It’s not a secret that I love spice. Reading and writing high-heat stories is a never-ending source of delight. Partly because erotica is delicious in and of itself; but also because, to truly succeed in this genre, characterisation must be tight enough to build extraordinary chemistry within a short story. I’ve never encountered an erotica writer whose work embodies that principle more than Lucy Debussy’s. With her first collection, she creates breath-taking moments of dramatic and sexual tension through an unconventional cast of characters. Unspeakable Shaking Pleasures is an exquisite anthology of artisanal smut.
Each of the 11 stories in this collection is explosively sexy, articulating the most primal desires through stunning, sophisticated language. My personal favourite is the first story: The Paddles. An auctioneer in her senior years is shown to dominate – both in her profession, and a more personal capacity. Madam is an intensely alluring character – the perfect balance of mystery and lush detail. And though this first story is a short one, by mid-way through I was halfway in love with Madam’s charms. Or at the very least in lust. She’s unforgettable. And her appeal to gentlemen is entirely understandable.
As a lesbian reader living in a world where heterosexuality is treated as a presumed default, I often feel frustrated with M/F stories upholding that norm. Especially books that eroticise and normalise gendered inequalities between the sexes. Which makes this collection so refreshing. With every story, Debussy pushes back against traditional gender roles and subverts the expectations attached to them.
For example, in Marylou, the titular character passes herself off as male to work aboard a ship amidst a crew of men. In disguise and as the lone female rooming with a group of men, she’s in a vulnerable position. Debussy doesn’t gloss over the element of sexual threat in this scenario, but she explores it in a way that never strips Marylou of her power or desires. She explores her fantasies on her own terms. And even when using sex as currency, Marylou gets at least as much as she gives from the arrangement.
Women are consistently active in pursuing their own sexual agendas rather than being acted upon by the men around them. Which makes Unspeakable Shaking Pleasures a radical, exciting read. The sexual politics of these stories is every bit as enticing as their raw eroticism.
Debussy doesn’t play it safe with her male characters either. In The Harp & the Hautboy, a castrato and a young woman both familiar with sexual exploitation find novel ways of appreciating each other’s bodies. With both Valse Romantique and Strap Man, disabled male characters are fully recognised as having sexual agency and being worthy objects of female desire. Debussy’s writing embodies the radical possibilities within this genre, glorying in a world of sensual joy that can be found outside the dominant politics of desirability.
The connection between every pairing feels alive and urgent. I’m in awe not only of the psychology behind these characters, but the style in which their stories are articulated. Debussy’s descriptive language is both lyrical and zesty fresh, every last page alive with erotic possibility. The rich sensory details ground the reader in characters’ physical experiences while elevating her stories into art.
Nothing is ever quite what is expected, nor how it appears at first glance. These stories are all the more thrilling for their unpredictability. And if you thought Fleabag’s Priest was hot, the dynamic between a sexually repressed clergyman and an unfulfilled aristocratic wife will blow your mind.
While characters are never shamed for pursuing their sexual proclivities, owing to the place and time in which their stories are set, it’s not always a straightforward pleasure. That nuance and complexity are what make them so engaging. Like Patricia Highsmith, Debussy revels in creating grey areas; in building worlds where right and wrong aren’t presented as simple, binary concepts. And – without wanting to risk spoilers – the elements of ambiguity within this book make it a truly unforgettable read.
If you’re a fan of erotica; writing that straddles the divide between genre and literary; or simply a connoisseur of the unexpected, I can’t recommend this collection highly enough. Unspeakable Shaking Pleasures is filled with vivid concepts and characters, every last story brought to a fully satisfying conclusion. This is the best-written spice I’ve ever yet read.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a fair review.
Lou Morgan 