There is a silver line that marks the difference between good and bad writing and the author – A. J. Karan, has successfully showcased his ability to show that difference through ‘Sensual Attractions’. The book comes with a disclaimer – Not for children below 18 years of age.
With lucid narration and just the right amount of thrill, the stories emerge as quick and nice read. The best treat for me was the continuation of the first story in the end too. It is very unlikely that this happens in a short- story collection.
Friendship Pact and Friendship pat returns: These two stories are filled with elements of mystery and thrill. The first part might seem ending on an uncanny or rather absurd note but there is more in store for the readers. The twists and turns can force the readers to collect their thoughts, for the climax is totally unexpected.
The plot thickens: With perfect blend of lust, greed and revenge, this story is full of twists. But somehow, the ending sounded very filmy and predictable. I liked the portrayal of two strongest and intellectually able characters- Malathi and Deepa. Who eventually turns out to be the stool pigeon, is definitely something to look forward to.
Corporate espionage: I did not like this story, for it reminded me of ‘Indecent Proposal’. Also there were too many characters to remember and especially for a person like me who cannot remember the roles of multiple star cast, this story was not well suited.
The Hotel-I and The Hotel- II: These two stories are good. Finely tuned narration and steady pace of the stories make them a good read.
Love Jeopardy, Emotional Conflict and Perilous Liaison: With same old plot, these stories, no doubt, had lucid narration, but failed to leave an impact. I felt that most of the stories were plotted just for the sake of making this book an erotica. It is not true that love-making happens only when there is extra-marital affair, treachery or lust involved. It can happen out of love too. On this note, I found ‘The prodigal son’ more interesting. The story depicts a fictional concept that is as scarce as hens’ teeth. But still, it was a fresh delight.
The cover of the book is no doubt very catchy but somewhat baffling as it doesn’t relate perfectly with the theme. The blurb could have been better and also the punctuation mistakes could have been rectified.
Somewhere I felt that the description of the love-making scenes was done like it is done in ‘Mills & Boons’. Though the attempt was not futile, yet it would have been better had the book comprised of one story (more like a novella). The short stories were more like speed breakers. The expectation from each story was the same- the explicit narration of intimate scenes, but the stories did not quite rise to the full potential.
Overall, this is a good attempt by the author. The book is suitable for the ones who prefer reading spiced up romance with narration that can bow your mind.
Author: A. J. karan
Publisher: Storymirror
Rating: 3.5/5
About the Author
Active blogger and writer, Enakshi Johri, is a regular author for Indus woman Writing. She is a postgraduate in Biotechnology. She has written several articles, stories and poems and most of her content has been published in the ejournal of IWW (Indus Woman Writing). She is working as a curator for ‘fiction magazine’ (an online magazine). She has contributed in six Anthologies so far. She is also a freelance book reviewer. She is a creative thinker and a passionate writer and loves to pour down her heart in form of words. She shares her experience and her perception through her website (http://aliveshadow.blogspot.in/).
