Book Review

Chemical Pink

EW's GRADE
C-

Details Writer: Katie Arnoldi; Genre: Fiction

Scrawny, bespectacled Charles is the man who can give Aurora what she wants: the muscular physique of a world-class bodybuilder. In exchange for a brutal German trainer and syringes full of growth hormones, Aurora gives Charles what he desires: a submissive partner in his extreme sexual experiments. An intriguing premise, but newbie novelist Arnoldi is so desperate to be daring, she's made an unfortunate swap of her own — easy shock in place of plot and character development. As Aurora expands into a chemically induced golem, Arnoldi eagerly details her boils, fecal expulsions, and wiry ingrown hairs — as well as her sideshow-style sex with Charles. The result is a creation similar to Aurora herself: Chemical Pink is surprising at first glance but, underneath, terribly artificial.

Originally posted Apr 06, 2001 Published in issue #590 Apr 06, 2001 Order article reprints

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