A review by obscurepages
Anoka: A Collection of Indigenous Horror by Shane Hawk

dark emotional mysterious reflective 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

4.0

This was an impulse read since I saw how short it was and I was in a bit of a horror mood. And wow, I am so glad I picked it up 😆

This is Shane Hawk's debut Indigenous horror story collection. Some were really short, some were longer than the others. But one thing is for sure, this is a good collection of horror stories imbued with the experiences of Indigenous people. There's something unique in every story, but the Indigenous main characters are always the main focus. I love that this collection didn't really focus on the " scary"factor, but it will haunt you and disturb you as you read the stories. It also focused on the various experiences and horrors these characters see in their lives. I could also argue that some of these stories touch on psychological horror as well.

Some stories were more fleshed out than the others for me. My favorites would definitely be the last two, <i>Dead America</i> and <i>Transfigured</i>. It also helped that the author included Story Notes which helped give a background or perspective on why he chose to write these stories.

Also, another delightful surprise is the queer rep, which I didn't expect! I love that the author confirmed that the character was in fact queer (genderfluid to be exact), as the character only thought about their struggles with their gender.

Overall, this was really good! I can't wait to read more of the author's works, especially <i>Never Whistle at Night</i>! (in which he's the co-editor this time!)

CW: stillbirth, graphic violence, blood, kidnapping, murder, drug use, drug abuse, sexual content (implied), alcoholism, depression, mentions of genocide and violence on Indigenous Americans, body horror (a little bit), animal death, multiple deaths/massacre, murder, car accidents, gender dysphoria (a little bit)