Reviewed by Jess
TITLE: Open Season
AUTHOR: Sonni de Soto
PUBLISHER: Less Than Three Press
LENGTH: 87 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 12, 2018
BLURB:
Sometimes it really sucks being female. Especially for Juli, an alien woman going through a mating cycle that causes all genetically compatible persons to be irresistibly attracted to her—whether she or they want it. Even walking down the street is a hazard, never mind the challenges to her relationships and job.
It’s not easy for her partners, Kyle and Dona, either, from how Juli’s cycle affects the way they view their own desire, as well as hers, to how they all must adapt—because if there’s anything worth fighting for, it’s each other, and the comfort they find in being together.
REVIEW:
This is the type of book that defies a lot of different genre expectations in so few words. It’s political and philosophical. It’s science fiction and erotica. It’s speculative yet weirdly down to earth. Not all of it comes together by the end of the book, but it’s definitely one of the more unique, daring reads I’ve tackled this year.
Our main character, Juli, is a female of the Pixiso alien race who have immigrated to earth in only the past few years. While they are accepted into everyday life, prejudices still exist, and we meet Juli and her partners Kyle and Dona on an important day: it’s an election day, and Juli is basically going into heat.
If you look at this book from a purely sci-fi angle, there’s a lot of cool stuff going on. It throws corny sci-fi tropes regarding space nymphs with blonde hair and silver jumpsuits right out the window, giving us insight into a world where alien women exist and are feeling, thinking beings. But beneath the otherworldly exterior lie the issues we still deal with as human beings, such as sexism, racism, homophobia, and xenophobia.
I especially like the point of view we get from Kyle, the sole male protagonist—he recognizes that his sexual desires have been groomed by fetishism, pornography, and rape culture from a young age, and it is his own responsibility to be a respectful sexual partner. He knows that he has to make an effort towards enthusiastic consent, especially when Juli enters her cycle and his body wants to overrule his mind. He takes this on himself—no matter how uncomfortable or confused he becomes, he takes full responsibility for his actions in a way few heterosexual male protagonists do. Getting into his mind was a great choice on the author’s part.
I also like how the eroticism of a mating cycle/heat cycle is present while still acknowledging that it would have some pretty scary implications in a real, human world. Juli’s cycle makes for some steamy scenes, but we see the downsides as well. Alpha/omega stories are pretty popular these days, involving societies that are based on animal instinct and lust—but when the body takes over the brain, there can be horrible consequences, as we see when Juli simply tries to go about her daily life. We’re allowed to love these romance tropes, but they also deserve to be examined like this from time to time.
But as the story develops, I began to think de Soto bit off more than she could chew in one go. While the extended metaphor of Pixiso as “other” works well in some parts (the bus ride, the consent talks), it falls short in others, especially when regarding race. People of color often have to fight to have their voices heard in speculative fiction today, so to have an alien race co-opt “otherness” isn’t always an answer readers want.
I also found a love scene towards the end of the book between Dona, Juli, and Kyle to be pretty tone deaf, especially in a story that is so savvy with sexual politics. Dona is a lesbian character, so reading about her being sexually vulnerable and available to Kyle is a little jarring, even if she trusts him. The bondage between her and Juli was steamy, but having Dona still being bound when Kyle enters the scene pushes against the themes of instinct vs. choice, of sexual vs. romantic love—and not in a particularly insightful or tasteful way.
There’s a lot to unpack in this story, and many readers will glean many different elements upon reading. It’s a smart book with a lot to say. But while it is ambitious, it misses the mark as many times as it hits a bullseye, making it an uneven read all around. De Soto is an excellent writer who knows how to write with the times, and I’d definitely be interested in more of her work.
RATING: 
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