Scan barcode
A review by xwritingstoriesx
Body Shocks by Kij Johnson, Richard Christian Matheson, Tom Johnstone, Nathan Ballingrud, Brian Evenson, Livia Llewellyn, Lucy Taylor, Kirstyn McDermott, Michael Blumlein, Kaaron Warren, Ellen Datlow, Simon Bestwick, Priya Sharma, Lisa L. Hannett, Gemma Files, Richard Kadrey, Carmen Maria Machado, Alyssa Wong, Cody Goodfellow, Genevieve Valentine, Caitlín R. Kiernan, Christopher Fowler, Tananarive Due, Ray Cluley, Edward Bryant, Pat Cadigan, Seanan McGuire, Cassandra Khaw, Terry Dowling, Angela Slatter
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Each and every one of these stories was beyond original and innovative. Some stories reminded me of Shirley Jackson's narrative voice (especially with It Was The Heat), Goosebumps and Jacqueline Wilson with the short story, Fabulous Beasts. This mix of authors is odd but it really does work. I also really appreciated the OCD representation in the story, Spores. I too suffer from contamination OCD and I saw myself in the MC and felt that it accurately portrayed the disorder. My favourites of this collection include Painlessness, Subsumption, Welcome to Mengele's, Natural Skin, The Look, Spores, Fabulous Beasts and Tissue Abulation and Variant Regeneration. Overall, I rate the collection a 4.5 stars.
the travellers stay 4 stars
toother 4.25 stars
painlessness 4.5 stars
you go where it takes you 4.5 stars
A Positive 4.25 stars
La Beaut Sans vertu 4 stars
subsumption 4.75 stars
spar 4.25 stars
it was the heat 4.25 stars
the transfer 3 stars
Welcome to Mengele's 4.75 stars
black neurology 4 stars
cuckoo 4.25 stars
cinerous 4 stars
the truth that lies under skin and meat 4.5 stars
Natural Skin 4.75 stars
The Lake 4.5 stars
I'm always Here 4 stars
The Look 4.75 stars
The Old Women Who Were Skinned 4 stars
Spores 4.75 stars
Sweet Subtleties 4 stars
Elegy for Suicide 3.75 stars
Skin City 4.25 stars
A True Friend 4 stars
What I found In the Shed 4 stars
Fabulous Beasts 4.5 stars
Tissue Abulation and variant regeneration: a case report 4.75 stars
the travellers stay 4 stars
toother 4.25 stars
painlessness 4.5 stars
you go where it takes you 4.5 stars
A Positive 4.25 stars
La Beaut Sans vertu 4 stars
subsumption 4.75 stars
spar 4.25 stars
it was the heat 4.25 stars
the transfer 3 stars
Welcome to Mengele's 4.75 stars
black neurology 4 stars
cuckoo 4.25 stars
cinerous 4 stars
the truth that lies under skin and meat 4.5 stars
Natural Skin 4.75 stars
The Lake 4.5 stars
I'm always Here 4 stars
The Look 4.75 stars
The Old Women Who Were Skinned 4 stars
Spores 4.75 stars
Sweet Subtleties 4 stars
Elegy for Suicide 3.75 stars
Skin City 4.25 stars
A True Friend 4 stars
What I found In the Shed 4 stars
Fabulous Beasts 4.5 stars
Tissue Abulation and variant regeneration: a case report 4.75 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cannibalism, Rape, Torture, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Murder, and Stalking