awxblue's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
wildflowercrypt's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
this is an incredible anthology of folk horror with some real lows but also with amazing highs; personal favorites, include:
- Sire of the Hatchet
- the Fruit
- The First Order of Whaleyville’s Divine Basilisk Handlers
- Pumpkin, Dear
- The Way of the Mother
- Revival
nicktomjoe's review against another edition
4.0
Some real appreciation of the genre, and at times a vivid exploration of rural living. My favourite has to be the compelling and brilliantly underwritten “Way of the Mother,” with a genuine bio-horror in “The Fruit” coming a close second. But this is a collection, and some are more attractive to me than others, some feeling a bit too much of a caricature to no effect. There is, however, effective writing in some of these “country folk writ large:” creepiness and comedy combine in “Pumpkin Dear,” and in the bleak twists of the final story on power and influence in a snake handling church which is reminiscent of adult Roald Dahl and none the worse for that.
thebeesknees79's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
zeecorster's review
4.0
Folk horror is one of my favorite horror subgenres, so I couldn't resist picking this up as fall slowly works its way here. Keeping the collection to nine stories is wise, as there were resultingly no true duds in the bunch. Sure, some were less successful than others, as is the wont of any multi-author collection, but for every shrugsy story, there was S.T. Gibson's "Revival" or Eric J. Guinard's "The First Order of Whaleyville's Divine Basilisk Handlers." (Both revolve around snakes and Southern revival meetings, and both are worth your time.)
But my easy favorite was Lindsay King-Miller's "The Fruit." She knows just how much to explain and how much to leave to the reader's imagination here, and the inexorable descent toward the story's climax is chilling in its simplicity. It's a delightful slice of spookiness in a collection perfect for the harvest season.
But my easy favorite was Lindsay King-Miller's "The Fruit." She knows just how much to explain and how much to leave to the reader's imagination here, and the inexorable descent toward the story's climax is chilling in its simplicity. It's a delightful slice of spookiness in a collection perfect for the harvest season.
shadowspinner's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Animal death and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent
esotericorder's review
2.0
2.5 stars, just because it has 9 stories but I really liked only 4 of them...
jessicacho's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Child death, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Body horror, and Torture
Minor: Blood and Gore