Two unrelated young women coincidently find themselves in similar circumstances; each having an inheritance at stake with a grasping manipulative stepmother holding the purse-strings. Both girls have found an ally in a supportive, if overbearing, ‘aunt’ figure but find themselves lovingly guided into a stifling and increasingly dependent relationship. An advertisement calling for medical research volunteers seems to offer an ideal opportunity for each to temporarily distance herself from her situation. But is all as it seems? Why is the security so tight? Why are there bars on the windows? Why all the petty rules, restrictions and talk of punishment? Volume 1 of this adults-only trilogy uniquely ties together such themes as corporal punishment, bondage, humiliation, medical fetish, mind control, incarceration and others. 122,000 words. See preview or for longer excerpts and an independent review go to http://institute.homeip.net/BookreviewInstitute.htm (copy & paste to... More > your browser)< Less
I don't know what to say other than that I expected better. From the synopsis this sounded like a great story and it did in fact have some interesting parts. Over all though the book was nearly stream of conscious in style and very much needed editing. Some parts were nearly incoherent and had to be read several times to even get the gist of what the author was trying to say. Often the story was also terribly repetitive forcing me to wonder if parts had been copy and pasted from elsewhere in the book. The characters typically lacked any depth and more often than not it was hard to distinguish one from another. This book could have been great, but as I said, it sorely needed an editor.
"INSTITUTIONALISED" What an outstanding work and a recommended read for lovers of the genre. We are certain it will soon be seen as a classic work. Can't wait for vols 2 and 3.
"Dark Meanderings by Garth Toyntanen" This is one hell of a read once you get through the preface (only four pages but it could possibly been left out). At first it appears as if it might develop into the traditional evil stepmother with designs on her stepdaughter's inheritance type of thing, but there is much more to it than that. Yes there is corporal punishment and discipline but unlike the authors of such work in the past, such authors as Victor Bruno for example, the author here takes into account the psychological effects on the protagonists, he seeks to analyse their thought processes. Indeed he introduces a unique psychological perspective to the subjugation of his hapless charges. At one point a woman advocates the deliberate induction of a phobia in a an otherwise perfectly normal young lady as a means of gaining control over her. The author seems to have managed to fit in an incredible range of fetishes from spanking and caning to imprisonment, bondage, enforced... More > lesbianism and enforced diaper use. The guy has one hell of an imagination and it is well written too, if a bit 'florid' at times and occasionally falling foul of typos. Although set in the present it has a Gothic overtone and tends to a 18th/19th century writing style in one or two places. If your 'thing' is the subjugation and domination of vulnerable young ladies in both domestic and institutional settings I can thoroughly recommend this work.< Less
"INSTITUTIONALISED is BRILLIANT" This book is absolutely brilliant. I very much enjoyed how the author entered the minds of the poor young women who find themselves institutionalised. And of course I adored all the lovely details like the uniforms, the restraints, the humiliations, the catch 22s, the bonnets, and the disciplinary instruments. Such details are the icing on the cake. I wish I had bought the book earlier in the day because it kept me up all night! When you find a book like this, that so perfectly expresses so many things that you have always wanted to say, it comes as something of a shock. For me it's an experience that only comes along every 10 or 20 years. Now I can't wait for the next instalment of the trilogy.
