North Storm by Willa Okati

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Willa Okati writes both contemporary than fantasy novels, but in one case or the other, she has always that dreaming feeling in all her stories.

North Storm is a pure fantasy novel, set in that undefined fantasy time that could be a medieval or pre Industrial Revolution era, when machines were not yet part of our life, and people lived of their own hand work. North, a country boy, is sent by his village to the big citta to learn two different jobs: deep-water treasure diver and Man Hand (i.e. high paid prostitute). To teach him both jobs North hires Storm, the best diver of all, but a retired Man Hand; despite being retired, Storm is still young and handsome, and it’s not hard job for North to learn from him the art of pleasuring a man.

As often in these fantasy worlds by Willa Okati, homosexuality is not an issue, but as it should be, simply the way you are; moreover, men who choose to pleasure other men are not looked upon, but on the contrary, they can be also well-respected members of the good society. The problem is exactly here: North is a country boy and he chose Storm as teacher, that, even if is good and handsome, is nevertheless a simple boy from the low level of society; bad people think that North should aspire to much more, even against North’s own desires.

Sex in this world is something good and not a dirty and hidden thing; as such, it can be done in the open, and people like Storm can even walk outside naked as it was the most normal thing. It’s refreshing and liberating. Same as it’s North’s approach to life: even if he is young and inexperienced, he has an open attitude to new things, without losing the proud of his own native customs; plus North has a witty and bratty behaviour that well match Storm, who needs an injection of novelty, he was starting to lay down on his own skills (both as diver than sex worker).

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1328

Amazon Kindle: North Storm
Publisher: Changeling Press, LLC (February 12, 2010)

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