Infinite Books

“Soft Core” by Brittany Newell is an unusual and enchanting novel. It reads almost like a memoir, a first-person account of a young woman’s time working as a stripper and later a dominatrix in San Francisco. Being a stripper is almost accidental; however, it puts her into a world of people who, for different reasons, seek understanding and acceptance. There is a melancholic sensation of loneliness in this novel that feels poetic. San Francisco has its own magic in this book, and one can almost smell the salty air of the city.

Ruth, who goes by the name “Baby” in the club and “Miss Sunday” as a dominatrix, lives in a drafty Victorian apartment with her colorful ex-boyfriend Dino, a ketamine dealer and a crossdresser, relaxing after work with their dogs, watching a movie, and eating some comfort food or occasionally a feast that Dino prepares. He is a thoughtful roommate/friend, yet he disappears without explanation one day. Ruth knows he doesn’t want her to inform the police if something like that happens, but she misses him much more than expected and seems to see him everywhere. She befriends Ophelia, another woman from the club, and is fascinated, if not a bit wary, of Emeline, a beautiful dancer who seems to follow Ruth’s style, almost to the point of stalking. And there are men: a mysterious “nobody” fascinated by death who emails her; Charlie, a kind of a father figure; and Simon, a regular at the club with specific, kinky requests.  Once more, sadness and loneliness permeate these men, and Ruth, a young woman with her life just beginning to take shape, seems, by comparison, very reasonable and level-headed.

It’s an atmospheric book that feels shrouded in a San Francisco mist. Characters are defined, yet they possess a poetic quality. It’s like watching a dance through a steamed window: it looks alluring, yet we feel detached from most people’s reality. “Soft Core” is a great book!

SOFT CORE by Brittany Newell, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2025