This is the second volume of what is already a trilogy, with promise to go further. It helps to read the three in order, although this isn’t essential. The series so far starts with ‘Alice – Promise of Heaven, Promise of Hell’ and at the moment it concludes with ‘Alice – Lost Soul’. The novels are excellent examples of the ‘erotic flagellation’ tradition, almost exclusively having female recipients, but with both male and female wielders of the instruments of pain, principally made of either slim bamboo or thick leather. Alice, the central character finds herself in quests for domination, principally by her uncle/guardian.
This second instalment continues the storyline that ends the preceding part, in which she is taking refuge (from her guardian) with the parents of the female friend who has introduced her to the potential delights of pain applied to the nether quarters. The parents (and their domestic staff) prove to be as enthusiastic wielders of suitable instruments as were the teaching staff we encountered in the first novel. Alice’s stay with them is intended to be preliminary to her moving (with her friend) to another school, but the pair of them find many stimulating diversions even without this transition, which of course carries the promise of more traditional disciplinary scenarios.
The pseudonymous author ‘Surreal’ has a keen eye for maintaining tension in this genre, and the feelings experienced by our heroine are credible both in their anticipation and in the experience of her ordeals. The author also manages to avoid (mostly) the most intense cp experiences which can easily spoil the atmosphere for many devotees of the genre. This novel is well up to the standard of its forerunner, and will be appreciated by a large proportion of these devotees. ( )

Alice: Shadows of Perdition followed in 2003 as a much awaited sequel. Still continuing to hold the reader's interest and still managing to throw them into the intense world of erotica, it is well worth a look. The series is notable within the erotic world for changing the face of erotic books. Moving on from the traditional methods of writers to change the way erotic books work. No more short stories - but an effective continous story. ( )