it. You'll probably either love it or hate it.
August 6, 2010
This was a really different read. It's the first novel by Jennifer Stevenson and I think it's pretty darn good for a first novel.
The story is hard to describe. It pretty much centers on Raedawn Somershoe and the people surrounding her. Her family. Her Loves. They all live in trailers on the Fox River and there is magic in the Earth and the women in this spot. Raedawn and her mother Gelia seem to be the epicenter for the magic - but others feel and experience it too.
I feel like if I describe any more of the story than that I will give stuff away - and I think surprise is kind of important for this book. It was really a unique read and although I don't think everyone will enjoy it - I did.
The story is hard to describe. It pretty much centers on Raedawn Somershoe and the people surrounding her. Her family. Her Loves. They all live in trailers on the Fox River and there is magic in the Earth and the women in this spot. Raedawn and her mother Gelia seem to be the epicenter for the magic - but others feel and experience it too.
I feel like if I describe any more of the story than that I will give stuff away - and I think surprise is kind of important for this book. It was really a unique read and although I don't think everyone will enjoy it - I did.
August 28, 2010
The title grabbed me immediately; so I bought it. It's well written, with great imagery. I'm really enjoying the underlying politics of classism, environmental rebellion, sexuality etc.
August 15, 2018
Unfortunately, this is another entry in that growing pile of books that are in my target genre but not actually that great. It's a rural weird fantasy set in a poor river community in contemporary Illinois, with a conflict built around development versus nature but made a lot more interesting by the transgressive and borderline-malicious incarnation of nature and the troubling, traumatic demands both pressures together place on the idiosyncratic community of people on both sides. In outline it might be the closest any book I've read comes to matching the integration of the complexities of modern conservation with weird horror flavored morally ambiguous fantasy I'd like to achieve in my own work.
The problem is that none of it really comes through in the execution. It is certainly a very idiosyncratic book, and not mediocre or bad in any of the normal "beginning writer" sort of ways. It just feels like everything is compressed, rushed, and somehow incomplete or unconvincing. Even within a scene, there is something off that prevents me from really sinking into each character's point of view. And overall, that prevents the rural character cast of characters from realizing the Faulknerian social scope they seem to suggest, and keeps the fantasy elements from ever delivering the almost Lynchian punch they could perhaps have reached. Stevenson avoids the common pitfalls for magic in a story like this (with the exception of the overtly Leopoldian green fire that appears from time to time). Nature doesn't act with benevolence or regard for humans, or speak through an avatar, or really make its needs and wishes heard clearly at all, much less require the salvation of human action. It doesn't grant powers or have moral polarity. It just imposes itself in strange, sometimes enjoyable, sometimes terrifying ways on the lives of people who live near it. But while there are some fairly cool place-based weird phenomenon, they feel somehow incomplete and too disconnected both logistically and aesthetically from the rest of the story. They fail to cohere into anything as powerful or unique as they ought to.
The characters are better, providing a wide and diverse palette of perspectives on the phenomena, including many relatively strong voices. There are just so many of them, though, for the short length of this book, and a lot of them feel unfairly sidelined because there just isn't enough space for them to have the development they deserve. It feels like Stevenson is going for an ensemble community weird story along the lines of Twin Peaks or the Kettering Incident, but tries to fit all of those characters into the space of a movie rather than a season of TV. They are good but irrelevant, or one-dimensional and disposable, or (in case of the main characters) complex and relevant but not firmly woven enough into the fabric of the side characters and the plot itself. Ultimately just seems like a lot of these problems would've been solved if the book were longer, both within each scene and by making stronger links between the various threads in the web.
