Because They Wanted To is a collection of short stories that could possibly read as one continuous story. The characters, situations, and speaking voice is so stunningly similar, I sometimes had difficulty keeping track of the different stories. It is well written, sexually explicit and fanatical, and exciting to read. Gaitskill sometimes delves into darker fantasies of her characters that are rarely aired in literature, which makes this book a thrilling dip into other sexual cultures or fetishes that we may not otherwise be privy to.
If you are not squeemish about extreme or strange sexual talk, give it a try. I normally do not like short story collections, but this was fun enough to read and each story seemed to have its own purpose. The characters were relatable while still being a far cry from my own experiences, and the hopelessness of a relationship is always fun to follow and see the destruction, which Gaitskill explores with skill and insight.
If you are not squeemish about extreme or strange sexual talk, give it a try. I normally do not like short story collections, but this was fun enough to read and each story seemed to have its own purpose. The characters were relatable while still being a far cry from my own experiences, and the hopelessness of a relationship is always fun to follow and see the destruction, which Gaitskill explores with skill and insight.
