Caught Up

Similar to Allen’s previous novel in the Into Darkness Trilogy, Caught Up explores the ambiguity of obsession, portraying this dynamic as a deeply complex and problematic mix of violence, affection, malice, and romance. The theme is first introduced with the evidence that Junior is stalking Lauren and has been for some time. Most of his stalking takes place in the digital world, and when she finally learns of this, Lauren must decide how best to react to his potentially dangerous behavior. This concern complicates her otherwise straightforward reactions to her current lust and his past betrayal. At first, Lauren is opposed to offering Junior an opportunity to redeem himself, and even when she does, she attempts to keep a measure of distance by maintaining a casual relationship.

In accordance with the conventions of dark romance, Allen’s narrative glosses over many of the more problematic manifestations of Junior’s stalking, and Lauren’s intensifying titillation even goes so far as to glorify and idealize his behavior. For example, when he finally reveals his identity as “NT95,” her first subscriber, Lauren’s natural caution wars with her sudden sexual interest in him, and as the two begin to encounter each other more frequently, sometimes mixing lust and violence in equal measure, the potentially dangerous implications of these dynamics are downplayed and eventually normalized.