The problem is that none of it really comes through in the execution. It is certainly a very idiosyncratic book, and not mediocre or bad in any of the normal "beginning writer" sort of ways. It just feels like everything is compressed, rushed, and somehow incomplete or unconvincing. Even within a scene, there is something off that prevents me from really sinking into each character's point of view. And overall, that prevents the rural character cast of characters from realizing the Faulknerian social scope they seem to suggest, and keeps the fantasy elements from ever delivering the almost Lynchian punch they could perhaps have reached. Stevenson avoids the common pitfalls for magic in a story like this (with the exception of the overtly Leopoldian green fire that appears from time to time). Nature doesn't act with benevolence or regard for humans, or speak through an avatar, or really make its needs and wishes heard clearly at all, much less require the salvation of human action. It doesn't grant powers or have moral polarity. It just imposes itself in strange, sometimes enjoyable, sometimes terrifying ways on the lives of people who live near it. But while there are some fairly cool place-based weird phenomenon, they feel somehow incomplete and too disconnected both logistically and aesthetically from the rest of the story. They fail to cohere into anything as powerful or unique as they ought to.
The characters are better, providing a wide and diverse palette of perspectives on the phenomena, including many relatively strong voices. There are just so many of them, though, for the short length of this book, and a lot of them feel unfairly sidelined because there just isn't enough space for them to have the development they deserve. It feels like Stevenson is going for an ensemble community weird story along the lines of Twin Peaks or the Kettering Incident, but tries to fit all of those characters into the space of a movie rather than a season of TV. They are good but irrelevant, or one-dimensional and disposable, or (in case of the main characters) complex and relevant but not firmly woven enough into the fabric of the side characters and the plot itself. Ultimately just seems like a lot of these problems would've been solved if the book were longer, both within each scene and by making stronger links between the various threads in the web.
July 29, 2021
I picked "Trash Sex Magic" more or less at random and made it 100 pages in before I realised that I hadn't a clue, not a single one, about what was happening.
It's got something to do with ley lines, a new development near a dangerous river, a ramshackle trailer park, and a dead tree that may have been human at some stage. Sex is involved, though whether it is recreational, or letting off mystical steam, or just put in for the hell of it is a mystery to me.
There's no particular attempt made to draw the strands together, it meanders on at a leisurely pace with hints of magic and other strange forces.
It makes absolutely no sense to me.
That's an hour of my life completely wasted.
It's got something to do with ley lines, a new development near a dangerous river, a ramshackle trailer park, and a dead tree that may have been human at some stage. Sex is involved, though whether it is recreational, or letting off mystical steam, or just put in for the hell of it is a mystery to me.
There's no particular attempt made to draw the strands together, it meanders on at a leisurely pace with hints of magic and other strange forces.
It makes absolutely no sense to me.
That's an hour of my life completely wasted.
July 27, 2024
The ranking of the elements of the book sit in descending order of the title: trash, sex, and the magic. Trash. Stevenson perfectly captures the familial love and way of life of white trash. Anyone who experienced this as a child will be instantly transported back within a few pages. Sex. Sex intertwines itself throughout the entirety of the piece without coming off grody or misplaced in any way. Magic. Stevenson's work is far from a young adult fantasy novel. The magic is subtle and leaves the reader with a sense of questioning: to question what is magic in our lives. Overall, Trash, Sex, Magic is easily digestible and transport you to a land so familiar yet not.
July 4, 2019
I really wanted to like this book, but by the middle I got bored and frustrated. So many characters, and I can’t figure out why. The descriptive writing is super fun in places but the book needs to be about 30 percent shorter, or maybe it should be a short story or novella.
In short: if I wanted to hear about the trials and tribulations of a bunch of horny rednecks, I would have stayed in Hardin County.
In short: if I wanted to hear about the trials and tribulations of a bunch of horny rednecks, I would have stayed in Hardin County.
abandoned
September 8, 2019Why I didn't finish this: I was actually interested in it while I was reading it, but once I paused it at 17%, I just couldn't be bothered to pick it back up again. Whoops. This was supposed to be some kind of "white trash" "magical realism" thing, I think. Not sure if I'd give this or the author another try.
August 31, 2020
This was unique when it came out. Many novels similar in tone and setting have appeared in the years since, so I'd call this one a trail-blazer. As a story it's sufficient and it has some fun moments.
One of those "you could do worse than read this" books, supposing you were stuck with nothing to do for a weekend.
