Published
by P.I.C. Publishing, 2017
464
pages
The
Starving Queen, Dean Italiano's most recent novel, is every bit as
terrifying as it is true for far too many of us. The insidious force
of Dean's villain burrows into those she seeks when at their weakest
moments, no matter how fleeting those moments may be. Her devious
methods are invisible in every sense of the word, but she walks hand
in hand with her prey all the same. Eternally patient, the Queen
requires only the slightest faltering of confidence or self-image to
dig a hole through anything positive her victims once believed in.
That's exactly what she does to young Jasmine, the high school soccer
star who had it all until the Queen notices her for every strip of
flesh she’s worth.
Between
an inactive father who would rather work with his hands than his
emotions, and an overworked mother who suffocates her daughter with
best intentions, Jasmine clings to the popularity of her peers and
the athletic future she worked so hard to achieve. At the peak of her
potential and as a world of possibilities were about to open up for
her, Jasmine's doctor confirms the worst: Jasmine's Arthritis has
developed to unbearable levels. The best advice was to avoid as much
physical impact as possible if she ever wanted to
function and be pain-free as possible.
No more running, no more soccer, no more life as she knew it to be.
Jasmine quickly slides into a deep funk, but forces herself to move
forward. Go to college, get the boyfriend, act the part of whatever
normal was conceived to be. She would commit to whatever it took to
hide the truth, to be invisible and, without knowing it, throws the
door wide open for the Queen to enter.
The
Queen knows what Jasmine needs and will measure her body, mind, and
soul more thoroughly than any lover could. The Queen promises to
guide her on how to fit those measurements perfectly, promises to
love her until the end, where her new self awaits them. Feeding off
Jasmine’s fears and deceptions like fine nourishment, the effects
of the Queen's influence gradually spreads beyond Jasmine to those
closest to her. The Queen's dominance threatens to pull them all
down into a kingdom of despair ruled by her desire to strip them
clean until that she may become whole again.
When
images are so easily distorted and standards are raised beyond
reality in a world rife with broken hearts and shattered spirits,
only the bravest will endure. Considering how well Dean captures the
underlying terror, The Starving Queen is definitely a case of the
right book being written at the right time from an author possessed
with all the right tools in which to tell it. Highly recommended.
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