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4.5 AVERAGE
4.5 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
The Dead Inside is a horror anthology that tackles the sensitive subject of identity. Never have I read an anthology that so profoundly affected a part of my heart. I am secure in my identity, I know who I am, what I am meant to do in terms of my career, and how I project myself to others. However, I have close friends who aren’t secure in their identities. They struggle to accept their sexuality, and their gender, they deserve to feel this inner peace without persecution. It very rarely plays out this way and this anthology examines the horror of both the human psyche and the hurt it can inflict on itself and others.
The Dead Inside is a phenomenal collection of short stories by authors that know how to break down the walls of the heart and build bridges between experience and fact. I don’t envy the job of the two editors, Laurel Hightower, and Susan Ruttan. The quality of the final stories is some of the best I have had the pleasure of reading. Long short stories and poems are sprinkled for maximum effect throughout the anthology and the impact is like a punch to the face.
I don’t want to talk about the stories individually too much, but I do want to mention a few that affected me immensely. From Within by S.H. Cooper is the perfect start to The Dead Inside. Katy is preparing for the promotion of her career, but she doesn’t expect to get something else instead. It’s gruesome and shocking and Cooper always brings her A-game. The author is always able to trigger something in me. The urge to create something unique and invigorating is clear to see, and I constantly hunger to consume more of Cooper’s work.
Are You Queer? By M. Lopes da Silva is an exquisite poem about both acceptance and hate. It is a poem that really makes you think. It makes you question both your own sexuality and how you treat others. What really is normal? My normal might not be someone else’s but that shouldn’t make it a topic of ridicule. We are all human and we all deserve love and respect.
A Most Bulbous Congregation by Eric Raglin is my favourite story in this collection. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I detest all religions. I am a proud atheist for many reasons but their unbridled homophobia and views toward abortion just leave me feeling disgusted. Raglin has examined the very real human horror that is steeped within the church. There is no horror more disturbing than that committed by humans in the name of a supernatural being. The imagery and prose of this story left me ignoring everything else and just absorbing the emotional resonance that it emitted.
The Dead Inside is a guidebook to horror, a masterclass in how identity can both make us and break us. Disturbing, utterly original. This is something special.
The Dead Inside is a phenomenal collection of short stories by authors that know how to break down the walls of the heart and build bridges between experience and fact. I don’t envy the job of the two editors, Laurel Hightower, and Susan Ruttan. The quality of the final stories is some of the best I have had the pleasure of reading. Long short stories and poems are sprinkled for maximum effect throughout the anthology and the impact is like a punch to the face.
I don’t want to talk about the stories individually too much, but I do want to mention a few that affected me immensely. From Within by S.H. Cooper is the perfect start to The Dead Inside. Katy is preparing for the promotion of her career, but she doesn’t expect to get something else instead. It’s gruesome and shocking and Cooper always brings her A-game. The author is always able to trigger something in me. The urge to create something unique and invigorating is clear to see, and I constantly hunger to consume more of Cooper’s work.
Are You Queer? By M. Lopes da Silva is an exquisite poem about both acceptance and hate. It is a poem that really makes you think. It makes you question both your own sexuality and how you treat others. What really is normal? My normal might not be someone else’s but that shouldn’t make it a topic of ridicule. We are all human and we all deserve love and respect.
A Most Bulbous Congregation by Eric Raglin is my favourite story in this collection. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I detest all religions. I am a proud atheist for many reasons but their unbridled homophobia and views toward abortion just leave me feeling disgusted. Raglin has examined the very real human horror that is steeped within the church. There is no horror more disturbing than that committed by humans in the name of a supernatural being. The imagery and prose of this story left me ignoring everything else and just absorbing the emotional resonance that it emitted.
The Dead Inside is a guidebook to horror, a masterclass in how identity can both make us and break us. Disturbing, utterly original. This is something special.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
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
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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:
Complicated
The Dead Inside has spoiled me for all further anthologies. With most anthologies and short story collections, there’s always a few miss stories. With The Dead Inside, I rated mostly everything highly and liberally gave out five star ratings.
Each one of the stories in this collection has to do with identity. It’s very personal, and I loved seeing a little bit into each author’s head as I read. There’s such a variety of stories that it’s hard to summarize—but they all come down to the main character and their identities. This is also one of the most diverse collections I’ve ever read.
I loved so many of the stories in this collection, but here are some of my favorites:
From Within by S.H. Cooper
A Most Bulbous Congregation by Eric Raglin
Cookies by Michelle Mellon
Selective Memory by Evelyn Freeling
It Eats Away at You by Marcus Woodman
Cuca vai te Pegar by Roxie Voorhees
And of course, the poetry. It was so nice to have sprinklings of poetry in between the stories. They were all so beautiful, for all different reasons.
There are a lot of content warnings in this book for the varying stories, but they are provided in the actual book. Please check these out before reading.
Each one of the stories in this collection has to do with identity. It’s very personal, and I loved seeing a little bit into each author’s head as I read. There’s such a variety of stories that it’s hard to summarize—but they all come down to the main character and their identities. This is also one of the most diverse collections I’ve ever read.
I loved so many of the stories in this collection, but here are some of my favorites:
From Within by S.H. Cooper
A Most Bulbous Congregation by Eric Raglin
Cookies by Michelle Mellon
Selective Memory by Evelyn Freeling
It Eats Away at You by Marcus Woodman
Cuca vai te Pegar by Roxie Voorhees
And of course, the poetry. It was so nice to have sprinklings of poetry in between the stories. They were all so beautiful, for all different reasons.
There are a lot of content warnings in this book for the varying stories, but they are provided in the actual book. Please check these out before reading.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria