A review by night0wl_23
A Darker Shade: New Stories of Body Horror by Women Writers by Joyce Carol Oates

dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? N/A
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

There are definitely some authors from this that I’ll check out further, really good read :D

Part I: You’ve Created a Monster
Frank Jones - 3 stars - a little gross, mostly weird 

Dancing - 3 stars - this poor woman, what did she do to deserve that 

Scarlet Ribbons - 3 stars - very immersive but I didn’t understand it ):

Malena - 5 stars - oh my god, parasitic twin 

Dancing with Mirrors - 4 stars - generational eating disorders? Beauty standards, very sad 

Part II: Morbid Anatomy 
Metempsychosis, or The Journey of the Soul - 5 stars - a little fun a little existential, really liked it 

Concealed Carry - 5 stars - wow. Just wow. Commentary on gun laws and abortion bans in the US, showing how dystopian it feels to outsiders. God forbid you get an abortion, life is so precious, but anyone can buy a gun! Famously known for killing people 

Gross Anatomy - 5 stars - horrific and gross, I couldn’t put the book down. I hope he died at the end 

Breathing Exercise - 4 stars - short and straight to the point, very depressing, self destructive 

Muzzle - 3 stars - I’m confused, very descriptive writing though, made me feel gross all over in a positive «this is what I want from body horror» kinda way 

Her Heart May Fail Her - 3 stars - vampires? A bit too short to really get a feeling 

Part III: Out of Body, Out of Time
The Chair of Tranquility (from the Diary of Mrs. Thomas Peele, Trenton, New Jersey, 1853) - 5 stars - true horror is found in the past, no imagination needed 

The Seventh Bride, or Female Curiosity - 3 stars - the man got what he deserved 

Nemesis - 3 stars - its body horror, but I’m unsure about the plot? I can’t tell if it’s implied that she gave him the pox or if it’s just a coincidence?? 

Sydney - 4 stars - huhhh 

Average of about 3,8 something can’t remember stars, so I’m rounding it up to 4 stars for the overall review.