Wight Privilege: Haint Misbehavin’, a novella by Darragha Foster
Darragha Foster’s first release for 2021, Wight Privilege: Haint Misbehavin’, weaves visceral imagery into potent erotica within a tantalizingly complex and interesting world, but doesn’t capitalize on these powerful ingredients. Even for a piece of erotica, the plot feels woefully neglected, sacrificed even, to create a quick read.
Mister Blak, the unborn, hedonistic evil twin of do-gooder Blu, uses his body to wreak havoc on Blu’s life, threatening the peace he’s found in Servitude Hollow and the life of his love, Eve.
This is a good, quick read if you’re looking for dark and kinky erotica that can be consumed in a single sitting. Foster’s world revolves around an imaginative cast of hybridized paranormal creatures ranging from were-trees to halfling nymphs and countless blends of species in between. Although humans exist in the world, they are outside the action of the story, along with pure-blood creatures of almost any ilk. Foster’s language is gripping and paints vivid sensory scenes, so it is imperative the reader knows what they are getting into when they pick up the book. Some of her imagery may be more disturbing than intriguing for more conservative readers.
The two greatest pitfalls of this book are the editing and plot. A great deal of thought and creativity built a fascinating world to place a romance in; the unique dialect used by characters in the region can be charming, but also becomes annoying when use and word meanings appear inconsistent. Improper word use, like consistently using ‘parameter’ instead of ‘perimeter,’ and other obvious proofreading errors are irritating distractions from the narrative, at times confusing the intent of a scene entirely. Inconsistency is a problem throughout, beyond mere word use issues. Little things, like describing why a sign is painted ‘haint blue’ on one page only to have the next state the color had been banned, are incredibly frustrating. Although the short word count makes for a book that can be enjoyed in just a few hours, it makes the multi-layered and intricate world feel wasted on a superficial and rushed storyline.
Perhaps I simply like my romances to have more depth and intricacy, or maybe it was the fascinating world Foster created that felt underutilized, but I found Wight Privilege: Haint Misbehavin’ to be a disappointment. That said, if you are into imaginative paranormal erotica, the incredibly effective descriptive skill of the author makes this twisted tale of debauchery worth checking out.
Amanda King, Dec. 2020
Originally published on Reedsy Discovery.
E-book provided by Reedsy Discovery for review purposes.