For the genre, this is a really well written little tale. Ms Desmarais has a very focused style of writing; she chooses not to dwell so much on sexual aspects of what is going on - they are there, never fear, just not as overwhelming or as graphically described in a 'he put tab A into slot B' kind of way as is so often the case in this kind of book. Rather, she pushes the psychological and power dynamic aspects. What she does very, very well is have long scenes where a woman will talk to a man and slowly press him into admitting that he desires - nay, needs - to be feminised. That is the real strength of the book - the way the women are so gentle, so supportive, so loving... and yet, simultaneously so firm, so strict, and so relentless.
Relentless is the word. Poor Michael will be asked if he wants to wear women's underwear and responds with evasions, deflections, half answers - just as many if not most of us might, in such an embarrassing situation. And the Ladies respond by pointing out that he's not answering and asking again, and again, and again... drilling it home until he is left with no choice but to answer. It is pure psychological domination of the very best kind, and Ms Desmarais depicts it at least as well as anybody I have ever read.
I will make one quibble here, and it is purely a matter of my preference... but I found the titular Mother in Law, Abigail, to be a far better and more interesting - and, to be honest, more arousing - character than I did the wife, Susan. For the most part Susan asks, and wheedles - Abigail demands, and insists. She also has the benefit of being the one who pushes Michael to where she wants him, where he needs to be, so if semi-forced feminisation is your thing then it's Abigail that will be the one cranking your chain. And yet despite the title, we just don't get all that much time with Abigail - Michael's time with Susan takes up at the bulk of the book. Suffice to say that when I come back to this book I skip through the sections with Susan and re-read the Abigail parts over and over... I really wish we had seen more of the formidable Mrs. Stanton and rather less of Susan.
Still and all, this is good stuff here.
