In the title story, Jacob slips into fantasy land enraptured in love and lust with Owain, who in “real-life” is a cold, abrupt, business-oriented, superior. In the past, Owain and Jacob had been friends; and as we read on, we discover that Jacob had followed Owain to a position in a new corporation in “the city,” and then—something terrible happened to Jacob: insanity, psychosis, or something similar; a stay in a private psychiatric hospital, then a move to a little beach cottage in the Pacific Northwest, with private-duty nursing. Owain seems both to blame, and to care nothing about Jacob’s losses.

A friend from the city, Becca, writes to another former friend, Russell, who lives in the area, asking him to check in on Jacob. Russell finds a horrible situation: the aide has disappeared, leaving Jacob on his own, in the throes of his psychosis, in a collapsing shack. Jacob’s plight plucks Russell’s heart-strings, and he becomes a Good Samaritan.

Ms. Okati demonstrates her unique and tantalizing world-view in every story she undertakes. She is able to illustrate layers upon layers within reality. Every story she pens is guaranteed to be thought-provoking, lustful, and sensually exciting.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Annie
August 17, 2006