motherhorror's review
3.0
The idea for this anthology is a trip through Dante's Inferno and the Nine Circles of Hell.
First Circle (Limbo)
Second Circle (Lust)
Third Circle (Gluttony)
Fourth Circle (Greed)
Fifth Circle (Wrath)
Sixth Circle (Heresy)
Seventh Circle (Violence)
Eighth Circle (Fraud)
Ninth Circle (Treachery)
Instead of the Roman poet, Virgil, your guide through this anthology are editors, Stephanie Ellis and Alyson Faye with a foreword, Stepping Into the Inferno by Hailey Piper. I absolutely loved this introduction-Hailey is an author I only discovered this year but I am already a huge fan. Anything she lends her voice to is lucky to have her.
As with most anthologies and collections, not every story is going to stick the landing with every reader, and such is the case here. I'll highlight the stories that were successful for me.
*LIMBO by Lynn Love- I enjoyed this story. A woman named Irene has been an in-home caretaker for a nasty old woman in a wheelchair for 15 years. One day, a mysterious visitor shows up and knocks on the door. Irene finds a glimmer of hope that her life could be different.
*HER KNIFE IS HUNGER, HER CUP IS THIRST by Shannon Felton- A spiritualist is investigating a dilapidated home where people have taken their own life in the bathtub. Felton brought some freshness to a familiar haunted house trope. I appreciated the unique direction the story took, even if it confused me a little at first. By the end, I was a fan. Creepy & unsettling.
*OFF COURSE by Cassie Daley- Emma has unhealthy thoughts and urges. She tries to suppress her unusual desires but they are always right there under the surface. Emma tries sex, love, and the distraction of a relationship to no avail. Daley has a naturally authentic storytelling voice. I found myself settling into the even tone and steady pace. Obviously, because this is a short story, the character development is a little thin, but I could see a full-length novel with similar themes in Daley's future.
*CERBERUS by TC Parker- I liked the style of this story. Switching back and forth from a present-day narrative to a flashback of how the protagonist met her lover was very compelling. I loved the ending.
*ELIXIR by Kev Harrison- This story resonated with me because I have actually known people who are/were this obsessed with herbal supplements. Of course, Harrison puts a horror twist on this otherwise true-to-life scenario. Another great ending too.
*AT THE BOTTOM OF MY LAKE OF BLOOD by V. Castro- An epic tale of a "goddess cast aside", she makes her way to a temple built by human worshippers in Yucatan, Mexico. The goddess commands her legion to unleash hell on the wicked, "creators of hatred, defilers of children, rapists & murderers" and then her desire is to take human form. Man, this is an unflinching story of raw, unadulterated power, strength, and vengeance.
*ALONE by Steve Stred- a haunting tale of a man's personal, relentless hell.
*FIRE-STARTER by Stephanie Ellis- possibly my favorite in the collection and featuring one of the foulest monsters I've ever read about, Geryon--preying on the weak (children) and those that won't be missed (prostitutes). Ellis perfectly nailed the dialects-and I'm not a huge fan of dialects, they tend to be distracting but I felt like they were perfectly employed here.
First Circle (Limbo)
Second Circle (Lust)
Third Circle (Gluttony)
Fourth Circle (Greed)
Fifth Circle (Wrath)
Sixth Circle (Heresy)
Seventh Circle (Violence)
Eighth Circle (Fraud)
Ninth Circle (Treachery)
Instead of the Roman poet, Virgil, your guide through this anthology are editors, Stephanie Ellis and Alyson Faye with a foreword, Stepping Into the Inferno by Hailey Piper. I absolutely loved this introduction-Hailey is an author I only discovered this year but I am already a huge fan. Anything she lends her voice to is lucky to have her.
As with most anthologies and collections, not every story is going to stick the landing with every reader, and such is the case here. I'll highlight the stories that were successful for me.
*LIMBO by Lynn Love- I enjoyed this story. A woman named Irene has been an in-home caretaker for a nasty old woman in a wheelchair for 15 years. One day, a mysterious visitor shows up and knocks on the door. Irene finds a glimmer of hope that her life could be different.
*HER KNIFE IS HUNGER, HER CUP IS THIRST by Shannon Felton- A spiritualist is investigating a dilapidated home where people have taken their own life in the bathtub. Felton brought some freshness to a familiar haunted house trope. I appreciated the unique direction the story took, even if it confused me a little at first. By the end, I was a fan. Creepy & unsettling.
*OFF COURSE by Cassie Daley- Emma has unhealthy thoughts and urges. She tries to suppress her unusual desires but they are always right there under the surface. Emma tries sex, love, and the distraction of a relationship to no avail. Daley has a naturally authentic storytelling voice. I found myself settling into the even tone and steady pace. Obviously, because this is a short story, the character development is a little thin, but I could see a full-length novel with similar themes in Daley's future.
*CERBERUS by TC Parker- I liked the style of this story. Switching back and forth from a present-day narrative to a flashback of how the protagonist met her lover was very compelling. I loved the ending.
*ELIXIR by Kev Harrison- This story resonated with me because I have actually known people who are/were this obsessed with herbal supplements. Of course, Harrison puts a horror twist on this otherwise true-to-life scenario. Another great ending too.
*AT THE BOTTOM OF MY LAKE OF BLOOD by V. Castro- An epic tale of a "goddess cast aside", she makes her way to a temple built by human worshippers in Yucatan, Mexico. The goddess commands her legion to unleash hell on the wicked, "creators of hatred, defilers of children, rapists & murderers" and then her desire is to take human form. Man, this is an unflinching story of raw, unadulterated power, strength, and vengeance.
*ALONE by Steve Stred- a haunting tale of a man's personal, relentless hell.
*FIRE-STARTER by Stephanie Ellis- possibly my favorite in the collection and featuring one of the foulest monsters I've ever read about, Geryon--preying on the weak (children) and those that won't be missed (prostitutes). Ellis perfectly nailed the dialects-and I'm not a huge fan of dialects, they tend to be distracting but I felt like they were perfectly employed here.
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