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2treads's review
challenging
dark
reflective
3.5
Stunningly frightful, these poems do what the title says. With a dark beauty and truth, they explore the ways in which the body of women: queer and straight; the bodies of non binary individuals have been so abused and judged, but they also highlight the power in rebellion and the triumph of acceptance.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror and Body shaming
Minor: Fatphobia, Sexual violence, and Domestic abuse
graypeape's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
3.5
This collection is a bit different than what I was expecting. It definitely has body horror, and there's some straight-up creepy stuff, but for the most part, this is social horror - the horrors of abusive partners, of being judged on appearance, the ways women hurt themselves in order to be accepted. I admit, I was looking for spooky tales of ghosts and witches and things that go bump in the night, but the horrors found here are certainly valid and horrific. As with any collection featuring numerous authors, some poems were hits and some were misses for me; YMMV. The themes and imagery got a bit repetitive at times, and the poems started blending together, so the reader might want to read this collection a few poems at a time, rather than in one shot like I did. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror
salsa_'s review
3.0
Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The description of this book led me to believe that this would be a horror poetry book….it’s not. It’s a whole lot of poems talking about the horror in society’s expectations and the horror of life as a woman. That’s my take on it anyway and that was a bummer :( anyway now that the clarification is out of the way, the review:
The book had lovely illustrations, fitting perfectly near the poems they’re placed in and would catch my eye for a few seconds and allow me to guess what poem to expect. I had really high expectations starting this anthology, a breath of fresh air with women’s poems, but was slightly disappointed almost 25% in. The poems are good, but when they’re saying the same thing over and over again it doesn’t matter how good they are, they end up feeling redundant.
I rated most of the poems here 3 and 4 stars while some got 5 stars, those are the ones I ended up bookmarking to come back to later.
Some of my faves from the collection:
- “We” by Morgan Sylvia, she incorporated horror references so well in this and I loved her lines “we brought the things you asked for/ The skulls filled with memories, the severed arms heavy with violence/ The bones full of pain/ But it was never enough”. Her poem was also quite delicious on the tongue with its flow and rhythm, so definitely worth the 5
- “Beautiful” by L. Marie Wood who had such an impactful piece, I wish I could post the whole thing here, but alas that wouldn’t be allowed.
- “Metamorphosis” by Caitlin Marceau.This was heartbreaking to read, because of how relatable it is to every woman, when everyone has a say on your body, from the men you pass on the streets with their stares that speak volumes, to the magazines telling you what body you need to have and why yours is not the ideal one. She brought out this battle so well with her words.
- “Snakeskin” by Stephanie M. Wytovich whose poem felt freshly unique and vividly intriguing.
- “These men are all one monster” by Cassondra Windwalker. Reminds me of “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. This had such beautiful mastery of language, a pleasure to read and visualise.
- “Shredded Alterations” by Sara Tantlinger whose poem on change had so much depth and meaning.
Others that deserve an Honorable Mention:
- “Outside In” by Dalena Storm
- “Zombification” by Roni Stinger,
- “I carry” by Maureen O’Leary
- “Pieces” by Annie Neugebauer
- “Danse De La Mort” by R. J. Joseph
- “The Carrion Flowers” by Morgan Sylvia, and many more, even the ones which I rated 3 and 4 were pretty good too, while the ones I gave 2 were a handful of them at most.
Overall I’d give this book a 3.5/5, because out of 88, most had 3 and 4 stars, but because the description misled me, I’m gonna remove a .5 and rate it a solid 3. It’s an interesting collection, just wish it had a bigger range in terms of content. If you plan on reading this then please be aware that there might be some triggers like implied ED, self harm, suicide, abuse, death etc.
Happy reading :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Death, and Blood
the_bookworm_rabbit's review
dark
emotional
medium-paced
3.0
This was my first horror poetry read, and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. A few of the poems struck a chord with me, but most of them just missed the mark with me.
The collection wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but I can definitely see how it would appeal to some readers. I was expecting more along the lines of stories, emotions, and reactions, but the poems were much more abstract. This, however, may appeal to others.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The collection wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but I can definitely see how it would appeal to some readers. I was expecting more along the lines of stories, emotions, and reactions, but the poems were much more abstract. This, however, may appeal to others.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
aislinghelen's review
5.0
I was given an e-ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is an amazing collection of horror poetry. This is probably the best poetry book I have ever read and I fully intend on buying a physical copy when it is released. Some of these works are haunting, some thought provoking, some hit incredibly close to home and they are all beautiful. My some of my favourites were WE by Morgan Sylvia, Beautiful by L. Marie Wood, Words Unspoken by Mary Rajotte, Fingers of Feathers by Rie Sheridan Rose and Carnival of Suffering by H Grim. I would HIGHLY recommend this to everyone I know. There are some poems which allude to traumatic events, abusive relationships, eating disorders, body dysmorphia and sexual assault so be careful if any of these are triggering to you.
This is an amazing collection of horror poetry. This is probably the best poetry book I have ever read and I fully intend on buying a physical copy when it is released. Some of these works are haunting, some thought provoking, some hit incredibly close to home and they are all beautiful. My some of my favourites were WE by Morgan Sylvia, Beautiful by L. Marie Wood, Words Unspoken by Mary Rajotte, Fingers of Feathers by Rie Sheridan Rose and Carnival of Suffering by H Grim. I would HIGHLY recommend this to everyone I know. There are some poems which allude to traumatic events, abusive relationships, eating disorders, body dysmorphia and sexual assault so be careful if any of these are triggering to you.
the_litterature's review
3.0
☠️ E-Arc Book Review ☠️
Under Her Skin, edited by Lindy Ryan & Toni Miller
Quick Synopsis: Under Her Skin is the first volume in Black Spot Books “A Women in Horror Poetry Collection”. This first collection features a diverse group of CiS and trans women, as well as non-binary femmes, writing under the theme of poetry and body horror. Driving at the heart of what it means to be women and/or feminine in our society, this collection takes an unfiltered and unflinching look at topics ranging from motherhood to societal beauty expectations, control of our own bodies and what it means to be a woman underneath the skin.
