Never compare a good film with an even better book
5 stelle
An 18 year old, insecure man, still in the closet, goes involuntarily cruising on Box Hill: he stumbles on the boot of a hot dom biker, gives him a (bad) blow job, and enters into a relationship of sorts. There are acts that could be interpreted as caring, maybe, scenes that read like a sex fantasy, and there is apparent fullfillment on both sides (sexually, but also interpersonally), and yet, contrary to Pillion, I don't interpret this as a story of self-realisation and growth. I think Adam Mars-Jones really wants to keep us in the limbo. He makes it extra clear that low self esteem is shaping Colin's choices, and makes it impossible for readers to relax into the romance or denounce the mistreatment. It was great!