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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
Like almost all anthologies, there are some storied I loved and some I didn't.
But BUY THIS BOOK if you like horror because portions of proceeds will go to help trans youth in Texas!!!
But BUY THIS BOOK if you like horror because portions of proceeds will go to help trans youth in Texas!!!
Each story in this collection is visceral like a punch in the face. Touching on issues of gender, sexuality, mental health, and a ton of other topics, this collection is complex and layered, and there is a lot to unpack and absorb. This collection is an excellent example of the political power and potential of the horror genre: at its best, it forces us to confront ugly realities and push back against propriety/established norms.
In terms of the stories themselves: in my opinion, this starts off and ends really strong. While all of the stories are interesting and kept my attention, many felt less like stories, and more like sketches or ideas of stories, or just really cool, surreal images. Many of the stories in the middle of the collection were three stars for me, but I’ve punched up my rating to a four because of my overall experience and the 5 star stories that really resonated with me. I’ve reflected on my favourites below:
Tonsilstonespunksplatter666! - Rain Corbyn - 5*
Absolutely brutal, intense, and tongue-in-cheek in the best ways. Combines smart social commentary with punches of slasher surrealism. Features a neurodivergent, queer protagonist defending themselves against a group of bullies.
High Maintenance - S.A. Chant - 5*
Pretty heartbreaking story about a cyborg, Jay, who is owned by Thomas, his “boyfriend.” Thomas continuously finds reasons to criticize Jay and get him modified to suit his increasingly specific desires. This has a gut punch of an ending - I was surprised by it and it added another layer of horror to the story.
The Lives of Scavengers - Rhiannon Rasmussen - 5*
Moody, gothic vibes, heavy on the baroque descriptions - the language and the setting remind me a bit of Baudelaire. A “grave-child” of the “under-city” is taken under the wing of the widow Voierry. The grave-child has a rivalry with another child that the widow is taking care of, Ivan, and sad things ensue. As with many of the other stories here I wanted more of this world as the distinction between the under-city and “the city above” interested me and added some commentary on class stratification. Favourite quote: “The first time someone met my eyes, it was a person dressed in the plump rose of a worm’s belly [...] Later, I learned rose was the color of mourning. Of woman’s mourning. Men mourned in other colors.”
The Roots They Pull - Taylor J. Pitts - 4*
Another lush one that felt like a cross between a queer Rebecca and Sleeping Beauty - gothic folktale vibes.
Stench - Vincent Endwell - 5*
Really enjoyed this. One of the longer stories which allowed me to get more invested in what was going on and allowed tension to build. Jessica is pregnant, cheating on her husband, and attracted to/fascinated by a Christian mommy blogger who just passed away. I’d like to return to this one as the ending is amazing and speaks to motherhood, pregnancy, relationships between women, patriarchal/heterosexist pressures around gender and women’s sexuality/reproductive rights - so much is packed in here.
Tiny Magic - G.E. Woods - 5*
The more I think about this the more I like it. The language in this one morphs as the protagonist ages, and given that this is a kind of coming-of-age tale, I interpreted the shift in voice as a commentary on how language shapes our understanding of our self-identity and the world generally, but also how language can circumscribe and limit how we perceive ourselves and others (for example, requiring individuals to fit into binary gender identities). The fact that certain characters were bolded when introduced (“THE MOTHER” enters; “THE BOYFRIEND” arrives) also gave this a cinematic quality as though we’re reading a play; characters are like archetypes briefly introduced to propel the “hero’s” development. For this reason, and also because of what I interpreted as references to Baba Yaga, this has the quality of a classic fairytale. There is an unlikely hero overcoming obstacles to learn a lesson that initiates them into adulthood, but with a twist. The ending felt triumphant and liberatory: a perfect ‘fuck you, deal with it’ to end this collection.
In terms of the stories themselves: in my opinion, this starts off and ends really strong. While all of the stories are interesting and kept my attention, many felt less like stories, and more like sketches or ideas of stories, or just really cool, surreal images. Many of the stories in the middle of the collection were three stars for me, but I’ve punched up my rating to a four because of my overall experience and the 5 star stories that really resonated with me. I’ve reflected on my favourites below:
Tonsilstonespunksplatter666! - Rain Corbyn - 5*
Absolutely brutal, intense, and tongue-in-cheek in the best ways. Combines smart social commentary with punches of slasher surrealism. Features a neurodivergent, queer protagonist defending themselves against a group of bullies.
High Maintenance - S.A. Chant - 5*
Pretty heartbreaking story about a cyborg, Jay, who is owned by Thomas, his “boyfriend.” Thomas continuously finds reasons to criticize Jay and get him modified to suit his increasingly specific desires. This has a gut punch of an ending - I was surprised by it and it added another layer of horror to the story.
