Take a photo of a barcode or cover
Reviews tagging 'Body horror'
جسدها وحفلات أخرى by ضحوك رقية, Carmen Maria Machado, Carmen Maria Machado
191 reviews
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is going to send me into a reading slump because oh my god. This was painful to get through
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence
Minor: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Vomit, Abortion, Murder
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Took a while to thoroughly connect with "mothers", but apart from that i really liked them all. When i got into Mothers i didnt mind it as much but i dont think i got it all? like a dream
These are somewhat absurdist and remind me a lot of Rolf Stenersen
These are somewhat absurdist and remind me a lot of Rolf Stenersen
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Body shaming, Confinement, Death, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Gaslighting
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think this is an overall good collection of short stories, and since i think it can be difficult to review a collection within one review, here’s some notes i wrote after reading each story:
THE HUSBAND STITCH
very raw. the meaning i took from this story was that a woman can give everything to a man, and yet he will still want more. he’ll want the forbidden, the thing that will cross your boundaries. he’ll often use the excuse of love, but it’s really about control
INVENTORY
i took two things from this story. one, that what you love will be what kills you in the end. and because the narrator makes lists when they’re in an anxious or stressful situation to come to terms with that situation, them making one at the end of the story when they’re faced with their own potential death, shows that after living through the story’s pandemic for so long, they’ve finally come to terms with their imminent fate.
MOTHERS
reading this, i took it as an allegory for post-partum psychosis, but the further along i saw how it could also be a metaphor for an abusive relationship, and that the baby was a sign of what could have been had the relationship not gone sour. the final paragraph/monologue felt like a direct speech to the lover ‘Bad’ basically begging them to not let their behaviour and anger ruin what they have and what they could potentially have in the future. But, the narrator knows it is impossible to have a positive relationship with this abusive partner, just like it is impossible to have a baby with another woman.
ESPECIALLY HEINOUS
really weird story. i read that the author wrote it after having episodes of law and order svu playing whilst she had a fever, and that definitely makes sense, because this is absolutely the definition of a fever dream story. i can’t say i necessarily get it, but it was interesting
REAL WOMEN HAVE BODIES
i think this story may be a metaphor for rape culture, as the invisibility only effects women, and no one seems to really care about it until it effects them or someone they know. could also be an allegory for women who choose to not adhere to societal beauty standards, as the scene in which the news anchors are arguing about the invisible women, they say they do not trust the women because they cannot be touched (by men) but yet they still exist on this earth.
EIGHT BITES
i think this story is a good allegory for generational trauma and how bad body image can be passed down through family. the narrators mother had an ED, which made her sisters insecure about their bodies to the point of getting surgery, which then made the narrator do the same despite maybe not even wanting to. It effects her daughter too, because how can a mother say she loves her daughter’s body when she hates her own that looks exactly the same? i think the creature in the basement represents all her wants and needs that she has ignored or discarded in pursuit of beauty and thinness.
THE RESIDENT
i really liked the gothic feel of this one. i also really liked the meaning behind this, how having your own identity out of the ordinary is rarely acceptable in society, and it can often feel like you’re constantly on the outside of every room and group.
DIFFICULT AT PARTIES
this story to me explores trauma from rape and trafficking. it seems the main character has been rescued from some kind of bad situation and has returned home to her boyfriend, but now that she has experienced this trauma, she can hear the thoughts of the people in the pornography she watches to try and reconnect with her partner. i think this is a really excellent story.
THE HUSBAND STITCH
very raw. the meaning i took from this story was that a woman can give everything to a man, and yet he will still want more. he’ll want the forbidden, the thing that will cross your boundaries. he’ll often use the excuse of love, but it’s really about control
INVENTORY
i took two things from this story. one, that what you love will be what kills you in the end. and because the narrator makes lists when they’re in an anxious or stressful situation to come to terms with that situation, them making one at the end of the story when they’re faced with their own potential death, shows that after living through the story’s pandemic for so long, they’ve finally come to terms with their imminent fate.
MOTHERS
reading this, i took it as an allegory for post-partum psychosis, but the further along i saw how it could also be a metaphor for an abusive relationship, and that the baby was a sign of what could have been had the relationship not gone sour. the final paragraph/monologue felt like a direct speech to the lover ‘Bad’ basically begging them to not let their behaviour and anger ruin what they have and what they could potentially have in the future. But, the narrator knows it is impossible to have a positive relationship with this abusive partner, just like it is impossible to have a baby with another woman.
ESPECIALLY HEINOUS
really weird story. i read that the author wrote it after having episodes of law and order svu playing whilst she had a fever, and that definitely makes sense, because this is absolutely the definition of a fever dream story. i can’t say i necessarily get it, but it was interesting
REAL WOMEN HAVE BODIES
i think this story may be a metaphor for rape culture, as the invisibility only effects women, and no one seems to really care about it until it effects them or someone they know. could also be an allegory for women who choose to not adhere to societal beauty standards, as the scene in which the news anchors are arguing about the invisible women, they say they do not trust the women because they cannot be touched (by men) but yet they still exist on this earth.
EIGHT BITES
i think this story is a good allegory for generational trauma and how bad body image can be passed down through family. the narrators mother had an ED, which made her sisters insecure about their bodies to the point of getting surgery, which then made the narrator do the same despite maybe not even wanting to. It effects her daughter too, because how can a mother say she loves her daughter’s body when she hates her own that looks exactly the same? i think the creature in the basement represents all her wants and needs that she has ignored or discarded in pursuit of beauty and thinness.
THE RESIDENT
i really liked the gothic feel of this one. i also really liked the meaning behind this, how having your own identity out of the ordinary is rarely acceptable in society, and it can often feel like you’re constantly on the outside of every room and group.
DIFFICULT AT PARTIES
this story to me explores trauma from rape and trafficking. it seems the main character has been rescued from some kind of bad situation and has returned home to her boyfriend, but now that she has experienced this trauma, she can hear the thoughts of the people in the pornography she watches to try and reconnect with her partner. i think this is a really excellent story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A beautiful collection of short stories. Carmen Maria Machado is a phenomenal writer.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Pregnancy, Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Fatphobia
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This read quickly for me -- upon finishing the first story, "The Husband Stitch," I nearly threw my Kindle across the room, then devoured the rest of the stories. But the stories aren't fast; in fact, some are a slow burn that will probably keep popping up in my head years later.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Domestic abuse, Rape, Pandemic/Epidemic
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror
Minor: Eating disorder
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Her Body and Other Parties is a beautifully twisted collection of supernatural stories that pulled me in effortlessly. I love Carmen's unique writing style and her ability to encapsulate different genres into one. It is both a chilling and sensual book, an intimate journey about womanhood and the struggles we face.
"I am a continent but I will not hold."
"I am a continent but I will not hold."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Grief, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Mental illness, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder