*Spoiler Warning* If you haven't read Slave yet, read the below at your own risk.
My readers have been rather quiet lately with questions, but as I was scanning through reviews on Amazon I found a comment listed under one of the reviews. The reader posed a question and although I doubt they will ever make it here to see the answer, I thought it was a perfect topic for this week's blog post.
I am about 35%+ through the book and I had put it down. At the part where he takes her books away. I don't feel this is about a submissive woman, but an abused, broken girl. GIRL. She was a minor when Ian acquired her, for god's sake. I keep asking myself, why didn't Logan and Stephan rescue her, take her to a hospital, and turn that jackass Ian over to authorities? I love well written BDSM (about adults!), but I just can't get past the fact that I don't see her as an adult. I makes me squirm. Comments?
Let me start by saying that this reader isn't the first to pose this question. I knew when I started this story that some would not like it because it doesn't follow the 'traditional'.
The reader's main issue here seems to be that they view Brianna as a girl, one not old enough to make such decisions about her life. But what I've found through talking to many Dominants and submissives is that most knew that they had this inclination between the ages of 16 and 25. You may not feel that an 18 year old is capable, but I know many that would disagree. I am not disregarding the fact that Brianna was 17 when Ian got hold of her, or that she was there against her will. If you've read the book, you know this is spelled out clearly. That does not appear to be what the reader is addressing.
The second part of this reader's question has to do with why didn't Logan and Stephan take Brianna to the hospital and turn Ian over to the authorities. First, this is a series of books and we do not know what will happen with or to Ian at this point. As for the first part of the question, the simple answer is that I didn't want it to happen that way. lol. The reasoning behind it, however, is pretty simple. Stephan lives a fairly high profile life, which we will get a little glimpse of in Book 2. Think about what the media can do with information. Do you think they would have left it at him being the hero and rescuing a girl from an evil man? Doubtful. They would have wanted to know why? What made this girl special? How did he find out about her? It is possible that they would have dug far enough to find out about him being a Dominant. How would that have affected his life, his family, his business? These are chances that Stephan was not willing to take.
So, I throw the ball in your court readers. What do you think of what the reader said? Do you agree? Disagree?
My thing is regardless of her age, or her choosing to be a submissive. At this point, she's a slave. She's been broken to that point. Taking her to a hospital where she is pitied and "helped" by people who have no clue what Ian probably did... how would that help her? Even the best meaning person could make things worse. And the first thing the police would have done would be to consider her incompetent to make her own decisions for the time being. (I mean seriously, she can't go to the bathroom without permission?) They would contact her immediate family... would going back to her father who sold her really be a good idea??
ReplyDeleteThese questions and comments intrigue me. I must read this series to offer an informed opinion. However, I know that I was in a Yahoo chat group and when a person asked how young was too young to be involved in BDSM, I left the group. I believe legal age is important to avoid some older person taking advantage of someone underage. But again, I offer these comments without reading the book....and I would like to do that.
ReplyDeleteAlso very true, Riane. She would most likely have ended up in a mental hospital given the state she was in at the begining of the story. I can't see how that would have really helped her either. In fact, it may have caused more damage.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you on legal age, Davee, in as far as a person participating with a partner in BDSM. This type of relationship takes a lot of commitment and communication. Brianna is 18 at the start of this story, so legal. I've had some tell me though that if someone is younger than 25 they don't think that they are old enough. It is an opinion. It just happens to be one I don't share. Not even Stephan is 25 yet in the story and he's been a Dom for 5 years.