Review of Frustrating Fascination

Hazel Mae Bagarinao · Post by **Hazel Mae Bagarinao** » 21 Apr 2023, 21:32

[Following is a volunteer review of "Frustrating Fascination" by Debra Mckenzie.]

5 out of 5 stars

Share This Review

Sean's world fell apart when Marina left him for her best friend, Vanessa. After five years of happy marriage, he couldn't fathom why she just left him for a lesbian. He feels like without Marina, his existence would be colorless. Meanwhile, Bruce, Marina's gay brother, is Sean's best friend, with whom he hangs out most of the time. People think that he is also homosexual, but a part of him is abhorrent to homosexuality. Sean's mother is nearly celebrating her birthday, and he is thinking of giving her presents. He bumped into an antique shop, where he was struck by a beautiful antique mirror. The old man, Mortimor Bradley, who is a collector of antiques, has a mysterious character and says some figurative words to him. But what could this strange mirror bring to Sean's actual world? What if Sean experiences a world where he lives opposite of who he was?Frustrating Fascination by Debra Mckenzie presents the idea of putting yourself in the shoes of others.

I love that this book is a short and easy read. I effortlessly followed the characters, especially Sean, the protagonist. His character gave readers some lessons to learn: not to be judgmental, to be more understanding, and to be more empathetic. I like how the author presents two worlds where the readers will learn about unique individual differences and the importance of gender equality. Sean and Bruce's relationship in the second world was intense, and the spectrum of emotions he felt way back when Marina left him comes to a realization. Moreover, I love that the author developed all the characters perfectly. Besides, this readable book was professionally edited, with only one instance of the inconsistency of the name.

On the other hand, the book has an unpleasant nature. The explicit sexual scenes of homosexual characters brought me comfortless feelings. It was intense and very descriptive. And the narrative was littered with profanities. But fortunately, these negative aspects didn't take away from the overall impact of the book on me. Hence, I will give it the highest rating of 5 out of 5 because I enjoyed the easy flow and the fantastic "two-world" narrative of it. A lower score than this is unreasonable because my overall impression of the book is great; it was eye-opening and influential.

This 91-page book is relatable to LGBTQIA+ individuals because of its different-than-usual relationship presentation. As the author implies, this book is dedicated to anyone who is in denial. Therefore, I recommend it to them.

******
Frustrating Fascination
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Bianca Morano · Post by **Bianca Morano** » 05 May 2023, 06:17

I had never heard of a 'two-world' narrative before. Thanks for the review of this book, it seems interesting and educational in representation of the LGBTQIA+ community. There are also a lot of other themes explored in the book that would be good to read. Although the triggers of explicit and descriptive parts can be challenging.

Hazel Mae Bagarinao · Post by **Hazel Mae Bagarinao** » 06 May 2023, 05:46

Bianca Morano wrote: ↑05 May 2023, 06:17 I had never heard of a 'two-world' narrative before. Thanks for the review of this book, it seems interesting and educational in representation of the LGBTQIA+ community. There are also a lot of other themes explored in the book that would be good to read. Although the triggers of explicit and descriptive parts can be challenging.

Yes, the narrative is impressive and uncommon, considering the main character experience two personas. I think you'll enjoy the book when you get the chance to read it. Indeed, it is a great book for the LGBTQIA+ community, with plenty of lessons to acquire. Thank you so much, Bianca for your amazing comment!

Eckhart Aurelius Hughes · Post by **Nisha DSouza** » 08 May 2023, 23:56

It is an interesting storyline and I appreciate the author for addressing such a sensitive topic for many. Your review was excellent, Hazel!

Hazel Mae Bagarinao · Post by **Hazel Mae Bagarinao** » 09 May 2023, 01:34

Nisha DSouza wrote: ↑08 May 2023, 23:56 It is an interesting storyline and I appreciate the author for addressing such a sensitive topic for many. Your review was excellent, Hazel!

Aw, thank you again, Nisha! I agree that such discussion will open up to many for us to be aware of.