SECOND READ, November 2, 2015
I was going to leave the short comment from my first reading (see below), but other doings and turmoils here in GR, triggered that I read it again, that I suffered it again, that I allowed myself to think about it again and...

...At least I should say that I'm flabbergasted that this book:
* was shelved as often as romance. Sorry, but for me this is not a romance under no circumstances and I cannot embrace like terrific how dark or gritty it is.
* was considered for some as «Science Fiction > Dystopia» shelf, that directly makes me feel insulted: Science-Fiction my ass! It was and it is a raw reality in many countries and has a concrete noun: State Terrorism.
* likewise there is not BDSM, in the slightest. There is not anything consensual, they aren't playing.

I believe that this is a story about a relationship with all the signs of a Stockholm syndrome, absolutely unhealthy and that has nothing to do with love.

I could never consider remotely romantic a story that have, as fundamental background, forced disappearance (see definition at the end of this review), torture, rape and humiliation and, within said background, the «relationship» between a victim and his captor/torturer.

I don't condemn and I have no trouble with Lisa Henry, OK? Maybe because, when she offers it in her web for free, she says "I wrote a thing" without considering it as romance. And maybe is for that that I don't take the step from a starless rating toward one-star rating due to its content.

I'm not sure if it's the story as such and as it fits frightfully with the not too distant history of my country (I was a teenager) or if they are that lot of opinions that they praise it yet don't stop enough on these key issues over which I'm trying to draw the attention... but... this hurts.



NOTE: According [b:Customary International Humanitarian Law|2411712|Customary International Humanitarian Law|Jean-Marie Henckaerts|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327995560s/2411712.jpg|2418889] «In international human rights law, a forced disappearance (or enforced disappearance) occurs when a person is secretly abducted or imprisoned by a state or political organization or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organization, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate and whereabouts, with the intent of placing the victim outside the protection of the law.»






FIRST READ, March 26, 2014
I'll no rate this book. It's very well written, but its content is so revulsive for many reasons... And this isn't the place to write a philosophy essay.

Another gruesome, violent, sadistic story. Rape and mindfuck. Stockholm syndrome. AWESOME!

It still bothers me though - how do you find peace in the arms of your torturer? Rho was in intelligence. Would he torture someone personally? Not unless it was his other speciality, like Miller's, who specifically worked on breaking prisoners. But even if it's a common ground, would it be enough for the victim to fall in love with his torturer and not fall a victim yet again to Stockholm syndrome? O.o

BTW
The first time I saw "Miller", it instantly reminded me of Heinrich Müller, chief of the Gestapo. He is the most senior member of the Nazi regime whose fate remains a mystery, no trace of him has ever been found after May 1, 1945. Just like Miller wanted to disappear (never mind the dates or circumstances).
( )

Crisp, clean writing; mesmerizing character study; absolutely lives up to the posted warnings; and a breath-stealing ending I read the last line as the ultimate dark ending! But you must be your own judge of that! ...and all this in a free short story! Brilliant! ( )

I gather this story was written based on a brief by a potential reader, outlining basic premises for the story to be written. It is obtainable as a freeby from the author's website.

The blurb gives a good indication of the content of the novel, as it outlines the premise as: "Rho is a prisoner of war. Miller is the man who intends to break him." and includes in its warnings: "contains scenes of violence, torture, and non-consensual m/m sex."

I am not sure if this 49 page short story is intended to be erotic; I did not think it was, even in the later scenes. To my mind it is a character study foremost. Main character Miller in particular is intriguing. The continuing toughness of Rho, who has endured an 84-day captivity unbroken at the beginning of the story, seems less believable. I have seen this story tagged with 'Stockholm Syndrome' by some readers, but I do not believe this to be an accurate tag. Classical Pavlovian respondent conditioning has nothing to do with Stockholm Syndrome, and I believe it is the former we see depicted in the story, not the latter. As a study of how one can remain closed off (shut up, fenced in, unbroken) or how one can crawl under another's skin (force response, induce trust, elicit pavlovian response, break down), I liked it, though. ( )