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antimony's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
3.0
overall, ok. some of the stories i really liked, some i struggled to get through, which is typical for anthologies. individually:
the attentionist
this one was good! i didn't think much of it when i first read it, but the more i rotated it in my mind and the more it sat with me after i finished it, the better it got
a life in nightmares
left me so so confused. the concept is interesting but i was lost throughout, well, all of it. and the ending was very strange. i would like a little more elaboration on it please.
papa eye
i had some trouble focusing on this one but i don't really have anything against it. it didn't really feel like horror to me? but i liked the reveal at the end about the island's secret
volcano
very cool!! the end was a bit confusing but i enjoyed it
all the things he called memories
one of my favorites! i really really liked this one. which kind of surprised me, because usually mentions of covid in books throw me off and i don't like them. but this story was quite good!
trinity river's blues
this one had a lot of potential and in another world i may have enjoyed it (i liked the beginning a lot) but alas my library's copy of dark stars has a printing error which left most of the pages of this story out of order, and puzzling them together (because when i first noticed it, i didn't realize that the page numbers were mixed up as well) made me unable to focus on what was actually happening in the story
the familiar's assistant
i liked the end but unfortunately the printing error struck again, messing up the beginning and end of this story :(
swim in the blood of a curious dream
i really liked this one! it kind of surprised me -- i was having a bit of trouble focusing on reading the beginning -- but once it built up i really really enjoyed it! probably another of my favorites
the sanguintalist
the concept of this was so so so cool. id like to hear more about forensic necromancy
mrs addison's nest
very strange. i don't know if i liked it or not
challawa
enjoyed the stuff about phosphorous (i went through a radium phase 2 years ago so i love evil glowy bone seeking elements) and once this built up it was good!!
enough for hunger and enough for hate
i did not like this one. it opened with me annoyed at how few and far between the paragraph breaks were, and that theme continued on as i kind of had to force myself through it. ah well :( if you like murdery classic feeling horror this is the story for you though
the attentionist
this one was good! i didn't think much of it when i first read it, but the more i rotated it in my mind and the more it sat with me after i finished it, the better it got
a life in nightmares
left me so so confused. the concept is interesting but i was lost throughout, well, all of it. and the ending was very strange. i would like a little more elaboration on it please.
papa eye
i had some trouble focusing on this one but i don't really have anything against it. it didn't really feel like horror to me? but i liked the reveal at the end about the island's secret
volcano
very cool!! the end was a bit confusing but i enjoyed it
all the things he called memories
one of my favorites! i really really liked this one. which kind of surprised me, because usually mentions of covid in books throw me off and i don't like them. but this story was quite good!
trinity river's blues
this one had a lot of potential and in another world i may have enjoyed it (i liked the beginning a lot) but alas my library's copy of dark stars has a printing error which left most of the pages of this story out of order, and puzzling them together (because when i first noticed it, i didn't realize that the page numbers were mixed up as well) made me unable to focus on what was actually happening in the story
the familiar's assistant
i liked the end but unfortunately the printing error struck again, messing up the beginning and end of this story :(
swim in the blood of a curious dream
i really liked this one! it kind of surprised me -- i was having a bit of trouble focusing on reading the beginning -- but once it built up i really really enjoyed it! probably another of my favorites
the sanguintalist
the concept of this was so so so cool. id like to hear more about forensic necromancy
mrs addison's nest
very strange. i don't know if i liked it or not
challawa
enjoyed the stuff about phosphorous (i went through a radium phase 2 years ago so i love evil glowy bone seeking elements) and once this built up it was good!!
enough for hunger and enough for hate
i did not like this one. it opened with me annoyed at how few and far between the paragraph breaks were, and that theme continued on as i kind of had to force myself through it. ah well :( if you like murdery classic feeling horror this is the story for you though
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, Stalking, Death of parent, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Transphobia
mermaidsherbet's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Terminal illness, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Medical content, Gore, Death of parent, Cancer, Cannibalism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Physical abuse, and Body horror
Moderate: Stalking
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Transphobia, and Sexual content
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