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silenttardis's review
4.0
This was a very solid collection of short stories, and most of these were novella size, so it was a nice change from a couple pages short stories.
I did enjoy more the ones that were about monsters that I knew beforehand, or better that had something to do with monsters that I did know, for instance, one of the stories were about a kind of Frankenstein monster, but the doctor name was Victoria, instead of victor haha ^__^ but anyway I really believe if you do like monsters, and if you can empathize with them you’ll enjoy this quite a lot, there’s also very cool looking art of some well know monsters, like I said, a bit for everyone.
What let me a bit down was the lack of introduction of each story, for the ones that I don’t know the original story.
I got a free copy of this ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I did enjoy more the ones that were about monsters that I knew beforehand, or better that had something to do with monsters that I did know, for instance, one of the stories were about a kind of Frankenstein monster, but the doctor name was Victoria, instead of victor haha ^__^ but anyway I really believe if you do like monsters, and if you can empathize with them you’ll enjoy this quite a lot, there’s also very cool looking art of some well know monsters, like I said, a bit for everyone.
What let me a bit down was the lack of introduction of each story, for the ones that I don’t know the original story.
I got a free copy of this ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
blatdriver's review
4.0
I love the old classic horror stories, Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Headless Horseman, the Invisible Man, I loved them all.
So this Anthology was an easy choice for me, but as with a lot of anthology's, this was a mixed bag, some of the stories I loved, like Höllenlegion by Jonathan Maberry – This story is a sequel to H. G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau, and
The Viscount and the Phantom by Lucy A. Snyder – A phantom of the Opera sequel.
While others like The Invisible Man: The Fire This Time by Maurice Broaddus, and The Picture of Doriana Gray by Mercedes M Yardley felt like they drifted too far from the feel of the original stories.
Overall, there is a lot to love about these stories, there are some sequel and spinoff stories, and some reimagined, with a variety of writing styles it means there is something for everyone.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves the classics or there modern counterparts.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*
So this Anthology was an easy choice for me, but as with a lot of anthology's, this was a mixed bag, some of the stories I loved, like Höllenlegion by Jonathan Maberry – This story is a sequel to H. G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau, and
The Viscount and the Phantom by Lucy A. Snyder – A phantom of the Opera sequel.
While others like The Invisible Man: The Fire This Time by Maurice Broaddus, and The Picture of Doriana Gray by Mercedes M Yardley felt like they drifted too far from the feel of the original stories.
Overall, there is a lot to love about these stories, there are some sequel and spinoff stories, and some reimagined, with a variety of writing styles it means there is something for everyone.
I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves the classics or there modern counterparts.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*
the_original_shelf_monkey's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
stephrabig's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
invisiblemonster's review
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I have never considered myself a classic monster type person. They aren’t scary or interesting, and are generally rather boring. Could it be that these writers and their stories have changed my opinion? For the most part, yes. It’s pretty damn good as far as short story collections come at least.
jamierose's review
dark
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
This collection, as the title suggests, pays homage to the monsters (human and inhuman) from classic literature, legend and film. The usual suspects of Dracula, werewolves and Frankenstein's monster are reimagined but there's also a wide range of ones you less commonly see retold, like The Fly. As with most short story collections, what you end up with is a bit of a mixed bag, some stories that sing from the page and others that left me ambivalent or (in a couple of cases) just completely confused. It makes the book as a whole hard to rate.
As someone whose classic monster background is firmly based on the literary kind, I found the less satisfying stories were often the ones based on film monsters. While they were standalone short stories I think I would have appreciated them more if I understood the originals and how they were being twisted into new shapes. So, if you're a fan of classic monsters films, I think this would probably be a really fun read.
I did appreciate the way that the gender, sexuality and race norms of the originals were played with, a modern take on old themes that worked well. And some of my favourites were the ones where the monsters weren't necessarily the villains; there were some satisfyingly morally grey monster protagonists mixed in here.
As someone whose classic monster background is firmly based on the literary kind, I found the less satisfying stories were often the ones based on film monsters. While they were standalone short stories I think I would have appreciated them more if I understood the originals and how they were being twisted into new shapes. So, if you're a fan of classic monsters films, I think this would probably be a really fun read.
