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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
I've been wanting to read Lisa Tuttle for a while without paying exorbitant international prices and thankfully her stuff is now being released in the US!! I was happy to snag this lil paperback (which has one of the best/worst covers ever) unexpectedly, and now await her second collection of short stories.
This is often cited as a feminist horror collection which upon reading it I was like "um because it's about women and not solely as victims?" yknow times it was published and all. But it's really because of the undercurrent in almost every story of fear of hysteria. Women being disbelieved, women being trapped in circumstances that can see no way out, women afraid to be seen as impolite or dismissed. I only picked up on it halfway through.
The collection was also WELL-CURATED??? Like the stories flowed so perfectly to each other in the right order and thematically gelled and I'm not used to this in short story collections at all.
Horse Lord was one of the creepiest most wonderful horror stories I've read in a while. Other Mother and the Memory of Wood were also strong standouts. Flying to Byzantium I hated initially, but because it was so effective at conveying pervasive self doubt, gaslighting, and helplessness.
This collection does contain rape, child death, and racist characters/language (I think done in a way that condemns it? But ymmv).
This is often cited as a feminist horror collection which upon reading it I was like "um because it's about women and not solely as victims?" yknow times it was published and all. But it's really because of the undercurrent in almost every story of fear of hysteria. Women being disbelieved, women being trapped in circumstances that can see no way out, women afraid to be seen as impolite or dismissed. I only picked up on it halfway through.
The collection was also WELL-CURATED??? Like the stories flowed so perfectly to each other in the right order and thematically gelled and I'm not used to this in short story collections at all.
Horse Lord was one of the creepiest most wonderful horror stories I've read in a while. Other Mother and the Memory of Wood were also strong standouts. Flying to Byzantium I hated initially, but because it was so effective at conveying pervasive self doubt, gaslighting, and helplessness.
This collection does contain rape, child death, and racist characters/language (I think done in a way that condemns it? But ymmv).
What an exceptional collection! The first four tales in the collection range from themes of a creature feature to haunted dolls to being trapped in another world. The rest of the tales in the collection have more of a gothic flavor, and are so beautiful and haunting. I adored every single one. I especially love the range of women’s and girls’ experiences, fears, and perspectives explored here.
Out of print for years until recently (thanks to the Paperbacks From Hell series) this collection of 13 short weird horror stories by Lisa Tuttle is absolutely essential.
Writing up my review for SCREAM Mag now but if you desire a collection of feminist horror, all stories involving a female protagonist in various disturbing situations...this one is for you.
Phenomenal collection of stories available for the first time in the US thanks to Valancourt Books via their Paperbacks From Hell collaboration with Grady Hendrix. If you like Ira Levin's domestic descents into horror that take you from somewhere familiar and comfortable to somewhere strange and dreadful, this book is an ideal pairing.