Customer Reviews

Dancing With The Devil

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's difficult to sum up When Romeo Wakes, the opening salvo in Taylor Siluwé's debut short story anthology.

A string of adjectives easily spring to mind - shocking, surprising, sexy, surreal, gripping, frightening, brutal, numbing... Oh, and deeply poignant.

When Romeo Wakes makes a statement: Siluwé's work is something different, a revelation, a bit special.

This review is going to be biased, because I'm truly smitten. Dancing With The Devil blew me away; it is, quite simply, the best thing I've read in a very long time, and I've read some pretty decent novels lately.

There's a poetic, hypnotic flow to Siluwé's writing, and at the same time an exciting urgency that sucks you up and whisks you away in a storm of visceral imagery and Machiavellian twists and turns.

Breeding Season, a picture of high school infatuation that crackles with teen angst, is a perfect example; Siluwé eases the reader in, caresses you, toys with you, until he's got you just where he wants you, and then-

BOOM!

The story takes a startling U-turn, not once, but twice.

Beneath Paradise, the third tale, probes "sex and salvation", pondering on the clash between religion and sexuality - and the prisons we build for ourselves.

Pretty Young Gangsters is a highly-charged set piece, a Nihilist tale of lessons not learnt, and one that struck a cord with this reader, in more ways than one.

The grand finale, the eponymous Dancing With The Devil, is perhaps the darkest and most provocative of all the stories here, Siluwé going all out in his exploration of the dark forces inside us all.

Taylor Siluwé's collection is thrilling, brave, truthful, sexy and memorable. The only downside is you'll be left wanting more.

Dancing with the Devil does an excellent job in reeling in the reader into the mind of the main characters who dare to explore the darker sides of their personalities. The erotica interlaced in each story is just enough to "take you there" but is tastefully done and not over the top. Siluwé's "Pretty Young Gangsters" and "Dancing with the Devil" are cleverly written and were the absolute best way to end this collection of taboo dalliances. Three cheers for Siluwé!

This collection of short stories was probably the best fiction I have read in years. I related to the characters in two of the stories as I have been in similar situations and have thought the same thoughts, felt the same feelings. The stories were exciting and tastefully presented, never dull or boring. Taylor Siluwe' is a bright star in the world of literature and I am anxiously awaiting more work from him.

Wow, this is a book which when you start reading it you will not put it down until you have reached the last page. Taylor has done an amazing job and all of the stories are riveting and, yes, quite erotic. Get this book!

Taylor Siluwé takes his readers on a journey through a dark, raw, yet real account of passion and pain as he explores the collision between lust and common sense. The protagonists feel picked from a familiar urban corner in America and each story is woven with enough detail to paint the clearest picture. Wanting more and the realization that Siluwe's Dancing is at its end, will be every reader's biggest disappointment. A must read.

This was one of the best books I have read in a while. I really liked how the characters threaded from story to story even though each story stands on it's own. With some short story collections, you sometimes get one or two stories that may not be as good as the others. This collection has no weak spots.

Since the setting of this book is Jersey City and I have lived there for 25 years, I had to buy it. It's riveting reading! Much of it seems so true to life that I have to wonder how much of it is based on reality. It's sexy and real. I look forward to the movie, and longer stories from this author.

Dancing with the Devil is one of those books that span through the life of a central character. There's love, sex, violence etc. the characters are complex in their own ways especially the lead Dante, they all share the common feel of "i hate that i love you because i hate you". Awesome pick as well as Cheesy Porn...and other fairytales and A Taste for Cherries ALSO check out [...] and [...]

This book of short stories covers a variety of situations in the life of the main character. It touches on coming out, coming of age, issues with religion, issues with family/friend acceptance, and issues with addiction. From the first page, the book pulls you into a fast-paced and erotic world. While reading, my emotions bounced from being turned on to being overwhelmed, from being engulfed with seduction to being full of grief. This book is a quick read or can be read slowly to savor each line of each story. It's beautiful and disturbing...an entertaining combination!

I have read many books by new authors. I read this title from cover to cover in a few hours. Because from page one I was hooked. His choice of words grabs one into the world he describes. It is just magical the way he winds out the story. My one complaint is the book is so short. But the bright side is I am sure he will tell more tales and I will buy more of his books. I love his web site as well and visit it frequently. I bought his other short bookCheesy Porn...and other fairytales I loved it too! I look forward to re-reading them. Another advantage of these short well written works is that they are interesting to read just so one can have the joy of hearing the words over.