One of those "you could do worse than read this" books, supposing you were stuck with nothing to do for a weekend.
May 4, 2019
This has been on my TBR shelves since 2005. I know. I can't believe it took me that long to get round to reading it either. Earthy magical fun, centring the sort of characters who don't feature in fantasy novels too often.
June 4, 2020
Totally weird! Trailer trash characters turn into trees that live along a river. The writing is hypnotic, but it goes nowhere.
July 10, 2020
We really out here having sex with trees 😅
August 11, 2019
2015 was surely a passive reading year. I was most of the time broke that's why I had only allowed myself to acquire books from Booksale (which is a thriftstore just for books obviously.) And this novel is one of my booksale finds. The thing is, I have a mini notepad or a phone with me whenever I go there. I list all those books that I had eyed upon, so that, I could check them out on GR first. Basically it's a see-the-review-first before-I-buy-them routine of mine. However, I always come back after a week or a month. Best of luck if the book you wish to read is still there. In my case, I was truly happy when I saw that Trash, Sex and Magic was still there. Even though it took me for about 2 hours to find it. (Just imagine how many stacks I searched heheh) I bought it eventually.
I swear I love the title. I rate the title alone 5 stars! And the cover is very simple but sure it's something. Long story short, the outer covering of this was awesomely well-done.
Now, judging the story, it was soooo terrible. I knew it from the very first page that I wouldn't like it but still I kept on going because I had high hopes for this one. This might sound weird but I always finish the story even if I dont like it. Like Unless and The Anxiety of Everyday Objects. The only difference is that I finished those books with atleast a sense of satisfaction. But with Trash, Sex and Magic, it's just... Trash.
I was confused and face-palming 90% of the time I was reading this. Everything escalated quickly. This should only be a less than 100 pg book because as you can guess, it's just full of irrelevant happenings. And the fact that this turned fantasy all of a sudden amazes me. The writing style was so dragging and everything was simply boring. Honestly, this has potential if only it was well executed then maybe it would have even been a part of my favorites.
So, to save people from falling into the trap:
Trash, Sex and Magic is all about a guy named Alexander who falls in love with a beautiful lady named Rae. Rae lives on a trailer with her mother and a few people around the Fox River. Then, one day, a company has decided to transform the land into an urban area. Alexander is one of those construction people and he is always there at the river. There, he meets Rae and absurd stuff happened since then. In the end, Mink becomes a fox and Alexander becomes a tree.
Worst book I've read so far in 2016.
On the bright side, I think the author should just invest herself in erotic fiction. I really believe she would excel there. I can only wish for that to happen. If ever she writes one, then it's going to be sexy as hell. It might be the new Fifty Shades of Grey... or even better.
I swear I love the title. I rate the title alone 5 stars! And the cover is very simple but sure it's something. Long story short, the outer covering of this was awesomely well-done.
Now, judging the story, it was soooo terrible. I knew it from the very first page that I wouldn't like it but still I kept on going because I had high hopes for this one. This might sound weird but I always finish the story even if I dont like it. Like Unless and The Anxiety of Everyday Objects. The only difference is that I finished those books with atleast a sense of satisfaction. But with Trash, Sex and Magic, it's just... Trash.
I was confused and face-palming 90% of the time I was reading this. Everything escalated quickly. This should only be a less than 100 pg book because as you can guess, it's just full of irrelevant happenings. And the fact that this turned fantasy all of a sudden amazes me. The writing style was so dragging and everything was simply boring. Honestly, this has potential if only it was well executed then maybe it would have even been a part of my favorites.
So, to save people from falling into the trap:
Trash, Sex and Magic is all about a guy named Alexander who falls in love with a beautiful lady named Rae. Rae lives on a trailer with her mother and a few people around the Fox River. Then, one day, a company has decided to transform the land into an urban area. Alexander is one of those construction people and he is always there at the river. There, he meets Rae and absurd stuff happened since then. In the end, Mink becomes a fox and Alexander becomes a tree.
Worst book I've read so far in 2016.
