A Nude to a Kill by Cassie Caine

A Nude to a Kill by Cassie Caine

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


There's an episode of Seinfeld that includes Seinfeld having a girlfriend who is some form of nudist. Every time they are alone together, she strips off. Wanders nudely. She's not doing that for erotic/sex/or similar reasons. She's doing it because she doesn't like clothing (more or less). Seinfeld is initially pleased by this development until he realizes that there are just some angles that a body can be in that should not be seen while that body is naked. Where-upon he tries his best to get her to wear clothing - it just isn't 'interesting' for him any longer.

Unfortunately, this specific story follows a somewhat similar path in desire in me to 'see' the naked person. The story was just not as interesting as other stories I've read by this author.

There's a professional model - she's been hired to wander a wildnerness area while a photography class takes pictures of her. It's the first time she's done a nude shoot so she's nervous about that. But . . . you know the time she first strips off? She's more thinking of the creepy teacher who had sexually harassed her the night before and is still giving off bad vibes. Creepy. There's nothing erotic/sexy/exciting, to me personally, to sexual harassment.

I don't know. Too many people. Too many points of view. And before we even got the the crazed crossbow hunter, I'd been thinking that there was nothing erotic about this story. Then that person appeared and . . .. mmphs.

Unfortunate.

Rating: 2.7

February 24 2018



View all my reviews

The "Volunteer" by D.H. Jonathan

Somewhat disturbing book on several levels. From my notes as I read:

44% - "Woman being forced to wander campus naked for 2 months. One of her professors tries to take advantage, rape almost happens. She is saved. The professor forcing her to be naked then, after saving her, hugs her without permission. Then one of the helpers, 'an attractive man', kisses her without permission (though slowly and tentatively). Which part of this is ok/not ok? forced nudity? almost rape? hug, kiss?"

67% - "Definite vibe of force/dubious consent/etc. - especially when the things the 'forced to be naked woman' chooses to do on her own initiative, be a nude model for an art class, gets a one liner ('did modeling, got two more gigs from the guy'); while the force stuff, for the most part, gets a lot more than one liners.

And seriously? Just . . .breaking into a student's room and sitting on her bed? Dr. Slater is evil."

I've several problems with the book, some noted above. In addition to whatever can be pulled from there:
1) Every step of the way the main character was pushed into doing things out of her control and against her will, sure there were 'okay, you don't have to do it but if you don't you will be kicked out of school and . . . stuff';
2) Things were built in to make 'stuff' more creepy - like how the professor behind the experiment didn't want just anyone (which, apparently, includes real volunteers since they would be the kind of woman (or man) who 'wanted' to do that kind of thing (or have been willing) because . . . . um . . because she's a twisted freak? And the other professor who almost raped her; and the PR person who kept pushing and pushing her into situations the MC didn't want to be in; or the vaguely (and somewhat less so) creepy roommate who kept dragging her boyfriend around to see her 'naked roommate'; to . . . well, even the parents were creepy in their way and no I don't mean the part where they 'just didn't understand' or 'freaked out', I mean they way they went behind her back and purposefully or accidentally made their own daughter out as a liar and fraud (when they attempted to get the professor and school/dean in trouble - mind you they waited several months - until it everything was all over, before they did this stunt) by pointing out . . . well, the truth behind what occurred - that their daughter wasn't in fact making some grand point about nudity and body image and crap like that, but had, instead, been blackmailed into being naked - nationally); to the friends back home who force her to be naked around them - including the part wherein one friend almost got her arrested.
3) WTF is up with that ending? I've partially noted what occurred above but - super creepy professor who was forcing MC to do what she was doing, and at times 'broke into' the girl's room and sat on her bed and strongly encouraged her to do stuff (no, not sexual - continue being naked in public) - 'helped' the MC when she was almost raped and blackmailed that other professor to give the MC a good grade - and later telling the MC that 'he'd be dealt with after the semester is over'. That rapey-professor? Apparently was either forgotten by the time the semester ended, or had no problems associated with his actions - legal or otherwise. At least, nothing was mentioned at the end of the book. No, it was the dean, the creepy 'force blackmailed girl to be naked' professor, and the PR person who got into trouble - and . . . the MC stood up for the creepy professor (at least in the sense that her actions could be construed to help that professor stay on campus - she, in her way, hated the professor and her actions, but . . . um . . . film of her naked was already school property and . . . um . . . the MC . . . preferred the creepy professor to handle it? Something like that? Course, creepy-mccreep then turned around and sold the footage to a film company so . . . MC was stupid. Or something.