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ninag98's review
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Full disclosure: I am biased when it comes to this anthology, seeing as I helped Cat read through the submissions and pick the stories and so, I think every single one featured here is perfect. I love them all so much that I can’t even choose a highlight reel like I usually do with anthology reviews. I firmly believe that there’s something here for everyone and at least one of them will disturb you to the point you’ll be thinking about it long after you’ve finished the book (looking at Always Check Where You’re About to Piss). The writing is phenomenal all across the board, the authors are fantastic and I recommend you pick up their other works as well. These stories are body horror at its finest: disgusting, skin-crawling, and disturbing. Crawling has crawled (pun intended) its way into my top ten anthologies and it’ll always have a special place in my heart.
macclown's review
4.0
i've been excited to read this for a while as i actually backed this on kickstarter, but i also got sent an arc copy so figured i could review it now!
full of gross, icky, skin-crawling stories, with a primary focus on insectoids and parasitic relationships. there's some in particular i really enjoyed that i'll go more in depth on below but overall a great collection of horror stories.
- 'antisymbiosis' by danny shaw
a sci-fi horror story written in the form of recordings and notes from an analyst stuck in an underground lab with an unknown entity. i really loved how this was written and the analyst's descent into fear and madness really gripped me. some great tension and a creepy ending.
- 'hard plastic, soft flesh' by elecia page
we follow a character infected with microplastics. they take part in an experimental treatment that cures the microplastic infection, but infects them with something much worse. a fantastic little gory read, it feels almost like a zombie or vampire story but less fantastical and more sci-fi.
- 'familiar faces' by tinamarie cox
in this one we follow maggie, or i suppose the thing wearing maggie's face, as she selects a new host. fantastically well written, i loved the imagery, i only wish it was longer!
- 'cherry on top' by samantha arthurs
this was a particular favourite of mine. we follow cherry, a trans girl living in the bible belt, who's being bullied by popular girl kaitlyn. one day kaitlyn takes it too far and cherry ends up in the hospital. scared and angry, she's ready to get revenge. full of rage and with a fantastic ending, i loved this one!
- 'always check where you're about to piss' by august blaine centauri
this was the last story in the collection and my favourite of them all, mara is convinced she's having the period from hell but actually it's much, much worse. had me literally cringing and curling in on myself. utterly gross but so, so good.
full of gross, icky, skin-crawling stories, with a primary focus on insectoids and parasitic relationships. there's some in particular i really enjoyed that i'll go more in depth on below but overall a great collection of horror stories.
- 'antisymbiosis' by danny shaw
a sci-fi horror story written in the form of recordings and notes from an analyst stuck in an underground lab with an unknown entity. i really loved how this was written and the analyst's descent into fear and madness really gripped me. some great tension and a creepy ending.
- 'hard plastic, soft flesh' by elecia page
we follow a character infected with microplastics. they take part in an experimental treatment that cures the microplastic infection, but infects them with something much worse. a fantastic little gory read, it feels almost like a zombie or vampire story but less fantastical and more sci-fi.
- 'familiar faces' by tinamarie cox
in this one we follow maggie, or i suppose the thing wearing maggie's face, as she selects a new host. fantastically well written, i loved the imagery, i only wish it was longer!
- 'cherry on top' by samantha arthurs
this was a particular favourite of mine. we follow cherry, a trans girl living in the bible belt, who's being bullied by popular girl kaitlyn. one day kaitlyn takes it too far and cherry ends up in the hospital. scared and angry, she's ready to get revenge. full of rage and with a fantastic ending, i loved this one!
- 'always check where you're about to piss' by august blaine centauri
this was the last story in the collection and my favourite of them all, mara is convinced she's having the period from hell but actually it's much, much worse. had me literally cringing and curling in on myself. utterly gross but so, so good.
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