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ubalstecha's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome collection of short stories. Dark and disturbing at times, thought provoking at others, the book is worth the read.
pepperandpages's review against another edition
5.0
*Spoiler Free*
After reading Glitter and Mayhem and reading Jennifer Pelland’s short story, “Star Dancer”, I was eager to read more by this author. Her collection, Unwelcome Bodies did not disappoint. I had sat down with the intention of reading one a day until I finished it, but I honestly couldn’t stop once I started. This is an amazing, enthralling collection of short stories. I have love fantasy and science fiction so much more for putting ideas like these into the head of such a fantastic writer.
This collection features eleven brilliant short stories. There are no words to do this collection justice (you really do just have to go buy it and read it), but I will try:
“For the Plague Thereof Was Exceeding Great”- This story is about a version of Earth in the future plagued by a new strain of HIV that is wiping out the planet and the struggle between those who wish to outlast it and those who wish to be ‘saved.’ Also, I have to really thank the author for including the news clippings at the end of this. They were wonderful to read.
“Big Sister/Little Sister”- I will be haunted for the rest of my life by this story, much like I am by Ray Bradbury’s “Small Assassin.” I don’t know why this made me think of that, but it does. It is amazing, but incredibly creepy and disturbing. I loved it.
“Immortal Sin” -Another wonderfully disturbing story about a man who commits murder but tries to escape judgment day by scientifically experimenting on himself to achieve immortality.
“Flood”- I can’t get over how beautiful this story was. An Earth in which water is scarce and fading, and the pop singer who laments over the lack of water and oceans.
“The Call”- A very short story written in all question format. Short, but effective and brilliant.
“Captive Girl”- This story was bittersweet to me. I’m not going to say much on this other than it really is a love story, albeit a strange one. Love is so much more than a pretty face; it is how that person makes you feel that is important.
“Last Bus”- A very sweet story about the journey after death.
“The Last Stand of the Elephant Man”- This might have been one of my favorite in the collection, though if really pushed to pinpoint my favorite I imagine I’d say they all were. This is the story of the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, yet transposed onto a future timeline in which Earth finds ‘normal’ people weird and the odd and strange fantastic. This story will linger on your mind long after you have finished it.
“Songs of Lament”- I loved this story also. It’s about a world in which whales are also an intelligent race and can finally be understood.
“Firebird”- Written in a journal-style format about a college freshman and her obsession with a pop star who lit herself on fire to send a message about global warming and ultimately ends up being her roommate. Really fantastic story.
“Brushstrokes”- I honestly wish this had been a full-length novel because I would have devoured the entire thing. This world is so incredible and also believable as strange as it is. It is one of the longest stories in the collections, but it is also a perfect final story of this collection.
This is one of the best collections of short fiction I have ever read.
After reading Glitter and Mayhem and reading Jennifer Pelland’s short story, “Star Dancer”, I was eager to read more by this author. Her collection, Unwelcome Bodies did not disappoint. I had sat down with the intention of reading one a day until I finished it, but I honestly couldn’t stop once I started. This is an amazing, enthralling collection of short stories. I have love fantasy and science fiction so much more for putting ideas like these into the head of such a fantastic writer.
This collection features eleven brilliant short stories. There are no words to do this collection justice (you really do just have to go buy it and read it), but I will try:
“For the Plague Thereof Was Exceeding Great”- This story is about a version of Earth in the future plagued by a new strain of HIV that is wiping out the planet and the struggle between those who wish to outlast it and those who wish to be ‘saved.’ Also, I have to really thank the author for including the news clippings at the end of this. They were wonderful to read.
“Big Sister/Little Sister”- I will be haunted for the rest of my life by this story, much like I am by Ray Bradbury’s “Small Assassin.” I don’t know why this made me think of that, but it does. It is amazing, but incredibly creepy and disturbing. I loved it.
“Immortal Sin” -Another wonderfully disturbing story about a man who commits murder but tries to escape judgment day by scientifically experimenting on himself to achieve immortality.
“Flood”- I can’t get over how beautiful this story was. An Earth in which water is scarce and fading, and the pop singer who laments over the lack of water and oceans.
“The Call”- A very short story written in all question format. Short, but effective and brilliant.
“Captive Girl”- This story was bittersweet to me. I’m not going to say much on this other than it really is a love story, albeit a strange one. Love is so much more than a pretty face; it is how that person makes you feel that is important.
“Last Bus”- A very sweet story about the journey after death.
“The Last Stand of the Elephant Man”- This might have been one of my favorite in the collection, though if really pushed to pinpoint my favorite I imagine I’d say they all were. This is the story of the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, yet transposed onto a future timeline in which Earth finds ‘normal’ people weird and the odd and strange fantastic. This story will linger on your mind long after you have finished it.
“Songs of Lament”- I loved this story also. It’s about a world in which whales are also an intelligent race and can finally be understood.
“Firebird”- Written in a journal-style format about a college freshman and her obsession with a pop star who lit herself on fire to send a message about global warming and ultimately ends up being her roommate. Really fantastic story.
“Brushstrokes”- I honestly wish this had been a full-length novel because I would have devoured the entire thing. This world is so incredible and also believable as strange as it is. It is one of the longest stories in the collections, but it is also a perfect final story of this collection.
