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A review by bruxifixion
The Pleasure in Pain: A Queer Horrortica Anthology by Roxie Voorhees
3.5
The Pleasure in Pain: A Queer Horrortica Anthology curated by Roxie Voorhees features a well rounded group of authors that focus on the exploration and intersection of erotica and horror when existing within the same space. They are stories that feature gruesome scenes and imagery that often conflicts with the erotic nature of the writing, and because of this, it leans heavily into the taboo side of sex and lust.
The Pleasure in Pain is a fascinating collection of short stories with a variety of themes, ranging from sweet and obsessive to deranged and violent. Each are well written and well explored in their content, which is perfect for horror fans who want a bite of something new, or for those who enjoy darker and harsher sexual themes. They are gruesome, nasty, sometimes petty, and often sensual, dirty, and disgusting.
My main and only criticisms for this anthology collection is that it feels a little unorganized in the non-final version I read, and the content itself felt overall "tame" for something labeled horror. The poems felt scattered rather than thematically placed with likeminded short stories, and each story itself seemed randomly placed alongside others. This isn't necessarily distracting, but I think stories could have been more adequately organized. And likewise for how tame some stories felt, it wasn't a distraction, but I was hoping for more bizarre, more extreme stories mixing gore and erotica.
The standout stars of this anthology, however, were (in no order) "MOTEL POZITIVE," "Little Saddleslut Grows Up," and "Graphite," among man of the others in this collection. Definitely pick this one up if you are seeking out a macabre, sensual, and conflicting read.
Thank you NetGalley and Dragon's Roost Press for this advanced copy!
The Pleasure in Pain is a fascinating collection of short stories with a variety of themes, ranging from sweet and obsessive to deranged and violent. Each are well written and well explored in their content, which is perfect for horror fans who want a bite of something new, or for those who enjoy darker and harsher sexual themes. They are gruesome, nasty, sometimes petty, and often sensual, dirty, and disgusting.
My main and only criticisms for this anthology collection is that it feels a little unorganized in the non-final version I read, and the content itself felt overall "tame" for something labeled horror. The poems felt scattered rather than thematically placed with likeminded short stories, and each story itself seemed randomly placed alongside others. This isn't necessarily distracting, but I think stories could have been more adequately organized. And likewise for how tame some stories felt, it wasn't a distraction, but I was hoping for more bizarre, more extreme stories mixing gore and erotica.
The standout stars of this anthology, however, were (in no order) "MOTEL POZITIVE," "Little Saddleslut Grows Up," and "Graphite," among man of the others in this collection. Definitely pick this one up if you are seeking out a macabre, sensual, and conflicting read.
Thank you NetGalley and Dragon's Roost Press for this advanced copy!