ellewhyoh 's review for:

The Nightmare Box and Other Stories by Cynthia Gómez

5.0

dark emotional fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This is a rare-for-me 5-star story collection. Each story was a winner, and each one brought something new to the table. While there are connecting threads-- the city of Oakland makes frequent appearances, the systemic and personal injustice faced by people of color, the concept of justice-- every story was different, and every story had something different to say. Every story also dealt with very different aspects of the supernatural/horror genre, from vampires to gods. I highly recommend this to fans of V. Castro, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Stephen Graham Jones. (I especially liked the nod to Jones' Jade Daniels in the short story "Huitzol and the Rope of Thorns.")

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.