The Flesh Cartel, Season 3: Transformation

The amazing thing about this serial is its ability to work its way so deep inside you that it consumes all your thoughts. I find myself thinking about these characters all hours of the day, wondering and worrying and theorizing about what is to come, and desperately hoping for everything to turn out ok. I don't want to say too much in reference to what happens because pretty much anything I say would be a spoiler. I will say that the prevailing thought in my head upon finishing this season was “Oh, fuck.”

My one gripe about this season was that there was way too much Dougie and not nearly enough Mat. The bastard Nikolai has turned Dougie into the thing I hate, a mindless simpering uber-submissive. I get so frustrated with Dougie's weakmindedness and selfishness, and frankly, I'm sick of reading about him. Every time his true self tried to come out, he shoved it back in favor of becoming what Nikolai wanted, knowing he is a monster. I got so angry that he was so focused on feeling sorry for himself in regards to what he thought Mat felt about him that he didn't even consider that Mat had no one, that he was forcing Mat to selflessly give up everything for his sake. He didn't even stop to wonder whether Nikolai had done something to force Mat not to interfere with the abusive client, as Dougie himself was forced to hurt Mat at the auction to keep them together. And now...ugh. I'm disgusted with what he allowed himself to become, although I know that it still may be for the best in the end because it will again keep them together. I just hope his true self isn't lost forever. And I hate Nikolai even more now, if that's possible.

Although it is difficult to read, I am so invested in these characters that I would not be able to stop even if I wanted to. A book that can accomplish that deserves no less than 5 stars in my opinion.