I bought this book primarily because of the publisher; they've done some other novels by Sean Stewart that I liked very much. I was hoping (in vain, I thought) that this novel would have the same heart and detail as Stewart's books. I knew it was crazy to think they'd be similar just because the covers resembled each other, but I hoped anyway.I wasn't disappointed. TRASH SEX MAGIC hits the urban fantasy genre from an oblique angle. Let me clarify: it's urban fantasy because it's fantasy set in a contemporary setting, ala De Lint, not the narrow definition or urban fantasy you're expecting. You'll find hot chicks in tight pants, but that's about it. The magic in this novel is still magical. It's mysterious, and bound up with nature, and not easily controlled even by those it's chosen.Raedawn and Gelia Somershoe embody all three of the words of the title. They're white trash who live in trailers on the banks of a river. The men drink a lot and the children run feral, and Raedawn works dead-end jobs to keep them in peanut butter and used clothes. They don't seem to mind their life, in fact, when a developer offers them heaps of money for the title to their land on the riverbank, none of them show the least interest in selling. The river is more than just a body of water, it's their life. It's a living thing that takes and gives unpredictably.One of the things I liked about this novel is the cost the magic imposes on Raedawn and Gelia. Plenty of stories have witches who suffer because of their power, but usually they are either hated or feared. Raedawn and Gelia are neither hated nor feared, but because their magic requires them to live near the water, and because it makes them lustful, they never have the reputation in the town that they might if they had been normal. Stevenson makes them into, well, low-class sluts, but she treats them with enormous sympathy and affection. So, the heroine sleeps with almost every man she meets? That doesn't make her a bad person. In fact, it makes her a good person. She heals people's hearts by loving them. I found this refreshing and progressive.I'm giving this four stars instead of five not because it was badly written--it was excellently written--but because it just missed the mark for my kind of book. It got a little weird for me near the end; I like to have things very clearly explained (which is why I adore YA and nonfiction). Also, the romance didn't build well enough that I ached to see them together. I think Raedawn sleeping with those other men diffused her energy. Sex is part of the story, but I can't help but wonder if the "romance" part was thrown in there to appease Stevenson's fans.
4 stars meaning that I am glad I read this book, it was more than just killing time in a neutral manner.A rare crossover book, in that it piqued Kathy"s (my partner)interest and she read it before I got to it. She liked it well enough.The title is a pretty good description of what goes on in this novel. It does leave out the strong connection to nature that pervades the whole thing. It would probably be more descriptively titled, Tree Trash Sex Magic.It's nice and steady all the way through, though it misses the high points (and low points) of other 4 star books, like say Michael Swanwick's latest.Strangely, I read this book in intervals spaced out over a long period. I never felt super compelled to keep going with it.I guess the big surprises and payoffs aren't that huge, on the scope of things. It's more about characters and their relationships with eachother and with nature.
What do You think about Trash, Sex, Magic (2004)?
Wow. Loved this book. Dirty, messy, beautiful, life-affirming (and love-affirming) masterpiece. I will be buying this book as gifts for many of my friends and family.Read this excerpt: Rae stumbled away. What had he said last night?"I've borrowed a couple of spares. You won't be alone."No, that's not what he said. Rae glared hard at the ground between her muddy shoes, trying to remember, trying to tune in to the big, bright signal of his voice, now truly silent. But all she could hear was noise."I've assigned a team of extras." No. "I've somethinged two somethings." What had he really said?She shook her head. He never said anything in words. She only understood or didn't. She listened with her inner ear for that voice that had no words, but he was gone. Hacked up, thrown away. She sucked air across her burning throat. The smell of the stump gagged her. What's going to happen to us?
—Mawgojzeta
This was a really different read. It's the first novel by Jennifer Stevenson and I think it's pretty darn good for a first novel.The story is hard to describe. It pretty much centers on Raedawn Somershoe and the people surrounding her. Her family. Her Loves. They all live in trailers on the Fox River and there is magic in the Earth and the women in this spot. Raedawn and her mother Gelia seem to be the epicenter for the magic - but others feel and experience it too. I feel like if I describe any more of the story than that I will give stuff away - and I think surprise is kind of important for this book. It was really a unique read and although I don't think everyone will enjoy it - I did.
—Jennifer
Trash Sex Magic is easily one of the most unusual, original, and most memorable fantasies I've ever read. The writing is gorgeous and poetic, and the images so vivid that I can still hear the river running, smell the flowers and plants, and feel the pain of the tree that was chopped down. In summary, the story is about a group of people who live on trailers on the bank of a river. The "trash" in the title no doubt means the unkind term of "trailer trash". There is definitely some sex and magic, though none of it is tawdry. Trash Sex Magic is a beautifully written, warm and unusual novel. I would highly recommend it to fans of unusual literary fantasy who don't mind a touch of romance.
—Nancy