The Lives of Scavengers - Rhiannon Rasmussen - 5*
Moody, gothic vibes, heavy on the baroque descriptions - the language and the setting remind me a bit of Baudelaire. A “grave-child” of the “under-city” is taken under the wing of the widow Voierry. The grave-child has a rivalry with another child that the widow is taking care of, Ivan, and sad things ensue. As with many of the other stories here I wanted more of this world as the distinction between the under-city and “the city above” interested me and added some commentary on class stratification. Favourite quote: “The first time someone met my eyes, it was a person dressed in the plump rose of a worm’s belly [...] Later, I learned rose was the color of mourning. Of woman’s mourning. Men mourned in other colors.”
The Roots They Pull - Taylor J. Pitts - 4*
Another lush one that felt like a cross between a queer Rebecca and Sleeping Beauty - gothic folktale vibes.
Stench - Vincent Endwell - 5*
Really enjoyed this. One of the longer stories which allowed me to get more invested in what was going on and allowed tension to build. Jessica is pregnant, cheating on her husband, and attracted to/fascinated by a Christian mommy blogger who just passed away. I’d like to return to this one as the ending is amazing and speaks to motherhood, pregnancy, relationships between women, patriarchal/heterosexist pressures around gender and women’s sexuality/reproductive rights - so much is packed in here.
Tiny Magic - G.E. Woods - 5*
The more I think about this the more I like it. The language in this one morphs as the protagonist ages, and given that this is a kind of coming-of-age tale, I interpreted the shift in voice as a commentary on how language shapes our understanding of our self-identity and the world generally, but also how language can circumscribe and limit how we perceive ourselves and others (for example, requiring individuals to fit into binary gender identities). The fact that certain characters were bolded when introduced (“THE MOTHER” enters; “THE BOYFRIEND” arrives) also gave this a cinematic quality as though we’re reading a play; characters are like archetypes briefly introduced to propel the “hero’s” development. For this reason, and also because of what I interpreted as references to Baba Yaga, this has the quality of a classic fairytale. There is an unlikely hero overcoming obstacles to learn a lesson that initiates them into adulthood, but with a twist. The ending felt triumphant and liberatory: a perfect ‘fuck you, deal with it’ to end this collection.
emotional
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
I was surprised by how much I loved this anthology, given that horror usually isn't my genre. Overall, this anthology is well-curated, and the stories are nicely organized.
Some of my favorite stories:
High Maintenance by S.A. Chant - A deep and dark look into domestic violence and robots
The Same Thing That Happened to Sam by M. Lopes da Silva - Something homophobes and transphobes would 100% do to queer people if they could. Chilling.
Why We Keep Exploding by Hailey Piper - Probably the best story in the entire anthology and a powerful story about fighting against the patriarchy.
Lost in Reincarnation by Devaki Devay - Maybe I also want to transition into an octopus.
Fencing Chestplate by Avi Burton - An extremely powerful story about the cis gaze on trans bodies and how it intersects with our transitions and how to do it dramatically (via black magic).
Gender Envy by Gabriel Valentine - Too true.
The Divine Carcass by Bitter Karella - Because I do love a fucked up story featuring religious trauma, and the story is hilarious.
The Simulacrum by Max Turner - I think Mary Shelley would appreciate this homage to her work. I also cannot get the image of ripping one's breasts off with super soldier power out of my head.
Some of my favorite stories:
High Maintenance by S.A. Chant - A deep and dark look into domestic violence and robots
The Same Thing That Happened to Sam by M. Lopes da Silva - Something homophobes and transphobes would 100% do to queer people if they could. Chilling.
Why We Keep Exploding by Hailey Piper - Probably the best story in the entire anthology and a powerful story about fighting against the patriarchy.
Lost in Reincarnation by Devaki Devay - Maybe I also want to transition into an octopus.
Fencing Chestplate by Avi Burton - An extremely powerful story about the cis gaze on trans bodies and how it intersects with our transitions and how to do it dramatically (via black magic).
Gender Envy by Gabriel Valentine - Too true.
The Divine Carcass by Bitter Karella - Because I do love a fucked up story featuring religious trauma, and the story is hilarious.
The Simulacrum by Max Turner - I think Mary Shelley would appreciate this homage to her work. I also cannot get the image of ripping one's breasts off with super soldier power out of my head.
dark
emotional
funny
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
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
fast-paced
Body horror is waaaay outside my comfort zone, but queasy as I was at the begining, I'm glad I picked this up. Your Body is Not Your Body is a wonderful amalgam that is equally graphic, entertaining, profoundly eye-opening, and a giant fist in the faces of the naysayers (they know who they are). My only complaint was that I would have loved to experience many of these works as full-length novels. I highly recommend.
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes