Reviews

Dark Matter Presents: Human Monsters by Sadie Hartmann, Ashley Saywers

shayfaith's review against another edition

3.0

some bangers, some shitshows

aaronlindsey's review against another edition

5.0

What a fantastic collection! Almost every story is at least four stars.
Some monsters only live on screens, and others on pages. But some monsters live next door. That's what this collection is all about. Human monsters.

liznannigans's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

amy_da1sy's review against another edition

5.0

An extremely good anthology

lindapatin's review

challenging dark tense

3.5

All of the trigger warnings!

caspian's review

dark

• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Rape, and Sexism

danjones_t4e's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0

walrusgroon's review

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

greengaybles's review against another edition

4.0

This book is better than it has any write to be. I didn't know what to expect from it and it really, really surprised me. There were a lot of authors I'd never read before, and now I have a whole list of new people to check out.

Most of the stories are brutal, ugly, deeply unpleasant, but there are nuggets of real truth and perception hidden in most of them. Some of them are funny, some are sad, some are just mirrors held up to show us the things about ourselves that we never want to see.

They're not all winners and a couple are ones I could have skipped, but it's a largely impressive collection and you should read it if you like realistic horror that showcases the worst humans can do to one another.

bookwyrm55's review against another edition

4.0

Human Monsters is a BIG collection with a wide range of styles and themes represented. Editors Sadie Harman and Ashley Sawyers have brought together a truly disturbing chorus of dark voices. There are too many stories in this volume to go title by title, but here are my picks for the top. My favorite was Josh Malerman’s “A Sunny Disposition”. There is at least one image from that story I have been unable to shake loose. Creep factor off the scale. My second favorite would be “One and Done,” by Stephen Graham Jones. There are times in his writing that he takes on a voice that just feels comfortable and real – it’s evident in his novel Mongrels, and in The Only Good Indians, and it’s also the voice of this twist on an old theme. I will mention one more story by more than title alone, “Eggshell,” by Gemma Amor. This story is so much more subtle than the others in this volume, concentrating less on the evil, and more on a method – an art – used to unearth it. As in her novel Full Immersion, Amor shows off a flair for detailed research and authentic, complex characterization. I would love to see the story become a novel.
Other notable stories (for me) were:

Monster Misunderstood - By Catherine McCarthy
The Myth of Pasiphae by Andy Davidson
Bodi-Bag by Rebeccah Jones-Howe
Between the Crosses, Row on Row – by Venezia Castro
Grave Bait – Chad Lutzke
Down the Road You Might Change Your Mind – S. P. Miskowski

Overall a solid anthology that runs the gamut from truly disgusting, extreme horror to carefully wrought prose. Well done.