A review by chrism1
The Coiled Serpent by Camilla Grudova

4.0

Fresh off her women's prize longlisted book, Children of Paradise, Camilla Grudova comes back with a collection of short stories centred around bodies and bodily functions. Grudova explores the chaos of the world through the way bodies work, don't work, and what bodies leave behind. I found this collection of stories challenging because I'm not a fan of body horror, so some of the stories were a bit rough for me, but Grudova's talent as a writer got me through those moments. She has a fantastic eye for a sharp bit of dialogue and amusing moment within the shock of all the gross and shocking details It's an emotionally demanding, but ultimately rewarding book.