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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
This is a collection of mostly modern horror from all over the world. Several works were translated into English for the first time to be included in this anthology. Overall, I gotta say I'm very impressed by the caliber of horror that Valancourt sought out for this book. There are so many great writers out there writing horror in a language I don't speak, and it makes me sad at how much I know I'm missing out on. I'm very thankful for Valancourt for putting together this anthology!
Here are my favorite stories, in order of appearance:
- "Uironda" by Luigi Musolini: Starts off as creepy trucker/on the road story, turns... very weird.
- "The Time Remaining" by Attila Veres - incredibly sad story about children becoming too attached to their plush toys
- "Señor Ligotti" by Bernardo Esquinca - was expecting something Ligottian and dark, and it was certainly dark, but this reminded me more of Shirley Jackson's best than anything from Ligotti!
- "Pale Toes" by Marko Hautala - caves get me every time, no exceptions
I think "Señor Ligotti" is probably my all-time favorite from the collection - simply stellar from start to finish. Highly recommend this collection to horror fans looking to branch out and read something non-US centric.
Here are my favorite stories, in order of appearance:
- "Uironda" by Luigi Musolini: Starts off as creepy trucker/on the road story, turns... very weird.
- "The Time Remaining" by Attila Veres - incredibly sad story about children becoming too attached to their plush toys
- "Señor Ligotti" by Bernardo Esquinca - was expecting something Ligottian and dark, and it was certainly dark, but this reminded me more of Shirley Jackson's best than anything from Ligotti!
- "Pale Toes" by Marko Hautala - caves get me every time, no exceptions
I think "Señor Ligotti" is probably my all-time favorite from the collection - simply stellar from start to finish. Highly recommend this collection to horror fans looking to branch out and read something non-US centric.
This collection was absolutely outstanding; another stellar Valancourt project! Each story captured culture and place in a tangible way and the translators deserve major accolades for their efforts! The illustrations in the hardcover edition were also suitably macabre. I cannot wait for volume 2 to continue the worldwide horror journey!
dark
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
I've actually finished this a few days ago and some stories are still in my head... as always, some stories were good and some were pointless. I enjoyed more than I didn't so 4 ⭐️'s, it is.
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
THE VALANCOURT BOOK OF WORLD HORROR STORIES is clearly a labor of love. Editors James D. Jenkins and Ryan Cagle set out on an ambitious quest to bring global, contemporary horror stories to an English-speaking audience. I'm not surprised by the scale of this project, I view Valancourt Books as "horror foragers" out there in the world discovering hidden gems, polishing them up, and presenting them to horror aficionados who treasure the work they do.
There are 21 tales in this anthology, almost all of them making their translated to English debut. So much work went into assembling this book, I have to tell you--the weight of importance carries over to the reader. I am horribly ignorant of anything outside of American horror so I went into this book with excitement and an eagerness for a new experience.
After reading the intro, I felt intimidated by the scope & size of the project; the effort I would need to put into this anthology as an investment was tangible (it's a HUGE book). I decided to read a few stories at a time and then set it down in order to enjoy my other books. I highly recommend this method for almost all anthologies. Reading through an entire book of short stories back-to-back can feel laborious and disjointed--all those different sub-genres, voices, moods, and settings can become confusing and not enjoyable. I think this is why anthologies and collections are not as popular as they should be. Readers might feel obligated to read it cover to cover/finishing what they start and I just don't think that's the best way to read these kinds of books.
Anyhoodles!
My favorite stories were also the most memorable to me long after I read them--the other stories have all faded a bit.
DOWN, IN THEIR WORLD by Romanian Flavius Ardelean was this unusual mash-up of subterranean/folklore that worked well for me
The body horror of Finn Marko Hautala’s PALE TOES
THE COLLECTOR with Greek mythology vibes by Tanya Tynjälä
BACKSTAIRS by Swedish author Anders Fager was unsettling and scary
I think most people will mention, THE TIME REMAINING by Attila Veres a weird, psychological horror story about a toy that is...well, dying. I could see this as a film.
I just want to thank Valancourt for this anthology and encourage readers to buy this for their horror collection. I feel these World Horror volumes will inform our understanding of horror and serve to enhance our love of the genre more fully.
There are 21 tales in this anthology, almost all of them making their translated to English debut. So much work went into assembling this book, I have to tell you--the weight of importance carries over to the reader. I am horribly ignorant of anything outside of American horror so I went into this book with excitement and an eagerness for a new experience.
After reading the intro, I felt intimidated by the scope & size of the project; the effort I would need to put into this anthology as an investment was tangible (it's a HUGE book). I decided to read a few stories at a time and then set it down in order to enjoy my other books. I highly recommend this method for almost all anthologies. Reading through an entire book of short stories back-to-back can feel laborious and disjointed--all those different sub-genres, voices, moods, and settings can become confusing and not enjoyable. I think this is why anthologies and collections are not as popular as they should be. Readers might feel obligated to read it cover to cover/finishing what they start and I just don't think that's the best way to read these kinds of books.
Anyhoodles!
My favorite stories were also the most memorable to me long after I read them--the other stories have all faded a bit.
DOWN, IN THEIR WORLD by Romanian Flavius Ardelean was this unusual mash-up of subterranean/folklore that worked well for me
The body horror of Finn Marko Hautala’s PALE TOES
THE COLLECTOR with Greek mythology vibes by Tanya Tynjälä
BACKSTAIRS by Swedish author Anders Fager was unsettling and scary
I think most people will mention, THE TIME REMAINING by Attila Veres a weird, psychological horror story about a toy that is...well, dying. I could see this as a film.
I just want to thank Valancourt for this anthology and encourage readers to buy this for their horror collection. I feel these World Horror volumes will inform our understanding of horror and serve to enhance our love of the genre more fully.
I had to finally DNF. I was liking some of the stories and others really dragged for me. I decided with how busy I am these days, if I am not fully loving a book or collection, I am just going to stop.