A memorable offering of imaginative frights that’s not for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs.
A delightfully creepy collection of 13 short stories that explores the human elements of ghouls, phantoms, vengeful spirits, and sadistic demons.
In his opening note, editor and contributor Benton-Walker highlights the horror genre’s ability to “deliver terror that’s most often intertwined with a deeper message.” Embracing the gruesome fatalities of horror film veteran Eli Roth’s cinematic bloodbaths in combination with the unsettling imagery of the Creepshow franchise, these tales include Kendare Blake’s “The Golden Dragon,” which centers on a Korean American high schooler who uncovers her sister’s powerful connection to a local ghost story; Chloe Gong’s “Docile Girls,” a harrowing teen slasher that acerbically critiques the model minority myth; and Tiffany D. Jackson’s “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” a creative take on the found-footage narrative starring an 18-year-old Black girl whose back garden hides a dark, disturbing secret. Others, such as Naseem Jamnia’s “Break Through Our Skin,” artfully use body horror to explore the nuances of gender identity, enhancing corporeal anxiety in ways reminiscent of director David Cronenberg’s work. Benton-Walker closes with “The Road to Hell,” a spine-tingling story from the point of view of an anthropomorphized haunted house. This anthology skillfully pushes the boundaries of the genre, featuring flawed heroes and villains who inspire lasting fear and dread. The protagonists represent marginalized, underrepresented communities encompassing diverse cultures, ethnicities, races, and religions.
A memorable offering of imaginative frights that’s not for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs. (Horror anthology. 14-18)Pub Date: July 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781250861269
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Tor Teen
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perhaps a more genuinely enlightened protagonist would have made this debut more engaging
Audrey Rose Wadsworth, 17, would rather perform autopsies in her uncle’s dark laboratory than find a suitable husband, as is the socially acceptable rite of passage for a young, white British lady in the late 1800s.
The story immediately brings Audrey into a fractious pairing with her uncle’s young assistant, Thomas Cresswell. The two engage in predictable rounds of “I’m smarter than you are” banter, while Audrey’s older brother, Nathaniel, taunts her for being a girl out of her place. Horrific murders of prostitutes whose identities point to associations with the Wadsworth estate prompt Audrey to start her own investigation, with Thomas as her sidekick. Audrey’s narration is both ponderous and polemical, as she sees her pursuit of her goals and this investigation as part of a crusade for women. She declares that the slain aren’t merely prostitutes but “daughters and wives and mothers,” but she’s also made it a point to deny any alignment with the profiled victims: “I am not going as a prostitute. I am simply blending in.” Audrey also expresses a narrow view of her desired gender role, asserting that “I was determined to be both pretty and fierce,” as if to say that physical beauty and liking “girly” things are integral to feminism. The graphic descriptions of mutilated women don’t do much to speed the pace.
Perhaps a more genuinely enlightened protagonist would have made this debut more engaging . (Historical thriller. 15-18)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-27349-7
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense.
Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi.
Pip has known and liked Sal since childhood; he’d supported her when she was being bullied in middle school. For her senior capstone project, Pip researches the disappearance of former Fairview High student Andie, last seen on April 18, 2014, by her younger sister, Becca. The original investigation concluded with most of the evidence pointing to Sal, who was found dead in the woods, apparently by suicide. Andie’s body was never recovered, and Sal was assumed by most to be guilty of abduction and murder. Unable to ignore the gaps in the case, Pip sets out to prove Sal’s innocence, beginning with interviewing his younger brother, Ravi. With his help, Pip digs deeper, unveiling unsavory facts about Andie and the real reason Sal’s friends couldn’t provide him with an alibi. But someone is watching, and Pip may be in more danger than she realizes. Pip’s sleuthing is both impressive and accessible. Online articles about the case and interview transcripts are provided throughout, and Pip’s capstone logs offer insights into her thought processes as new evidence and suspects arise. Jackson’s debut is well-executed and surprises readers with a connective web of interesting characters and motives. Pip and Andie are white, and Sal is of Indian descent.
A treat for mystery readers who enjoy being kept in suspense. (Mystery. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9636-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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