Review: This E-Arc was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. There were a number of things that I really appreciated within the collection. I like the theme and how each of the poems were woven within that tapestry. Although each poem was written by a different author or featured a different topic, it still was connected to the overarching theme of body horror. I also appreciated perspectives that I could never possibly understand as a CiS woman. In most arenas of writing, diversity is sorely lacking and giving those voices the ability to express themselves is of the utmost importance. There were a few stand out poems for me, personally:
- Smile, by Nico Bell
- Anything But What Is, by Linda M. Crate
- My Tainted Touch, by Mary Rajotte
- Untouched, by Marilyn Tabiola
- Words Unspoken, by Mary Rajotte
- Shredded Alterations, by Sara Tantlinger
- Outside In, by Dalena Storm
- Pieces, by Annie Neugebaur
- Growing Pains, by Amy Lowenstern
- Shed, by Vivian Kasley
The primary issue I had with this collection was that many of the poems were convoluted and focused more on the theme of the book rather than the message of the poems. The voices of those who wrote the poems felt lost. For a select few, listed above, I found there was a perfect blend, but the majority were unable to create a path that I as a reader could follow. I felt that this was a missed opportunity. I also found myself putting the collection down and not really wanting to keep reading it. As a fan of horror and poetry, this collection didn't keep me interested. I believe this was due to how many of the authors ran away with the metaphors and forgot the ability to connect with the reader.
Rating:
Under Her Skin, edited by Lindy Ryan & Toni Miller
Quick Synopsis: Under Her Skin is the first volume in Black Spot Books “A Women in Horror Poetry Collection”. This first collection features a diverse group of CiS and trans women, as well as non-binary femmes, writing under the theme of poetry and body horror. Driving at the heart of what it means to be women and/or feminine in our society, this collection takes an unfiltered and unflinching look at topics ranging from motherhood to societal beauty expectations, control of our own bodies and what it means to be a woman underneath the skin.
Review: This E-Arc was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. There were a number of things that I really appreciated within the collection. I like the theme and how each of the poems were woven within that tapestry. Although each poem was written by a different author or featured a different topic, it still was connected to the overarching theme of body horror. I also appreciated perspectives that I could never possibly understand as a CiS woman. In most arenas of writing, diversity is sorely lacking and giving those voices the ability to express themselves is of the utmost importance. There were a few stand out poems for me, personally:
- Smile, by Nico Bell
- Anything But What Is, by Linda M. Crate
- My Tainted Touch, by Mary Rajotte
- Untouched, by Marilyn Tabiola
- Words Unspoken, by Mary Rajotte
- Shredded Alterations, by Sara Tantlinger
- Outside In, by Dalena Storm
- Pieces, by Annie Neugebaur
- Growing Pains, by Amy Lowenstern
- Shed, by Vivian Kasley
The primary issue I had with this collection was that many of the poems were convoluted and focused more on the theme of the book rather than the message of the poems. The voices of those who wrote the poems felt lost. For a select few, listed above, I found there was a perfect blend, but the majority were unable to create a path that I as a reader could follow. I felt that this was a missed opportunity. I also found myself putting the collection down and not really wanting to keep reading it. As a fan of horror and poetry, this collection didn't keep me interested. I believe this was due to how many of the authors ran away with the metaphors and forgot the ability to connect with the reader.
Rating:
marecub's review
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.
First, let me say it is never easy writing on these types of topics. Reading about other peoples pain, oppression, and life obstacles isn't going to be a traditional 'enjoyable' read. I liked that this was tough and really made you think about what others really go through.
With that being said, I think this feel a bit flat. There didn't seem to be one cohesive tone throughout the collection. While they were captivating gin their own right, it just seemed repetitive while led them to be forgettable.
I'd love to hear from each of these authors individually.
First, let me say it is never easy writing on these types of topics. Reading about other peoples pain, oppression, and life obstacles isn't going to be a traditional 'enjoyable' read. I liked that this was tough and really made you think about what others really go through.
With that being said, I think this feel a bit flat. There didn't seem to be one cohesive tone throughout the collection. While they were captivating gin their own right, it just seemed repetitive while led them to be forgettable.
I'd love to hear from each of these authors individually.
letstalkaboutbooksbaybee's review
3.0
I enjoyed this for what it was, a macabre collection of poems by women and non-binary femmes in horror.
A lot of the poems went over my head and quite a few just weren’t my preferred style. However I did enjoy this collection overall and I think reading it during spooky season was perfect timing.
CW for miscarriage, self harm, eating disorders
A lot of the poems went over my head and quite a few just weren’t my preferred style. However I did enjoy this collection overall and I think reading it during spooky season was perfect timing.
CW for miscarriage, self harm, eating disorders
lucsbooks's review
3.0
My favourite thing about Under Her Skin was that it could have been used as an exclusionist space but instead chose to welcome all kinds of women and femme authors and it was so much the better for that. The editors understood that if you are a woman, then you are very familiar with the feeling of horror now and historically and that is present throughout all kinds of art that women were part of creating and divulging to larger masses which this poetry collection truly honoured. That diversity was also present when it came to the geographical origins and current homes of the contributors so this book featured all kinds of female experience, from body image to motherhood or simply the danger of existing in the world as a woman.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for this DRC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for this DRC.