The revised edition stays true to the raw, unfiltered emotion that made the original book such a hit. Nothing fundamental has changed in the book, and that’s the beauty of it. The stories remain intact: bold, unapologetic, and true to Maillu’s original voice. What’s new is the editorial sprucing up.

Imagine a time when topics like abortion, sexual harassment, and even women demanding equality in the bedroom were almost unspeakable—yet Maillu dared to write about them.

Allegations of women sleeping their way to the top aren’t new whether in reality or fiction, and this theme casts a mirror into the state of our societies

This is an enchanting and thoughtful piece of writing that the reader only appreciates by reading slowly and leisurely in order to savour all the juicy morsels the author throws throughout the book.

What would compel someone to choose to get involved in sex work knowing that the risks outweigh the benefits? This question, beyond excusing certain vices, offers us an opportunity to have compassion and empathy—and to see the bigger picture.

The world that Empress Ciku explores so well in her book is one in which leaders of the underworld make the rules, prostitutes lure their clients to robbers, and law enforcers—far from fighting crime—hire out their guns for criminal activities.