This is one of the best collections of short fiction I have ever read.
detailsandtales's review against another edition
3.0
I read this because I met the author at a convention, and really enjoyed what she had to say on the panels that she was a part of. The stories in this book were all fascinating and creepy, and while they aren't my kind of stories, I don't regret having read them. In the earlier stories especially, however, the characters felt too extreme to me, like they were caricatures to serve the idea of the story rather than fully fleshed-out people. The latter stories did not suffer from this problem, however. This collection definitely gets better as one gets further into it.
juliemawesome's review against another edition
4.0
I waited way too long to review this. Suffice it to say that this was great. And as the title implies, a lot of the stories had to do with people's bodies. So those with an interest in reading disabled fiction should really check this out.
Several of the stories have stuck with me. It's great science fiction, really.
Several of the stories have stuck with me. It's great science fiction, really.
pelevolcana's review against another edition
3.0
The stories in this book are top-notch. So many are creepy enough that I have a hard time recommending it, unless you are prepared to be made very uncomfortable.
The only reason this book isn't getting a 4, is that the stories are all so different that I felt no flow from story to story. Should all short story books have such a flow? I'm not sure. But I'm not very good about continuing to read short story books unless they do. I lose momentum and would rather be reading a novel at that point.
All that being said, I like the author and find her ideas fascinating. I can't wait to read more of hers.
The only reason this book isn't getting a 4, is that the stories are all so different that I felt no flow from story to story. Should all short story books have such a flow? I'm not sure. But I'm not very good about continuing to read short story books unless they do. I lose momentum and would rather be reading a novel at that point.
All that being said, I like the author and find her ideas fascinating. I can't wait to read more of hers.
rogue_lurker's review against another edition
4.0
This is a great collection of horror and speculative fiction short stories. I stared this book on the plane as we left WisCon and by the time I finished the second story, I turned to my partner and gave her a stunned look while all I could say was "Wow." Then I turned back to the book to devour more of the stories. Almost every story left me thinking and slightly unsettled - the horror is more speculative then gory, which is what I prefer in this genre. Slasher stories, serial killers and tentacle monsters have their place, but the stuff that stays with me are the stories that unnerve me or make me think.
Some of the standout stories (they were all good … these are the ones that stuck with me):
For the Plague Thereof was Exceeding Great – A fantastic story to start the collection with. The story takes place in the near future where an epidemic is ravaging the world. The story resonates with me, not just because we were escaping a convention that had a noro-virus breakout, but because it takes very little imagination to believe that it could happen. A disturbingly believable plot, some wonderfully crafted scenes and a bittersweet ending makes this a very memorable story.
Big Sister/Little Sister – Okay, this was sick and twisted and I absolutely loved this one. I think this is the only one that really made me cringe and had a high ick factor. But I couldn’t stop reading it and had a grin on my face when I turned the last page. It is about sisters – and that’s all I’m gonna say.
Captive Girl – This one I was kind of on the fence when I read it. It is an intriguing story and an uncomfortable one. The author’s note at the end of it put some things into perspective and upon a bit of reflection I find that I liked the story a lot.
Songs of Lament – Although it was short, this one worked well. This is one of the more ecologically oriented horror stories about a woman who hears the whale songs.
Brushstrokes – This was not what I was expecting and I was very pleasantly surprised. Jennifer Pelland jokingly described it as pretty boys in pretty make up having sex up against a wall. That is a very minimal part of the story. This is probably the most “sf” of the stories and deals with the ideas of society, castes and the beginning of revolution. I enjoyed it.
Some of the standout stories (they were all good … these are the ones that stuck with me):
For the Plague Thereof was Exceeding Great – A fantastic story to start the collection with. The story takes place in the near future where an epidemic is ravaging the world. The story resonates with me, not just because we were escaping a convention that had a noro-virus breakout, but because it takes very little imagination to believe that it could happen. A disturbingly believable plot, some wonderfully crafted scenes and a bittersweet ending makes this a very memorable story.
Big Sister/Little Sister – Okay, this was sick and twisted and I absolutely loved this one. I think this is the only one that really made me cringe and had a high ick factor. But I couldn’t stop reading it and had a grin on my face when I turned the last page. It is about sisters – and that’s all I’m gonna say.
Captive Girl – This one I was kind of on the fence when I read it. It is an intriguing story and an uncomfortable one. The author’s note at the end of it put some things into perspective and upon a bit of reflection I find that I liked the story a lot.
Songs of Lament – Although it was short, this one worked well. This is one of the more ecologically oriented horror stories about a woman who hears the whale songs.
Brushstrokes – This was not what I was expecting and I was very pleasantly surprised. Jennifer Pelland jokingly described it as pretty boys in pretty make up having sex up against a wall. That is a very minimal part of the story. This is probably the most “sf” of the stories and deals with the ideas of society, castes and the beginning of revolution. I enjoyed it.
tregina's review
4.0
I love the unifying thread of this anthology which is summed up beautifully in the title: Unwelcome Bodies. Bodies that are changed or uncomfortable or deformed or manipulated; each story concerns itself with the body and self in a speculative environment. I am fascinated and captivated by each and every one of these stories.
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