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Lost Girls
by Alan Moore, Melinda Gebbie

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58652.Lost_Girls?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Lost Girls" border="0" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/books/1170520515m/58652.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58652.Lost_Girls?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Lost Girls</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3961.Alan_Moore">Alan Moore</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11213174?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 4 of 5 stars First a warning (or an endorcement! You know who you are...): 
 
 This book is porn. Not romance. Not erotica. It's flat out porn. It's porn with a plot that's intriguing enough that I, at least, tend to focus on story rather than the naked folks licking each other, but the fact remains this book is sexually graphic. Sex is not alluded to or used as an allegory. Sex is explicitly depicted. And not depicted because it naturally would have come about or in way might be considered "proper". No, this is sex for sex's sake and it is full of kink.
 
 There. So, sex aside, what do I like about these books? First off, it's <a href="/search/search?q= Alan Moore&t=author"> Alan Moore</a> and, let's face it, he's way smarter than any of us. His stories are pretty much guaranteed to blow your mind, and this one is no exception. He's one of those rare authors that rewards the careful -- I might as well say obsessive -- reading of the work. Each chapter, though only a few hundred written words, is so layered and filled with subtext that one could easily revisit it twenty times, still finding something new. It took Mr. Moore nine years to write Lost Girls. It shows.
 
 Second, and I'm not really sure how to express this, but the story seems to operate on some level that my brain is just not accustomed to. It manages to be mentally stimulating, but not quite physically arousing. While I'm willing to call this a win for the novelty alone, it also makes me think that, given what I've gleaned from back-issues of Glamour, this is an ideal type of pornography for women to enjoy. Indeed, Moore's artist (and, later, wife) Melinda Gebbie reportedly worked tirelessly to nurture and enhance this aspect of the book. Her subtle use of colors to telegraph emotions and memories is really something you have to see to understand. If you're a woman, enjoy this book! If you're a man, use this book to catch a glimpse of what you're missing.
 
 Finally, I find the characters irresistible. Without giving too much away, the book is based around the lives of three women named Dorothy, Wendy, and Alice. If you think back, I'm sure you can recollect three other girls from your childhood with the same names. Those of you who know me know my love for re-imaginings of old fairytales is second only to my love for porn. Thanks to Mr. Moore, I can now have that particular cake and eat it. Grand!
 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/253817?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Joshua's review
rating:
bookshelves: comics, currently-reading, personal-library

First a warning (or an endorcement! You know who you are...):

This book is porn. Not romance. Not erotica. It's flat out porn. It's porn with a plot that's intriguing enough that I, at least, tend to focus on story rather than the naked folks licking each other, but the fact remains this book is sexually graphic. Sex is not alluded to or used as an allegory. Sex is explicitly depicted. And not depicted because it naturally would have come about or in way might be considered "proper". No, this is sex for sex's sake and it is full of kink.

There. So, sex aside, what do I like about these books? First off, it's Alan Moore and, let's face it, he's way smarter than any of us. His stories are pretty much guaranteed to blow your mind, and this one is no exception. He's one of those rare authors that rewards the careful -- I might as well say obsessive -- reading of the work. Each chapter, though only a few hundred w...more First a warning (or an endorcement! You know who you are...):

This book is porn. Not romance. Not erotica. It's flat out porn. It's porn with a plot that's intriguing enough that I, at least, tend to focus on story rather than the naked folks licking each other, but the fact remains this book is sexually graphic. Sex is not alluded to or used as an allegory. Sex is explicitly depicted. And not depicted because it naturally would have come about or in way might be considered "proper". No, this is sex for sex's sake and it is full of kink.

There. So, sex aside, what do I like about these books? First off, it's Alan Moore and, let's face it, he's way smarter than any of us. His stories are pretty much guaranteed to blow your mind, and this one is no exception. He's one of those rare authors that rewards the careful -- I might as well say obsessive -- reading of the work. Each chapter, though only a few hundred written words, is so layered and filled with subtext that one could easily revisit it twenty times, still finding something new. It took Mr. Moore nine years to write Lost Girls. It shows.

Second, and I'm not really sure how to express this, but the story seems to operate on some level that my brain is just not accustomed to. It manages to be mentally stimulating, but not quite physically arousing. While I'm willing to call this a win for the novelty alone, it also makes me think that, given what I've gleaned from back-issues of Glamour, this is an ideal type of pornography for women to enjoy. Indeed, Moore's artist (and, later, wife) Melinda Gebbie reportedly worked tirelessly to nurture and enhance this aspect of the book. Her subtle use of colors to telegraph emotions and memories is really something you have to see to understand. If you're a woman, enjoy this book! If you're a man, use this book to catch a glimpse of what you're missing.

Finally, I find the characters irresistible. Without giving too much away, the book is based around the lives of three women named Dorothy, Wendy, and Alice. If you think back, I'm sure you can recollect three other girls from your childhood with the same names. Those of you who know me know my love for re-imaginings of old fairytales is second only to my love for porn. Thanks to Mr. Moore, I can now have that particular cake and eat it. Grand!
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