Skin Game by Cara McKenna
Contemporary
April 29, 2011
E-Book
Ellora’s Cave

Reviewed by Mandi

I first read Cara McKenna last year when I picked up Willing Victim. I really loved that book (hello Flynn!) and then read a quick novella by her, Dirty Thirty. It was very different from Willing Victim. Recently I read The Reluctant Nude under her pen name Meg Maguire and again thought how original each of her stories are. Well guess what I thought after I finished Skin Game? Yep – totally original.

Twelve people meet in Alaska to participate in The Ant Farm, which is “a social experiment in reality-show format.” But this won’t be televised, the only audience the participants have are social psychologists. They sign their life away to compete against each other to win $500,000. There are about 8,000 cameras set up throughout the wilderness where they are competing and they are microphoned constantly throughout the day. They all have no idea what to expect, only being told to prepare for outdoor activity and to bring as much as they could carry with them. So these twelve people arrive and are told they will have seven competitions to carry out, each time one or more people will be eliminated, usually through a vote. Think Survivor, but although many of these tasks are physical, a strong psychological vibe occurs throughout each challenge.

Cara McKenna does a great job allowing us to explore each character, or at least who turn out to be the main characters as we go on this odd journey with them. The competitions start easy – like a race for example. But they start to get harder or maybe just more competitive as the contestants get to know each other. For example, at one point they have to build a bridge, and immediately one of them thinks how to chop a tree down so it falls on one of the competitors. Or at least ruins their progress. Another task is capture the flag, but it turns into a very complicated challenge with hidden bunkers and a complicated strategy. It’s this huge game of endurance and emotional stamina. 

The entire book has this eerie tone set over it and I think I loved that part the most. You don’t know what is going to happen. I didn’t even know what to expect in the last few pages. Who will be eliminated. Who is running the entire event. You don’t get all the answers either. I wouldn’t classify this book as a romance, more of a psychological adventure with romantic elements. There is some romance, there is some sex, but the meat of the book is how these people interact with each other.The sex is intense and not always mushy romantic. A few of the scenes really surprised me.  How their lust, jealousy, and baggage they bring with them affect how they proceed with each challenge. It is not wrapped up at the end with a little bow either. Don’t expect closure, although the end does hint at some happiness.

I don’t want to go too deep into the characters, first because there are so many, but also because I had no idea who was going to make it through the competition or who was going to hook up with who, so I don’t want to ruin it for anyone else. I will say, the characters are so real and vibrant in this story. There is “Daisey” (They don’t have to use their real names) a huge man that has a “tattoo read Mother, but his attitude suggests perhaps the artist ran out of ink before he could add fucker.” Mac, who runs an outdoor adventure company back in Mew Mexico. She is pretty equipped for this challenge but the way she interacts with the men, is very interesting.  And my favorite of the book, Ian, who was always dressed up for an evening out, rather than a romp through the woods and I think I could read an entire book just about him.

A few moments made me gasp. A few moments made me scream “NO!” I felt like I was a part of this odd, intense adventure and the book will stick with me for a long time.

Rating: B+

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