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keen's review
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Grief, Child death, Self harm, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Bullying, Suicide, Infidelity, and Homophobia
honeyvoiced's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Self harm, and Child death
abbie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my e-ARC!
This year I’m taking part in @aishathebibliophile’s 23 Short Story Collections in 2023 challenge, and I just finished up my 10th! Eyes Guts Throat Bones is a beautiful, sapphic, horror-adjacent collection that I simply devoured. I thought about lots of these stories for a long time after I finished them, their gorgeous haunting imagery lingering. The stories range from magical realism to post apocalyptic to straight up horror, with only one or two that were underwhelming. They explore sapphic love in lots of different forms, queer joy in the face of small-mindedness, resilience & endurance when the world is falling apart around you, and then some of them are just gory fun!
This year I’m taking part in @aishathebibliophile’s 23 Short Story Collections in 2023 challenge, and I just finished up my 10th! Eyes Guts Throat Bones is a beautiful, sapphic, horror-adjacent collection that I simply devoured. I thought about lots of these stories for a long time after I finished them, their gorgeous haunting imagery lingering. The stories range from magical realism to post apocalyptic to straight up horror, with only one or two that were underwhelming. They explore sapphic love in lots of different forms, queer joy in the face of small-mindedness, resilience & endurance when the world is falling apart around you, and then some of them are just gory fun!
One of my favourites, Such a Pretty Face, was one that falls into the latter category - a lesbian roams the world, collecting lovers and taking a ~unique~ souvenir from each of them before moving on to her next victi- er, lover 😏 Another favourite was the first story, What Would You Give for a Treat Like Me, where two women ponder their decision to have children even though an eerie apocalypse has arrived and put an early end to anything of the sort. Then Rath, a gorgeous tale weaving the story of two ancient queens with two childhood friends who drift apart but always meet up for the summer solstice. I usually can’t abide infidelity plotlines, but this one enraptured me regardless. My final favourite was Two Truths and a Lie, a disturbing coming-of-age tale featuring a doll that is more sentient than anyone would like told in a fun format.
I’ve read one of Fowley-Doyle’s young adult novels in the past, but I’m so glad she’s made the foray into adult fiction. I remember The Accident Season having such an atmospheric vibe, and that same vibe has been applied to all of these stories only more lush, more vivid, much darker and more intense. The sense of place (usually Ireland) is amazing and I think elevates these stories.
Definitely one to look out for if you like unsettling, atmospheric reads and of course, sapphic-focused lit!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, Body horror, Infidelity, Gore, Child death, and Lesbophobia
lenabrary's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
4.0
A solid short story collection from Moïra Fowley, her first forray into writing for adults.
Starting off with an evocative banger, Fowley sets the scene for a recurring theme in her short stories: not being listened to by the narrators' lovers and what that leads to. Her narrators are willing to give anything for love; they are needy, greedy creatures who subsist on the smallest scraps of attention and are content to see the world burn if that is what it takes to make their lovers happy. I found that a lot of her narrators are so in touch with what their lovers want and need that it feels like they take on those wants/needs as their own, whether that's actually something they would want. It reminds me of being young and insecure and thinking that the only way to keep your lover interested is to become a mirror for them - then again, that probably says more about me than Fowley's writing 😅 If men appear in her stories, they're usually on the periphery or an obstacle to be overcome on the way to the end.
Stories which stood out for me from this collection:
"Such a pretty face" surprised me in the end with how much I adored Mina and her acceptance - her greed? - for what Louie was.
"The summoning" was an absolute delight - I laughed and cheered, after all, who wouldn't want to bang a hot demon? It's hands down my favourite story from the collection. It's so great to see something hilarious included in a collection of horror; don't get me wrong, there was plenty of horror there but I also rejoiced in the description of the shy, awed puppy love Katie very quickly developed for her hot demon girlfriend.
"The Rath" shows that the blend of magic and realism is where Fowley's talent truly shines. Love that in the wee snatches we can see so much of the characters' history. And bonus points for queer women in their 40s! Yes!
"Big round ball of light and the water" once again showscases that Fowley is the queen of magical realism. What a soulful, satisfying story. Extra kudos and brownie points for trans representation!
"Two truths and a lie" was an absollute banger of a sexy queer horror story. My god. Absolute masterpiece.
Thank you to Netgalley UK and W&N for an eARC of this collection in exchange for an honest review.
Starting off with an evocative banger, Fowley sets the scene for a recurring theme in her short stories: not being listened to by the narrators' lovers and what that leads to. Her narrators are willing to give anything for love; they are needy, greedy creatures who subsist on the smallest scraps of attention and are content to see the world burn if that is what it takes to make their lovers happy. I found that a lot of her narrators are so in touch with what their lovers want and need that it feels like they take on those wants/needs as their own, whether that's actually something they would want. It reminds me of being young and insecure and thinking that the only way to keep your lover interested is to become a mirror for them - then again, that probably says more about me than Fowley's writing 😅 If men appear in her stories, they're usually on the periphery or an obstacle to be overcome on the way to the end.
Stories which stood out for me from this collection:
"Such a pretty face" surprised me in the end with how much I adored Mina and her acceptance - her greed? - for what Louie was.
"The summoning" was an absolute delight - I laughed and cheered, after all, who wouldn't want to bang a hot demon? It's hands down my favourite story from the collection. It's so great to see something hilarious included in a collection of horror; don't get me wrong, there was plenty of horror there but I also rejoiced in the description of the shy, awed puppy love Katie very quickly developed for her hot demon girlfriend.
"The Rath" shows that the blend of magic and realism is where Fowley's talent truly shines. Love that in the wee snatches we can see so much of the characters' history. And bonus points for queer women in their 40s! Yes!
"Big round ball of light and the water" once again showscases that Fowley is the queen of magical realism. What a soulful, satisfying story. Extra kudos and brownie points for trans representation!
"Two truths and a lie" was an absollute banger of a sexy queer horror story. My god. Absolute masterpiece.
Thank you to Netgalley UK and W&N for an eARC of this collection in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Body horror
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