Rubber Sex - erotic book by Cleis Press Inc. - review by DirtyGeisha

Rubber Sex, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, is another in the long line of themed erotica compilations. Featuring stories by Kristina Wright, Thomas S. Roche, and Bussel herself amongst others, this collection taps into the fetish of rubber, PVC, and latex, along with those that like to wear it or have others wear it.

Some of the stories fall flat, and seem to be less fetish-oriented with overtones thrown in to meet the theme of the collection. Others deal with the subject matter in a delightfully flippant way. Each author narrates in their unique style, focusing on a first person account in a majority of the stories. While typical of erotica, this can detract from the material at hand by letting the character’s inner drives and desires take center stage over the central subject of the fetish that is supposed to be the star of the book.

At times, it feels like the authors put the matter as a garnish or a way to spice up an already healthy bit of erotica, like in the story by Radclyffe where the couple getting into the latex body paint is more of an afterplay leading into another round of excitement. Other authors delve much deeper into the evocativeness of the medium like Thomas Roche, who not only delivers an acrid sense of self-reflection and humor, but doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to conjuring the sights, sounds, and scents of the vac bed used in his story.

While the stories submitted vary amongst themselves like the writers submitting them, the book is yet another in a line. There is very little risk taken in the production of this collection as it sits neatly with the others on a bookshelf. All of the books are given to similar cover photography, fonts, and even authors comprising the collections. While the series does this stylistically, it operates from a stance of comfort and stability than one of risk or daring befitting some of the more risqué fetishes or themes. Rubber Sex could have broken that mold, but simply falls in line with the rest of the books, marginalizing the uniqueness that a fetish book should have.

I still go for the Thomas Roche every time. Some of the stories are growing on me. I still find the author choices a bit overused. If a formula works for you right? Don't overlook this one if you're a Bussel fan though.