On the bright side, I think the author should just invest herself in erotic fiction. I really believe she would excel there. I can only wish for that to happen. If ever she writes one, then it's going to be sexy as hell. It might be the new Fifty Shades of Grey... or even better.
July 3, 2012
I bought this book primarily because of the publisher; they've done some other novels by Sean Stewart that I liked very much. I was hoping (in vain, I thought) that this novel would have the same heart and detail as Stewart's books. I knew it was crazy to think they'd be similar just because the covers resembled each other, but I hoped anyway.
I wasn't disappointed. TRASH SEX MAGIC hits the urban fantasy genre from an oblique angle. Let me clarify: it's urban fantasy because it's fantasy set in a contemporary setting, ala De Lint, not the narrow definition or urban fantasy you're expecting. You'll find hot chicks in tight pants, but that's about it. The magic in this novel is still magical. It's mysterious, and bound up with nature, and not easily controlled even by those it's chosen.
Raedawn and Gelia Somershoe embody all three of the words of the title. They're white trash who live in trailers on the banks of a river. The men drink a lot and the children run feral, and Raedawn works dead-end jobs to keep them in peanut butter and used clothes. They don't seem to mind their life, in fact, when a developer offers them heaps of money for the title to their land on the riverbank, none of them show the least interest in selling. The river is more than just a body of water, it's their life. It's a living thing that takes and gives unpredictably.
One of the things I liked about this novel is the cost the magic imposes on Raedawn and Gelia. Plenty of stories have witches who suffer because of their power, but usually they are either hated or feared. Raedawn and Gelia are neither hated nor feared, but because their magic requires them to live near the water, and because it makes them lustful, they never have the reputation in the town that they might if they had been normal. Stevenson makes them into, well, low-class sluts, but she treats them with enormous sympathy and affection. So, the heroine sleeps with almost every man she meets? That doesn't make her a bad person. In fact, it makes her a good person. She heals people's hearts by loving them. I found this refreshing and progressive.
I'm giving this four stars instead of five not because it was badly written--it was excellently written--but because it just missed the mark for my kind of book. It got a little weird for me near the end; I like to have things very clearly explained (which is why I adore YA and nonfiction). Also, the romance didn't build well enough that I ached to see them together. I think Raedawn sleeping with those other men diffused her energy. Sex is part of the story, but I can't help but wonder if the "romance" part was thrown in there to appease Stevenson's fans.
I wasn't disappointed. TRASH SEX MAGIC hits the urban fantasy genre from an oblique angle. Let me clarify: it's urban fantasy because it's fantasy set in a contemporary setting, ala De Lint, not the narrow definition or urban fantasy you're expecting. You'll find hot chicks in tight pants, but that's about it. The magic in this novel is still magical. It's mysterious, and bound up with nature, and not easily controlled even by those it's chosen.
Raedawn and Gelia Somershoe embody all three of the words of the title. They're white trash who live in trailers on the banks of a river. The men drink a lot and the children run feral, and Raedawn works dead-end jobs to keep them in peanut butter and used clothes. They don't seem to mind their life, in fact, when a developer offers them heaps of money for the title to their land on the riverbank, none of them show the least interest in selling. The river is more than just a body of water, it's their life. It's a living thing that takes and gives unpredictably.
One of the things I liked about this novel is the cost the magic imposes on Raedawn and Gelia. Plenty of stories have witches who suffer because of their power, but usually they are either hated or feared. Raedawn and Gelia are neither hated nor feared, but because their magic requires them to live near the water, and because it makes them lustful, they never have the reputation in the town that they might if they had been normal. Stevenson makes them into, well, low-class sluts, but she treats them with enormous sympathy and affection. So, the heroine sleeps with almost every man she meets? That doesn't make her a bad person. In fact, it makes her a good person. She heals people's hearts by loving them. I found this refreshing and progressive.
I'm giving this four stars instead of five not because it was badly written--it was excellently written--but because it just missed the mark for my kind of book. It got a little weird for me near the end; I like to have things very clearly explained (which is why I adore YA and nonfiction). Also, the romance didn't build well enough that I ached to see them together. I think Raedawn sleeping with those other men diffused her energy. Sex is part of the story, but I can't help but wonder if the "romance" part was thrown in there to appease Stevenson's fans.
