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I write mystery thrillers. However, "Sixty Positions with Pleasure" sounds like an erotic book, right? In fact, it's a mixed genre, multiple narrative novel. The core is still a mystery thriller, an unexplained road accident leading to a chain of deaths, each more puzzling than the last. Parallel to that is a political satire based on the Irish town where the story is set deciding to declare its independence from Ireland and the EU. And then there's the progress of 25-year-old protagonist Charlie Gibbs, who is co-opted by his 50-year-old Dutch cougar boss, Ilse Teuling, to help her write a sex manual. All this set speculatively in the future, in the year 2050, hence the robot pictured on the front cover, who thinks he's French, by the way.
Reviewed by Lucinda E Clarke for Readers' Favorite
Sixty Positions with Pleasure by Sahlan Diver is a microcosm of man and his behavior. It’s a crime murder mystery, a commentary on a town that declares independence; it demonstrates man’s greed, desire for money and power, and then there is the sex. When a new manager arrives in Ireland to run a company owned by the Dutch, he behaves in a rather strange manner. Charlie is caught up in events wilder than his wildest dreams, not only as a participant in his boss’s impending book but as a target for murder. The locals in the mythical town of Kilgarney, an hour outside Dublin, have taken innovations to the extreme with a lake, an underwater railway journey, and an inland beach resort. Since the tale is set in 2050, the warm climate makes it an ideal holiday destination. Throw in a visionary sighting of the Virgin Mary in a nearby cave and a camera obscura show, and business is booming. Until those in power, previously independent members of Parliament in the Dail, decide to declare independence for Kilgarney. And I must mention Sidney the robot with a French accent and a rather bizarre sense of humor.
I never ever choose to read erotica of any sort. Still, the blurb for Sixty Positions with Pleasure by Sahlan Diver was too enticing not to download and review. It’s a rollercoaster of a tale commenting on just about every aspect of life, from sex – yes, they attempt to copy the Karma Sutra – to the human condition in all its forms. It’s a fun read, which rattles along at great speed with an enormous cast of characters, most of whom are not what we think they are. From purchasing an extra-length bed to Sidney the robot taking a bullet in the chest, I laughed all the way through. The overall plot is quite convoluted. Although the situation was carefully explained toward the end, with all the loose ends nicely wrapped up, I had to concentrate hard to remember who was who. Of course, it will take a long time to forget Charlie and Ilse and their interesting antics as they perform for a blockbuster bestseller. Very enjoyable.
