Review: Eighty Days Yellow

Eighty Days Yellow by Vina Jackson

My rating: 1 of 5 stars



This is a story which left me puzzled. Many of my friends have raved about this awesome love story and the great BDSM in here. What I found instead was a travesty in how BDSM is displayed. If this is what people believe occurs in a BDSM lifestyle, then it's no wonder those who are just getting their kink on, are getting hurt. In addition to protocols being violated through outed in public, there is a distinct lack of communication and trust. All of this is unappealing and leaves me a bit disgusted.

Summer is a foolish little bohemian with nary a thought in her head other than her obsession for playing the violin. Through a couple of unrelated events, it combines into a gateway into the BDSM world. Her introduction is through Dominik. Dominik is some kind of well-off professor at a university in London. If the story was just the dynamic between Dominik and Summer, it may have rated a two star - just okay. The last fifth of the book brought in Victor and the story morphed into a lingering bitter aftertaste. It's almost as if someone else was writing the last bit and not conferring with the writer of the early parts.

Switching from first person to third person is not a technique I recommend in writing. It's a bit jarring. It's worse than switching points of view in third person. Perhaps it is because there are two authors writing together that this lack of synergy shows through the flipping between first and third person.

The characters in this story are disengaging. Summer started out interesting. When Dominik enters the scene and they start their D/s, it was pretty hot. From there it went into a tailspin. Summer made several poor choices and started to come across as immature and petty. This is not the type of protagonist I enjoy reading.

There were several incidences in this story demonstrating exactly what BDSM lifestylers warn against and try to prevent. The first one is outing Summer at her work. The situation there is appalling. Perhaps this does happen in London. It wouldn't fly here in my local BDSM community. People are very discrete and it's repeated at every event I've attended, even just the educational classes, never out someone in public or private. The second oddity was dragging in Summer's friend Chris to a BDSM party. It's as if he wasn't informed before he attended. I'm not sure the intent of the authors for this point. One of the rules I was taught early on - don't force your kink onto others. To bring a Vanilla person into a BDSM party and then when he is offended and storms off, make fun of him? What kind of BDSM group is this that Summer's friend Charlotte possesses? It's definitely not the crowd I'd hang around. This was a total party foul and it shows the lack of maturity from Charlotte and her cronies. Her character goes from slutty stripper to just vile and petty. Lastly, the whole slave thing with Victor was bizarre. Yes,there are slave registries. Yes, people do receive piercings or tattoos as a sign of their slavery. This mockery of a M/s relationship is revolting. This book is not recommended as an example of good BDSM. It is a good example of bad BDSM dynamics.

As a love story between Summer and Dominik, this tale would have been just fine. To add the kinky scenes increased the spice to this story. The extra threads of Charlotte and Victor brought this book down. Instead of a dark erotica, it became a story with opposing directions. Is it a love story or is it a too stupid to live female falling down a non-con rabbit hole? Pick one or the other. Mixing the two leaves a BDSM reader dissatisfied.

*provided by NetGalley



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