August 1, 2012
I wish that I had written this book. I really do. I’m looking at it on the desk next to me and am suddenly suffused with love as I want to take it into my arms. And not because of the sex either.
The story takes place in a community north of Chicago, off the Fox River. Stevenson’s use of scene allowed me to visualize everything with remarkable clarity. But maybe that’s because I know what a string of worn down trailers looks like next to a burgeoning housing development. However, it wasn’t the inanimate objects that made the book real. The trees though, and the river, they were alive to me. Stevenson managed to create a protagonist that I silmultaneously respected, felt sorry for, and was repulsed by. She wasn’t a victim of her surroundings, not once she made a choice, and the choice was offered to her. One thing you see is how different people react to the exact same choice and pressures.
Hmm, I think that I’m taking the idea of not spoiling the book a little too far and vague is completely obscuring my words. But I’m not even sure if giving a synopsis would clarify anything.
There’s magic in the earth, and it ties people to it.
I personally hate the words, “trailer trash”. Maybe because I grew up in a community where being poor isn’t actually looked down upon. And where you live in trailers cause its affordable housing that doesn’t leak when it rains. A trailer became the new “starter home”. You move out, or build out from it, when you can. heck, a lot of people I think wouldn’t recognize a lot of the trailers built in the last 25 years. They really don’t look a lot different from the prefab homes in some development communities. By the way, did you know you could actually order a house from the Sears Catalog in the 50’s & 60’s? How weird is that!
On the surface it appears that Stevenson has written a story about “trailer trash”. But, she’s gone far beyond demonstrating people who don’t feel a need for materialistic improvement in their lives. If it weren’t for Raedawn, our protagonist that most of the area looks down upon, they wouldn’t even have anything at all.
The book begins with a tree being cut down. Immediately its obvious that there was something different about this tree, but you’re not entirely sure what that difference is. A storm is brewing, and something is going to happen. You know that at the end of it, nothing will exactly be the same. Yet, as is true in everything regarding nature, even change carries with it a sense of eternal persistence.
The story takes place in a community north of Chicago, off the Fox River. Stevenson’s use of scene allowed me to visualize everything with remarkable clarity. But maybe that’s because I know what a string of worn down trailers looks like next to a burgeoning housing development. However, it wasn’t the inanimate objects that made the book real. The trees though, and the river, they were alive to me. Stevenson managed to create a protagonist that I silmultaneously respected, felt sorry for, and was repulsed by. She wasn’t a victim of her surroundings, not once she made a choice, and the choice was offered to her. One thing you see is how different people react to the exact same choice and pressures.
Hmm, I think that I’m taking the idea of not spoiling the book a little too far and vague is completely obscuring my words. But I’m not even sure if giving a synopsis would clarify anything.
There’s magic in the earth, and it ties people to it.
I personally hate the words, “trailer trash”. Maybe because I grew up in a community where being poor isn’t actually looked down upon. And where you live in trailers cause its affordable housing that doesn’t leak when it rains. A trailer became the new “starter home”. You move out, or build out from it, when you can. heck, a lot of people I think wouldn’t recognize a lot of the trailers built in the last 25 years. They really don’t look a lot different from the prefab homes in some development communities. By the way, did you know you could actually order a house from the Sears Catalog in the 50’s & 60’s? How weird is that!
On the surface it appears that Stevenson has written a story about “trailer trash”. But, she’s gone far beyond demonstrating people who don’t feel a need for materialistic improvement in their lives. If it weren’t for Raedawn, our protagonist that most of the area looks down upon, they wouldn’t even have anything at all.
The book begins with a tree being cut down. Immediately its obvious that there was something different about this tree, but you’re not entirely sure what that difference is. A storm is brewing, and something is going to happen. You know that at the end of it, nothing will exactly be the same. Yet, as is true in everything regarding nature, even change carries with it a sense of eternal persistence.
