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Skunk: A Love Story
This novel tells of a young man's attraction and ultimate addiction to skunk musk, and the social difficulties he encounters as a result. He longs to find an isolated utopia where he can experience his addiction in peace, but he is thwarted by all, including a young woman who understands his skunk fetish because she has a fish fetish.
- GenresFictionScience Fiction
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2007
2 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 16, 2009
I've never considered myself a squeamish person. I can watch surgery shows on the Discovery Health channel and tend to roll my eyes at all but the most ghastly gross-out email video forwards. However, I seem to have met my match with the contents of Justin Courter's skunk-musk-milker-meets-fish-fetishist (yes, really) romance novel, Skunk: A Love Story. But wait! Don't run away yet! Thanks to its sharp turns of phrase, dark humor, and the wry, twisted observations of characters who could give Jeff Lindsay's “Dexter” alienated competition, I'm going to have to recommend this deeply strange book. I guarantee that you've read nothing like it. I just wanted to warn you up front, there's quite a lot of skunk-musk drinking in here – among other things.
The novel begins with our odd, reeking hero, Damien, being scornfully harassed by his office co-workers and his nosy neighbors who simply cannot mind their own business and ignore the olfactory evidence of Damien's houseful of skunks. Then we get a brief origin story from Damien's childhood that has put me off the smell of beer forever. This leads into the interactions between Damien and his married skunk couple, Louisa and Homer (complete with accompanying wedding photo), which are surprisingly adorable and demonstrate normal-ish affectionate pet/human relations right up until the moment that Damien starts ticking off the days until the litter of baby skunks is old enough that he can squeeze them over a shot glass and chug the resulting emissions with the connoisseurship of a sommelier. Next comes the meat of the novel, when the romance and intrigue plot lines kick in and, as they say, it gets weird.
Overall, I'd call this a work of demented, hysterical genius that made me both laugh and want to hurl. The quality of the writing is top-notch. The author's imagination is huge, and he certainly draws the reader into places and minds they've never considered. If you're daring and have a stomach of steel, check out Skunk: A Love Story. Even though the possibilities scare me a little, I can't wait to check out what Justin Courter comes up with next.
Review by Dominae Petrosini
The novel begins with our odd, reeking hero, Damien, being scornfully harassed by his office co-workers and his nosy neighbors who simply cannot mind their own business and ignore the olfactory evidence of Damien's houseful of skunks. Then we get a brief origin story from Damien's childhood that has put me off the smell of beer forever. This leads into the interactions between Damien and his married skunk couple, Louisa and Homer (complete with accompanying wedding photo), which are surprisingly adorable and demonstrate normal-ish affectionate pet/human relations right up until the moment that Damien starts ticking off the days until the litter of baby skunks is old enough that he can squeeze them over a shot glass and chug the resulting emissions with the connoisseurship of a sommelier. Next comes the meat of the novel, when the romance and intrigue plot lines kick in and, as they say, it gets weird.
Overall, I'd call this a work of demented, hysterical genius that made me both laugh and want to hurl. The quality of the writing is top-notch. The author's imagination is huge, and he certainly draws the reader into places and minds they've never considered. If you're daring and have a stomach of steel, check out Skunk: A Love Story. Even though the possibilities scare me a little, I can't wait to check out what Justin Courter comes up with next.
Review by Dominae Petrosini
February 1, 2010
The idea of a guy loving skunk stink because it recalls his dead mother's drunk odors was bizarrely touching, but once he falls in love with a wall-eyed fish freak (by Page 50) it all slides down the shitter. This one stank really fast. Too bad, so many great possibilities here.
December 8, 2017
I started reading this last night. This is the weirdest, grossest, yet still manages to be entertaining. I adore skunks, hence that's why I ended up purchasing this at my on-going sale at the library. The premise is the main character loves skunk musk so much, he ends up capturing a skunk. He brings it home and runs around chasing it until Homer, what he named the skunk, sprays him.
It's a bit stomach-churning at times, but I'm still reading. The one thing that had me gagging was when he decides to squeeze the skunk so the juice falls into his cup while at dinner. And yes, he drinks it.
He meets a woman who's fetish is fish, and she invites him to her place which reeks of fish. These two seriously are a match made in (stinky) heaven.
It really is cute how the main character talks to his skunk, and how he ends up capturing another skunk so Homer has company. That new skunk turns out to be a female, and pretty soon, there are six baby skunks roaming around the house. And he takes care of his little furry family.
I'm enjoying it, but I'm disgusted all the same. It's definitely the most weirdest, grossest book I've ever read.
ETA:. I have out this book on hold. I can't read it anymore. the fish fetish is just too much. I realize what that says, but I detest fish at the best of times
It's a bit stomach-churning at times, but I'm still reading. The one thing that had me gagging was when he decides to squeeze the skunk so the juice falls into his cup while at dinner. And yes, he drinks it.
He meets a woman who's fetish is fish, and she invites him to her place which reeks of fish. These two seriously are a match made in (stinky) heaven.
It really is cute how the main character talks to his skunk, and how he ends up capturing another skunk so Homer has company. That new skunk turns out to be a female, and pretty soon, there are six baby skunks roaming around the house. And he takes care of his little furry family.
I'm enjoying it, but I'm disgusted all the same. It's definitely the most weirdest, grossest book I've ever read.
ETA:. I have out this book on hold. I can't read it anymore. the fish fetish is just too much. I realize what that says, but I detest fish at the best of times
August 28, 2007
A man's journey through skunk musk addiction and not really back again. Yes, skunk musk. So what happens when you have some sociopathic tendencies and finally give in to one of your most prevailing urges? We find out in Skunk, and thankfully imbibing skunk musk, though a truly stomach turning premise, is more entertaining than someone hurting people, etc. His b'shert, not surprisingly, is a woman of a similar OCD/personality disorder character who is obsessed with fish. He smells skunky, she smells fishy, match in heaven.
This was an engaging enough book, quirky, with a workably bizarre plot. The writing was good and I think shows room for lots more growth, although not particularly deep.
This was an engaging enough book, quirky, with a workably bizarre plot. The writing was good and I think shows room for lots more growth, although not particularly deep.
October 22, 2009
um, where to start...this book has been the most curious i think i've ever read. I gave it 3 stars becuz of the unusual nature of the storyline and the fact that you cannot predict anything in this book. Not even the ending. That said, if you are looking for an atypical novel, than this is your you. Be forewarned, if you are repulsed by skunks already, this takes it to another level.
March 25, 2023
Not what I was expecting. Naturally felt more attached to the protagonist as the story went on. I loved the different characters and the realism. I felt his pain about the skunks, damn neighbor. Two misfits finding each other and then realizing it wasn't a perfect puzzle fit. The writing was paced well. I truly enjoyed it.
September 4, 2008
I cringed at times, thought I coudn't finish it, but it's like a train wreck tht you have to keeping looking at. Slightly addictive in a gross out way.
May 28, 2009
Skunk: A Love Story by Justin Courter (2007)
October 5, 2009
very goodbook
Want to read
November 19, 2009I need this book!
September 29, 2015
Humorous story about a man who gets addicted to skunk musk and how it affects his life. It was quite well written and I enjoyed the author's style.
August 21, 2008
I hated it, then liked it, but--wow--it's really, really disgusting.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews