A review by 5aru
Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

challenging dark emotional reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

I loved these. I normally do not enjoy short story reading, as it doesn't suit my reading habits (I like to read a lot in a single sitting), but Machado's writing is phenomenal. Surgically precise and emotionally raw, her stories do not shy away from the dark recesses of humanity, and especially of womanhood; I loved the way she uses the supernatural to enhance her storytelling in a way that leaves you wondering, hovering between one world and the other and wondering what is real, or whether the real matters at all.

I advise a bit of care if picking this one up, as the stories deal with rather dark themes that may be potentially triggering, and Machado does not skimp on description.
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