I did appreciate the way that the gender, sexuality and race norms of the originals were played with, a modern take on old themes that worked well. And some of my favourites were the ones where the monsters weren't necessarily the villains; there were some satisfyingly morally grey monster protagonists mixed in here.
kirstycarson1's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
the_bookworm_rabbit's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
When @blackspotbooks reached out to me with the opportunity to read this book, I was hesitant at first.
The main reason being, if you know me at all, you'll know I'm a massive wimp, and I'm terrified of anything even remotely creepy.
However, I was really intrigued and decided to give it a go, and I regret nothing!
As with any anthology, there were some stories that stood out more than others to me, but overall, the quality of each story was really high.
I loved all the new interpretations of the monsters that even non horror fans like me know about. It was really interesting to see things from different points of view from what we're used to.
A few particular favourites of mine were:
The Picture of Dorianna Gray,
Hacking the Horseman's Code,
They Call Me Mother, and
Beautiful Monster.
This was a wonderful collection that even non horror fans can enjoy too.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The main reason being, if you know me at all, you'll know I'm a massive wimp, and I'm terrified of anything even remotely creepy.
However, I was really intrigued and decided to give it a go, and I regret nothing!
As with any anthology, there were some stories that stood out more than others to me, but overall, the quality of each story was really high.
I loved all the new interpretations of the monsters that even non horror fans like me know about. It was really interesting to see things from different points of view from what we're used to.
A few particular favourites of mine were:
The Picture of Dorianna Gray,
Hacking the Horseman's Code,
They Call Me Mother, and
Beautiful Monster.
This was a wonderful collection that even non horror fans can enjoy too.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
readthesparrow's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5/5
I really loved this collection. Like, REALLY loved this collection. If you like horror, especially if you like classic horror (either movies or literature), this is definitely for you. Every story does something unique or interesting with the source material. The stories also benefit from the diversity of their authors; I especially appreciated the queer elements. I really love adaptations because I like to see what elements authors tease out or change or interpret, and all the authors did just a fantastic job.
That said, an encyclopedic knowledge of the source material isn't needed to enjoy the collection. For some, all I had was passing knowledge picked up through cultural osmosis. For example, I have never seen "The Blob" (I know, I know) yet "Da Noise, Da Funk, Da Blob" was one of my favorites. It makes me want to watch the movie at some point and then re-read the story, to see the choices made.
Of course, in some instances, I do wish I had been familiar with the source material first. For example, "The Invisible Man: The Fire This Time." I only have a passing knowledge of "The Invisible Man" and next to none about "The Fire Next Time" (both now on my to-read list). I still really loved the story, but I feel I couldn't appreciate it fully. That's not a knock against it, of course; it's given me some new things to read and return to it, and I am very excited to do so.
I cannot overstate how hard this collection goes. Every story absolutely oozed with love. I know what I am getting my mother for Christmas (no one tell her).
I really loved this collection. Like, REALLY loved this collection. If you like horror, especially if you like classic horror (either movies or literature), this is definitely for you. Every story does something unique or interesting with the source material. The stories also benefit from the diversity of their authors; I especially appreciated the queer elements. I really love adaptations because I like to see what elements authors tease out or change or interpret, and all the authors did just a fantastic job.
That said, an encyclopedic knowledge of the source material isn't needed to enjoy the collection. For some, all I had was passing knowledge picked up through cultural osmosis. For example, I have never seen "The Blob" (I know, I know) yet "Da Noise, Da Funk, Da Blob" was one of my favorites. It makes me want to watch the movie at some point and then re-read the story, to see the choices made.
Of course, in some instances, I do wish I had been familiar with the source material first. For example, "The Invisible Man: The Fire This Time." I only have a passing knowledge of "The Invisible Man" and next to none about "The Fire Next Time" (both now on my to-read list). I still really loved the story, but I feel I couldn't appreciate it fully. That's not a knock against it, of course; it's given me some new things to read and return to it, and I am very excited to do so.
I cannot overstate how hard this collection goes. Every story absolutely oozed with love. I know what I am getting my mother for Christmas (no one tell her).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, and Body horror
larkken's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Review is of an ARC of an anthology of short stories based on classic monster characters.