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A review by seventhswan
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The Husband Stitch: 3.5/5. Well-written, but I don't think this should have been the first story in the collection - as a retelling, I knew the ending before it arrived, and the whole thing read a little like it was made to be dissected in an advanced creative writing class.
Inventory: 5/5. This story genuinely terrified me, and I didn't previously think I could be scared of a horror story in the same way films sometimes scare me.
Mothers: 4/5. While it didn't grip me in the same way as Inventory, I still really liked this story, especially considering how short it was.
Especially Heinous: 100000000/5. I can't say anything in a review because all of it would be spoilers but it was SO GOOD and I stared at the wall for a good hour after reading it.
Real Women Have Bodies: 3.5/5, another one where the point felt a bit laboured and took away from the horror slightly, but the characters were interesting and the premise unique.
Eight Bites: 3/5. After so many incredible stories, this one was quite underwhelming, and I wasn't quite sure what the ending was saying. Most of this story read just like a magazine article about weight loss.
The Resident: 2/5, I didn't get along with this one, it felt like it was trying too hard and was too long.
Difficult at Parties: 5/5. The girls who get it get it.
Inventory: 5/5. This story genuinely terrified me, and I didn't previously think I could be scared of a horror story in the same way films sometimes scare me.
Mothers: 4/5. While it didn't grip me in the same way as Inventory, I still really liked this story, especially considering how short it was.
Especially Heinous: 100000000/5. I can't say anything in a review because all of it would be spoilers but it was SO GOOD and I stared at the wall for a good hour after reading it.
Real Women Have Bodies: 3.5/5, another one where the point felt a bit laboured and took away from the horror slightly, but the characters were interesting and the premise unique.
Eight Bites: 3/5. After so many incredible stories, this one was quite underwhelming, and I wasn't quite sure what the ending was saying. Most of this story read just like a magazine article about weight loss.
The Resident: 2/5, I didn't get along with this one, it felt like it was trying too hard and was too long.
Difficult at Parties: 5/5. The girls who get it get it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual content, and Body horror