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Reviews tagging 'Bullying'
Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror by Jordan Peele
6 reviews
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
While there were a few stories in this anthology that I thought were really good, overall I wasn’t that impressed by the majority of them. A lot of them felt very wandering and unclear. Like they were trying to make a point but weren’t quite sure of all the details of that point and so just rounded everything out with vagueness. Aside from that a lot of the stories were driving home the same exact points as each other and had too similar of a feel, as if a very specific prompt were given and some of the authors struggled with it. The book was also very long. I feel that many of the stories could have been cut out that were entirely too similar and it wouldn’t have helped a lot.
The stories I liked from this collection were:
Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse
The Other One by Violet Allen
Dark Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Your Happy Place by Terence Taylor
“Your Happy Place” was my favorite one of the lot and I could even see a really good movie being made of that one. It was very well told with a clearly defined beginning and end and plot line. There was a clear message that could still be interpreted in different ways and good use of imagery. There’s also even a good twist and the world building and character development even from the format of a short story was well done. I just wish that more of the stories hit as many marks as this one did.
Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Car accident, Murder, Classism
A lot of the stories are so memorable because of a broken-hearted emotion and/or family devotion that permeates. I have to say, at least on this reading, these are the stories that really landed for me, though there’s something truly innovative and captivating about every story.
Eye and Tooth
Lasiren
A Grief of the Dead
Dark Home (one of the most creepy)
Flicker (disorienting)
Your Happy Place
Hide and Seek
I listened to the audiobook and there was at least one unique performer per story. I say performer instead of narrator because it feels like the narrators embody the intention of every story and they were all superb.
Moderate: Addiction, Death, Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Alcohol
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Sexism, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Slavery, Dementia, Kidnapping, War, Deportation
A few personal favorites from the collection include:
- Reckless Eyeballing by N.K. Jemisin about the impact of our misdeeds and body horror
- Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse about a set of sibling monster hunters
- Invasion of the Baby Snatchers by Lesley Nneka Arimah which looks at a government agency set up to determine why an alien species is trying to imitate humans
- Lasirèn by Erin E. Adams about sisters and predatory mermaids
- The Rider by Tananarive Due which looks at racism and nature fighting back against its destruction
- Flicker by L.D. Lewis about what happens when everyone loses their sight for short intervals of time
- The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson about possession and trying to save oneself from a monster
- Your Happy Place by Terence Taylor about the prison system and slave labor in a capitalist society
- Hide & Seek by P. Djèlí Clark about addiction and siblings that have to protect themselves from their own family
An overall great collection that's great when looking for short stories that are a little bit more haunting. I discovered some new authors that I'm interested in reading more from and also experienced some great new stories from a few of my favorite authors.
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Racism, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Gaslighting
Moderate: Death of parent