reviews_and_ramblings | Sleight of Hand by Katrina Strauss

At the beginning of the twenty century a family of three, mother, brother and sister are travelling by train to reach the future husband of the young woman. It's not a marriage of love, but an agreement: the older man will provide a comfortable home to the two women and will pay the tuition for the young man, too weak and bad illness to sustain himself and his family. It's years that Edwin is weak in body as in mind, having continuous nightmares that don't allow him to sleep and subsequently worsening his health.

Then at one of the stop the train couples up a private car, that of Sir Marco Sartori, "illusionist, hypnotist and spiritualist extraordinaire", who also offers "tonics and restoratives to cure what ails you". Edwin is drawn both by the man than by his written promises: maybe if this man could heal him, his sister Alma would be not forced to marry a man older than their late father.

Indeed Sartori takes good care of Edwin, immediately understanding what is the "disease" of the young man, and what causes him to not sleep at night; with a simple hypnosis, Edwin reveals his desire for men, and for Sartori in particular, and Sartori is more than ready to seduce Edwin and to benefit of his innocence.

Till now the story could be well a nice and interesting historical gay romance, but there is the problem of Edwin's family, of its maintenance, and the other usual problem in tales like this of the quite impossible situation of living as two male lovers in that age. Katrina Strauss chooses the paranormal way, and I don't spoil the story, since it's in the blurb of the book the publisher decided to post, but for me it's only a nice and "believable" end (for how much believable could be a paranormal twist) to a very nice story. Truth be told, I didn't feel necessary the paranormal twist, probably I would preferred an improbable happily ever after for a "pure" historical romance.

Anyway the setting in a travelling train, and the description of Edwin's past life are really interesting and original, being Edwin not the usual strong and invincible hero, but not being neither a "female in disguise" type of character; on the other hand, Sartori is only hinted (don't forget that the story is only 50 pages long), but when he enters the scene I almost could see the colors and the sparks, and the cheering of the public... he has all the fascinating aurea of Houdini, maybe helped in this by the really nice cover by Anne Cain, almost too pretty for an ebook short story... I hope that the publisher will release something else by the same author and will use that cover for a print edition, it's not often that I see covers that deserve a space on a bookstore shelf.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/sleight-of-hand

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Cover Art by Anne Cain

Sleight of Hand by Katrina Strauss

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Good! So there is a chance to see that gorgeous cover on a print book :-) And I liked the two characters, so nice to know that there is more. Elisa

Your review on this story intrigued me...I love historical romances, even more so if they are combined with some male/male characters.

You are right, sometimes in historical dramas, it is difficult to picture the happy ending since realistically their type of affair would not be tolerated in society's eyes...few have been able to maintain that level of relationship without being ostracized...

Im not sure if Holmes and Watson count, but they would make an adorable couple and they did many things together during that era yet no one really questioned it...of course, it was not really implied they were lovers either...am I making sense? *laughs*

So those two living together did not really raise too many eyebrows, but I see your point on how in norm society, it might.

I too enjoy the happy endings and those are my favorite kind of conclusions, even if they arent realistic...the sad, despairing ones just leave me feeling depressed and I want so much for the characters to get back together...not sure how you feel about that? :) So I agree with you on maybe not historical correct but yeah for happy ending :)

I also agree with you on the cover art for this story, its what drew my attention to your beautiful review.

I will definitely be putting this on my list of 'to get'

Akasha ^V^

By the way, the art for your icon...do you have the graphic book that came from? There are some beautiful illustrations in that art book :)

elisa_rolle review on your story intrigued me, I am putting it on my "to buy" list :)

Akasha ^V^

Yes I have the artbook by Laura Carboni, Yaoi Gothic, and also the last she released with Fireangels. Laura btw is a dear LJ friend.

I'm reading just now a very good historical romance, without paranormal element, that I have the feeling will have an happily ever after. Probably I will post about it tonight.

And Katrina Strauss is a lover of Yaoi and similar, I didn't mention in this review, since here the yaoi element are slighter in comparison to her other books, but yes, also here there is a bit of uke/seme relationship.

Elisa

As I said, Katrina is a big yaoi fan! Elisa

And I recognize your icon, Dany&Dany, Italian like me. Elisa

Squee!! I love Loveless!! Yes, Soubi is quite yummy and I sigh over him often!! Have you read the mangas?

I will send you a private message once I have read it :) I cant wait to buy it!!

Akasha ^V^

I love Dany&Dany!! I had the pleasure of meeting them at Anime Central last Spring (I used to work the convention).

I have a few friends who are Italian...wish I would have known about you last year, we had no translators for Dany&Dany and were in desperate need of one! Had I known you last year, I would have asked you ;)

Again, I do extend my apologies...us Americans sometimes come off as rude and I did not want you to think that all...I will be more aware of how I write things because in text it is hard to monitor/gauge how the other person is 'sounding'

*hugs*

Please tell Laura that I really enjoy her art, its so floral and beautiful...it really inspires the muse!

I cant wait to read your new review ;)

I too enjoy Yaoi though it may be hard for us in the USA to continue getting such works...have you heard about the case in Australia about cartoons are people too? And if the drawn characters like those in anime seem too child like then they can be considered child pornography here...which there are very harsh laws against...that worries me because Yaoi like No Money (Okane Ga Nai) that Uke is super child like, but he is older; which means they probably will stop selling it here :(

I will send you a message once I read it ;)

*giggles* I just love that story, I wish she would come out with the manga faster!

Oh and if you want to snag the icon of Soubi, go ahead. It was made by ChildsGame

As Italian and M/M lover sometime I feel like in a reserve, but there are other Italians like me out there in the big LJ world, only that they are "silent" and well hidden :-)

Yes I understand where is the issue. From my side I always feel guilty when I post a model too young, and usually they are always more than 20. I have a 16 years old, and I'm waiting... people sometime can be really nasty in their comment. And truth be told, even if I don't have kids, I understand the problem: 99/100 reader of some manga probably are female or adult gay men, but maybe 1 can be a person with not good intention... I don't know, it's a very delicate matter. Elisa

Okay, I went ahead and bought it ;)
Will review soon.

And special thanks to

elisa_rolle
for without her review, I never would have known about your story ;)

Always glad to direct people toward nice stories :-) Elisa

Yes, they are few and far between
*Hugs*

I am enjoying those beautiful male models on the side you have there...

Those are my Men Candy :-) They are the funny side of my LJ. I take good care of my men candy and I post one new every week. Elisa

Edited 2008-12-16 20:06 (UTC)

Oh something to look forward to, I see *rubs hands together wickedly*

Can I friend you?

Of course you can :-) I will friend you back. Elisa

This was a really interesting review. I'm so happy that I found your page with such yummy treats.
I have to read this story.

Thank you.

You are welcome Byanca. Know you will like the story, and hope to "comment" with you again in the future. Elisa

Squeee

btw they have you listed for a reviewer on Dreamspinner Advent page :)

yes I know, color me blushing. In the last two years I manage to be on the official reviewers list for some LGBT publisher (Dreamspinner Press, Torquere Press, Samhain Publishing, Changeling Press, MLR Press, Lethe Press, Linden Bay Romance, Noble Romance Publishing, The Sofawolf Press)... it's nice since allow me a bit of choice in a list of awesome book. Elisa

I just got a postcard featuring the cover of SLEIGHT OF HAND (^_^).

http://yaoiandyuri.wordpress.com/2009/02/08/my-collection/

It's wonderful, isn't it? Elisa

Sleight of Hand by Katrina Strauss

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