December 29, 2016
Entertaining, engaging, and fresh; with some frustratingly sketchy and inconsistent aspects. Feels more like a really exciting and promising draft than a finished book.
August 11, 2016
The title is pretty descriptive, I think, though there's lots more sex and magic than there is trash. Unless you're of the mindset who think that folks who live poor and have lots of sex are trash, I guess.
There's a lot happening at the turning of the season (from winter to spring) here. There are developers that want to build by the river and run out the "Okies" (the term used a couple of times for the folks living in trailers on the riverbank). One of the guiding spirits of the place has been lost, and another is needed. Spring is coming, and the river may flood.
It's magical realism all the way down, and I liked it very much. The richness and fecundity and mystery of the earth is the backdrop. The women in the story are very much a part of that, though there are fewer "surprise" kids than you might expect from the amount of sex that's going on. And there is a LOT of sex. It's not described graphically, but the two main women (Raedawn and her mother Gelia) seem to be minor sex goddesses (literally goddesses) with the power to call a response from ANY man. And they own their power and are comfortable in it.
The language is equally lush and vivid. I love the idea of spring as a current of electricity running through the land.
Looking at the reviews, it appears that you'll either love this book or hate it. I kinda loved it. It's not the sort of book I'd've picked up by itself, but it was part of a Humble Bundle. I'm glad I read it.
There's a lot happening at the turning of the season (from winter to spring) here. There are developers that want to build by the river and run out the "Okies" (the term used a couple of times for the folks living in trailers on the riverbank). One of the guiding spirits of the place has been lost, and another is needed. Spring is coming, and the river may flood.
It's magical realism all the way down, and I liked it very much. The richness and fecundity and mystery of the earth is the backdrop. The women in the story are very much a part of that, though there are fewer "surprise" kids than you might expect from the amount of sex that's going on. And there is a LOT of sex. It's not described graphically, but the two main women (Raedawn and her mother Gelia) seem to be minor sex goddesses (literally goddesses) with the power to call a response from ANY man. And they own their power and are comfortable in it.
The language is equally lush and vivid. I love the idea of spring as a current of electricity running through the land.
Looking at the reviews, it appears that you'll either love this book or hate it. I kinda loved it. It's not the sort of book I'd've picked up by itself, but it was part of a Humble Bundle. I'm glad I read it.
January 2, 2015
Wow. Loved this book. Dirty, messy, beautiful, life-affirming (and love-affirming) masterpiece. I will be buying this book as gifts for many of my friends and family.
Read this excerpt:
Rae stumbled away. What had he said last night?
"I've borrowed a couple of spares. You won't be alone."
No, that's not what he said. Rae glared hard at the ground between her muddy shoes, trying to remember, trying to tune in to the big, bright signal of his voice, now truly silent. But all she could hear was noise.
"I've assigned a team of extras." No. "I've somethinged two somethings." What had he really said?
She shook her head. He never said anything in words. She only understood or didn't. She listened with her inner ear for that voice that had no words, but he was gone. Hacked up, thrown away. She sucked air across her burning throat. The smell of the stump gagged her. What's going to happen to us?
Read this excerpt:
Rae stumbled away. What had he said last night?
"I've borrowed a couple of spares. You won't be alone."
No, that's not what he said. Rae glared hard at the ground between her muddy shoes, trying to remember, trying to tune in to the big, bright signal of his voice, now truly silent. But all she could hear was noise.
"I've assigned a team of extras." No. "I've somethinged two somethings." What had he really said?
She shook her head. He never said anything in words. She only understood or didn't. She listened with her inner ear for that voice that had no words, but he was gone. Hacked up, thrown away. She sucked air across her burning throat. The smell of the stump gagged her. What's going to happen to us?
Read
May 19, 2010Portrayals of sex and love and desire in terms of electricity, sun & moon music, mystical vegetative unions... plus women who are workers with that energy, and have many relationships, completely confident and self-possessed about it.This is my kind of magical realism!Inspired me to recover my pagan sexy self.
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