Daddy's Girl
by Stella Black

Book Review by Ashley Lister

I've always admired the way Daddy can be used in a sexual context to suggest an outrageous infringement of one of society's greatest taboos. In the realms of power play Daddy is the authority figure, the one who metes out punishment and whom all subordinates obey. Daddy, as soon as he is named and identified, is the ultimate in power and authority.

Personally I don't have the confidence to allow anyone in the bedroom to call me Daddy. If someone in the bedroom called me Daddy, my automatic reaction would be to ask, "Are you suggesting I'm old? Are you saying I've got wrinkles? Cos I'm sure it's meant to look like that. And if you're referring to the colour of those hairs, they're not grey, that was just an unsuccessful experiment with a depilatory cream."

Because of its obvious familial use, Daddy is a distinctly edgy epithet and instantly sets a disquieting mood. Which, even though it doesn't work for me, makes it a very powerful word for sex play.

Stella Black is clearly aware of the power of this single word, as she is clearly aware of the power of many words. Her writing is remarkable for the way she can build a detailed scene without overwriting. The economy in her style is magnificent and she puts her skill to impeccable use with this autobiographical tale of a young woman and her adopted Daddy.

At its simplest level, the story here can be described as the six years Stella spent in the company of an older man. I don't want to provide more of a synopsis because I'll give away some of the twists, turns and surprises. But I will say Stella is shockingly frank in the explicit detail she provides. From the moment she first meets and surrenders to Daddy, the narrative presents the disconcerting relationship between a couple who are clearly right for each other but possibly wrong for themselves.

One of the (many) remarkable things about this book is that it balances Stella's submission with an intelligent rationalisation of female subjugation from a feminist perspective. Stella is obviously aware that women are the physical and intellectual equals of men. But she is also aware that her own body craves the dominance of her Daddy, flouting the dictates of an anti-misogynistic doctrine. And, that said, Stella manages to relate these details without slowing the narrative or making any explanation appear dull or turgid.

Her voice as the author and central character is surprisingly fresh. She acts the role of the spoilt little girl in need of punishment, but with a credibility that makes for fascinating reading. All of which makes Daddy's Girl a remarkable book that provides an illuminating insight into a fascinating relationship. For anyone who ever wondered about the dynamics of a Daddy's Girl relationship, this powerful story will tell you everything you wanted to know.

Ashley Lister
September 2007

Daddy's Girl by Stella Black
(Virgin Books; August 7, 2007; ISBN-10: 0753512807)
Available at:  Amazon.com  / Amazon UK

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© 2007 Ashley Lister. All rights reserved.


About the Author: Ashley Lister is a UK author responsible for more than two-dozen erotic novels written under a variety of pseudonyms.His most recent work, Swingers: True Confessions from Today's Modern Swinging Scene (Virgin Books; ISBN: 0753511355), a non-fiction book recounting the exploits of UK swingers, is his first title published under his own name.
Ashley’s non-fiction has appeared in a variety of magazines, including Forum, Chapter & Verse and The International Journal of Erotica. Nexus, Chimera and Silver Moon have published his full-length fiction, with shorter stories appearing in anthologies edited by Maxim Jakubowski, Rachel Kramer Bussel and Mitzi Szereto. He is very proud to be a regular contributor to ERWA.
Websites: www.ashleylister.co.uk / ashleylister.blogspot.com/

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