3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Eden Shrugged is an enlightening and liberating erotic novel written by Eamon Mc Ghee, Jr.
Melissa Stark is an 18-year old girl with identity crisis and is struggling with her sexuality. She lives with her mother and her step brother Donnie. Raised by an independent and liberated mother, Melissa questions everything around her making her a free-spirited truth seeker. Her struggle with her newly-found sexuality leads her to a clandestine and unorthodox but emotionally and sexually rewarding relationship.
Unbeknownst to Melissa, her mother is keeping secrets of her own. The inevitable disclosure of this secret will lead to more revelations that will make Melissa’s life more exciting and more meaningful.
Told in the first person perspective of young Melissa Stark, this is a shocking novel that may appall prudish readers from the get-go. Fast-paced and with vividly detailed descriptions of explicit erotic scenes, this book is primarily about love, family, spirituality, and sexuality, with a touch of paranormal. Moreover, in painfully sincere and passionate tirades in the form of Melissa’s search for truth, the author brings up controversial topics such as abortion, pornography, prostitution, and pedophilia. Using sarcasm and biblical references, the book freely expresses undisguised aversion to religious and puritanical fundamentalists and oligarchic politicians. Finally, in addition to the unsettling premise, the book presents a set of remarkable and formidable characters.
Overall, I find this book quite enjoyable. First, I find the plot unconventional making the story naturally interesting. Second, I find the author’s passion in what he is writing about, as manifested in the characters’ diatribes, impactful and engaging. Finally and most importantly, I find the author’s courage in writing this book laudable.
While the best part of the book, for me, is the unpredictable and seemingly unending twists and turns of events, what I like most is the depiction of freedom such as spiritual freedom and freedom of sexual orientation among others. I find it enlightening and liberating.
However, other readers may find the book offensive, vulgar, and maybe even outright immoral and the incorporation of Bible verses with the story may be viewed as blasphemous. Moreover, some readers may find the unconventional sexual activities described in this book perverted. Furthermore, I find the dialogues between characters somehow unnatural and the coincidences a little bit overdone. In addition, I find some parts of the book too political for my taste and the depiction of characters, somehow, unrealistic. They are simply too good to be true and therefore difficult to connect with. Finally, there are several errors within the entire book which are mostly typo errors (like I couldn’t quit explain and your bother is so cool). Apparently, this book will benefit from another round of editing.
I, therefore, rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is interesting, entertaining, enlightening, and liberating. I recommend it to readers who enjoy erotic novels and to those who appreciate a different interpretation of the scriptures. Graphic sex scenes and use of obscene languages, however, may not be suitable for young readers.
******
Eden Shrugged Unabridged at eamon.mcgheejr.com
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like kimmyschemy06's review? Post a comment saying so!
