4.03 AVERAGE

dark mysterious
dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A
adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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

Incredible
dark funny mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

2.8 stars, rounded down.

EYES
such a pretty face: five stars
the summoning: three stars
a different beat: two stars

GUTS
what would you give for a treat like me: two stars
the carrier: two stars
playing house: two stars

sad straight sex at the end of the world: two stars

THROATS
flowers: three stars
big round ball of light and the water: three stars
saying its name breaks it: three stars
two truths and a lie: two stars

BONES
nature morte: three stars
only corpses stay: four stars
rath: three stars
break-up poem recited knee-deep in bog water: three stars

some of these were a bit compelling, but they because monotonous quickly and felt very one-note. the writing style is not to my taste and i probably won’t read more from this author.
dark mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated
dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

A very cohesive short story collection. The themes are repetitive - queer desire, horror, the end of the world. But that means the book is memorable and feels like a complete work. I really enjoyed it.