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A review by tlctbr
Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology by Shane Hawk, Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, and Colonisation
I’m so glad I did a read along for this book because there were a number of stories that were very challenging and I may have put it aside or given up without that extra push. The thing I liked best about my experience with the book is that it gave me a chance to really explore what types of horror I enjoy and what I’d like to read in the future. (Yes to supernatural encounters, ancient monsters, characters with special gifts. No to “real life” / true crime and ESPECIALLY no to realistic child abuse).
I loved hearing from such a diverse cast of authors. Also loved seeing the types of mythology that seem to permeate native cultures across North America. For example, I’d hear of the mythology of Wendigo from reading Braiding Sweetgrass. Various forms of this entity showed up in many of the stories with a variety of spellings. I’d love to read a whole book focused on how different cultures defined and viewed this entity.
My favorite stories in the book were
Kushtuka, Heart Shaped Clock and The Ones Who Killed Us. The most difficult and disturbing for me was Sundays (it was too real, and reality is far more horrifying than any demon).
I added several books to read from these authors to my TBR and hope to see more from all of them in the future. Their voices are incredibly important.