Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Taaqtumi: An Anthology of Arctic Horror Stories by Thomas Anguti Johnston, Cara Bryant, Gayle Kabloona, Ann R. Loverock, K.C. Carthew, Repo Kempt, Jay Bulckaert, Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley, Aviaq Johnston, Richard Van Camp, Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley

3 reviews

sydneyraereads's review

dark tense fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Iqsinaqtutalik Piqtuq: The Haunted Blizzard by Aviaq Johnston
Content warnings for: harm to a child
Rating: 4

The Door by Ann R. Loverock
Content warnings for: descriptions of blood
Rating: 4

Wheetago War II: Summoners by Richard Van Camp
Content warnings for: harm to children, gore, guns, animal death
Rating: 3

Revenge by Thomas Anguti Johnston
Content warnings for: hunting, animal death, gore, animal attack
Rating: 3.5

Lounge by Sean and Rachel Qitsualik-Tinsley
Content warnings for: body horror, micro-aggressions
Rating: 4

Utiqtuq by Gayle Kabloona
Content warnings for: guns, pandemic, gore, forced medical care, removal of children
Rating: 3

Sila by K.C. Carthew
Content warnings for: guns, animal attack,

implied infanticide

Rating: 4

The Wildest Game by Jay Bulckaert
Content warnings for: cannibalism
Rating: DNF because cannibalism grosses me out too much

Strays by Repo Kempt
Content warnings for: animal surgery, heart attack, substance abuse, infidelity,

murder

Rating: 4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Blood, and Cannibalism

Moderate: Animal death, Body horror, Gun violence, and Racism

Minor: Infidelity, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic

There is implied child death but it isn't on page.

There is a graphic scene of animal surgery. The gun violence is mostly in self-defense rather than conflict between humans. There is a story where prescription drugs are moderately described as an emotional coping mechanism rather than medical treatment.

starrysteph's review

challenging dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I love picking up short story collections as a way to discover a batch of new-to-me writers all at once - and Taaqtumi did not disappoint. 

There were some excellent & unique pieces here; stories that were chilling to the bone and incorporated crystal-clear haunting imagery and atmospheric terror. The Arctic is the perfect place for horror.

I did find the writing to be a bit uneven, with some stories brilliantly executed and others needing more support. Some of the weaker links were too long and/or had unsteady pacing.

Some stories leaned hard into horror, while others I would possibly classify elsewhere. Every story had at least some uneasy elements, but if you’re looking to be scared out of your mind, this collection overall doesn’t quite offer that. However, it is eclectic and interesting - so I think every reader would connect with at least one piece!

Many of these pieces will stick with me for sure. My personal favorites (though hard to pick!) were Revenge, Utiqtuq, and The Wildest Game.

CW: death (incl. death of children), murder, animal death, animal cruelty, cannibalism, violence, gore, colonization, body horror, medical content, gun violence, grief, vomit, ableism, racism

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Colonisation

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child death, Racism, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Miscarriage, Excrement, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol

Illness, pandemic, needles ("Utiqtuq").