If Servicing the Pole can be summed up in one word, it is just that; stark.  From the uncompromising prose to the embittered views of the protagonist to the repeated, soul-crushing pathos of the story itself.

Shaw plays with the reader like a cat with a mouse.  The unnamed protagonist finds herself repeatedly in unpleasant situations and tries desperately to hold herself to moral standards.  Rather than showing a victory for the protagonist in her successes, Shaw emphasises the continual self-doubt whenever the protagonist manages to prevail.  The main contention she faces is the belief (contrary to nearly every other character) that stripping is not the same as prostitution. 

Although she skirts close (very close) to the border, our heroine manages to avoid actually taking that last step across it – and suffers.  We are repeatedly treated to images of the glory and success of those women in the story who just give in and accept payment for sex, of the corrupt ownership of the club who passively encourage it, and of how much the protagonist loses out in exchange for the tattered rags of her self image.

Worse yet is that we are treated to glimpses of her hopes and dreams, a childhood desire to be a musician.  She is repeatedly told she has talent and on several occasions seems to get the opportunity to escape her life and follow her dream – only to have it cruelly ripped away from her as a result of her chosen employment.

In such stories, we might expect the supporting cast to suffer as a result of the focus on the main character.  Not so here.  Characters who might initially appear simple foils often develop into compelling individuals in their own right, from the little signs such as the club owner’s generosity to the old girls to striking episodes such as the sometimes-boyfriend’s confrontation with the protagonist on his belief that there is no line between stripping and prostitution, or the fellow stripper’s unnerving reaction of almost childlike denial to abuse by a client in a private session gone wrong.

Servicing the Pole is not a kind story, but it will keep you wanting more.  You might need ice cream and a good cry once you’re finished, though.

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