Hooked: A Dark, Contemporary Romance

From the very beginning of the story, the author establishes the ongoing theme of The Fine Line Between Criminality and Villainy, for the Prologue introduces James as a character whose act of apparent villainy—killing his uncle—is actually the result of that uncle’s long-term abuse. Thus, the novel begins by providing a solid rationale to explain James’s frequent violent outbursts and otherwise “deviant” behavior in both the criminal and the romantic spheres. Although he possesses a number of traits that are problematic on the surface, these traits are merely the logical manifestation of the trauma that he himself has endured over time. Likewise, to balance out these darker tendencies, McIntire also makes it a point to develop the warmth and mutual trust of James’s friendship with his criminal partner and companion, Ru. Although James and Ru are immediately established as criminals, their close friendship demonstrates that even their more controversial actions are well-grounded in basic human emotions, for they both act out of a need for security and dominance that likely stems from past situations of helplessness or insecurity. By killing his uncle, for example, James not only gets revenge, but he also attempts to restore his own sense of well-being. Killing the man who made him feel unsafe allows James to establish a sense of security through the domination of others.

Thus, the Prologue introduces yet another of the novel’s core themes: the idea of Revenge as a Cycle. James, having been wronged, goes forth into the world with the aim to wrong others, thus taking his uncle’s place by forging a violent, dominant persona to build himself up and to suppress others in the criminal underworld that surrounds him. This cycle continues as James finally prepares to take revenge on Peter Michaels, whom he blames for his misfortune and early trauma. The corrosive effects of this cycle—which skewed James’s sense of morality and compelled him to choose a violent and criminal path—is also seen in his continued pursuit of Wendy despite her initial lack of interest, as well as in his unbridled lust for her despite her youth and vulnerability.

Within this male-dominated framework, Wendy’s situation stands in direct opposition to the upbringing that James experienced, for although her relationship with her father is largely loveless, Peter nonetheless provided for her throughout her life. Although Peter is estranged from her now, this is a relatively recent development in an otherwise happy youth. Now that Wendy is an adult, she is not as close with her father, and Peter’s emotional distance from her brother, Jon, disturbs her. Even with Wendy’s first appearance, McIntire is already establishing the ongoing theme of Women’s Struggle for Independence in a Patriarchal World, for just as Wendy defies her father’s edicts by going to the Jolly Roger and worries about his lack of empathy for her brother, she must also navigate James’s unwanted sexual advances while she is only trying to escape her daily life for a while and enjoy herself. These problematic relationships and interactions make it clear that she is a token daughter for her father, a mother figure for her brother, and an object of sexuality and instrument of revenge for James. Wendy likewise holds a subordinate position in relation to her new friends, for Maria manipulates her with insults, and Angie and Maria’s friendship clearly predates Wendy’s arrival. Thus, the author uses these early chapters to set Wendy apart from the relatively minor characters who accompany her, for while Maria and Moira both seem desperate for James’s attention, Wendy willfully removes herself from his presence, and it is this inherent spirit of rebellion that implies that despite the oppressive situation she currently finds herself in, she has the strength to assert her own will enough to become a prominent player in the larger narrative.

It is also important to note that Maria, Moira, and Wendy reflect different ways that women can be subordinate to men in a specifically gendered reading of the text, and these trends further enhance the theme of Women’s Struggle for Independence in a Patriarchal World. The fact that Moira obeys commands to perform sexual favors confirms the existence of an imbalanced relationship between her and James, in which James’s needs take higher priority, no matter how distasteful Moira may find them to be. Likewise, Maria desires to forge a similar connection with James; she would rather that he bring her into his life than the reverse, indicating that she considers James’s life more desirable or worthwhile than her own. Wendy, however, presents a desire to realize her own autonomy from all unwanted male influences, and this dynamic is clearly demonstrated when she chooses to return to her friends rather than spending more time with James.

Critically, James’s initial attraction to Wendy is already portrayed as a mixture of genuine attraction and manipulation. Although his desire to “possess” Wendy as a sexual object is clear, he also feels a genuine attraction to her that threatens to contradict his more calculated purposes. He initially intends to use Wendy to get revenge on Peter, but at this early point in the narrative, it is unclear whether this goal will include developing a real relationship with Wendy or a merely seeking to manipulate her. This indecision demonstrates The Fine Line Between Criminality and Villainy, for although James is a coldhearted leader of a criminal organization, future chapters demonstrate that he also has a capacity for romance, however twisted it might be—enough so that his burgeoning relationship with Wendy might jeopardize his efforts at revenge.

These first few chapters also hint at the larger theme of The Problematic Portrayal of Violence as a Virtue in Dark Romance, for McIntire immediately portrays sexual desire in a largely negative light, as James’s attraction for Wendy sparks violent images in his mind that he only mitigates by engaging in gratuitous sex with Moira. At this stage in the novel, sex is a means to an end for James, whether that end is revenge or personal gratification. His initial attraction for Wendy is mixed into this unhealthy view of sex as an act of domination. While James is with Moira, he imagines “Wendy in her place,” where he will “make her choke on something truly filthy” (25), and the blatant violence inherent in this wording demonstrates his misguided tendency to equate sex with domination. However, whereas James is indifferent toward Moira, he is keenly interested in Wendy. This interest sows a seed of change within James, whose selfish and violent desires will eventually reform into a more equitable and romantic relationship with Wendy.