caitsidhe's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
roya's review
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Minor: Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, and Pregnancy
chig_flicks's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ladellereads's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
adam_tries_books's review
4.0
Going into this collection I had no real idea what to expected. The book is categorised as contemporary fiction/horror so that could mean a lot of things. What I definitely wasn’t expecting was such dark stories!
The first story, also the title story, Dead Relatives was probably my favourite. It’s the longest story in the book at around 60 pages, so there’s room for you to get to know the characters. It starts off quite atmospheric, a bit creepy, quite gothic but by the end it just gets dark! Like I was not fully prepared.
Quite a few of the other stories contain this same darkness and there’s a few common themes throughout. The three themes that really stick out to me are death, children and birds. Quite often there’s an overlap with the death and the children.
Overall thought there’s quite a mix of stories, some are very atmospheric and others are rather bizarre. Personally I liked the ones that leaned more into the bizarre category. Two stories that really stood out for me, excluding Dead Relatives, were The Pickling Jar and Resting Bitch Face.
Overall I had a good time reading this collection, there were a few stories I really enjoyed within it. I’d also be interested in see Lucie McKnight Hardy tackle some longer form stories!
The first story, also the title story, Dead Relatives was probably my favourite. It’s the longest story in the book at around 60 pages, so there’s room for you to get to know the characters. It starts off quite atmospheric, a bit creepy, quite gothic but by the end it just gets dark! Like I was not fully prepared.
Quite a few of the other stories contain this same darkness and there’s a few common themes throughout. The three themes that really stick out to me are death, children and birds. Quite often there’s an overlap with the death and the children.
Overall thought there’s quite a mix of stories, some are very atmospheric and others are rather bizarre. Personally I liked the ones that leaned more into the bizarre category. Two stories that really stood out for me, excluding Dead Relatives, were The Pickling Jar and Resting Bitch Face.
Overall I had a good time reading this collection, there were a few stories I really enjoyed within it. I’d also be interested in see Lucie McKnight Hardy tackle some longer form stories!
bobmetal's review
4.0
A collection of pretty creepy stories, all focus on family, especially motherhood
Dead Relatives. A strange young girl in a house where ladies go to deal with unwanted accidents has to appease her dead relatives 4/5
Jutland. A young family renting a cottage in a remote fishing village. Visions of a young boy stood by the sea 4/5
Badgerface. Badgerface is dealing with his mother's violent boyfriend and the only support he has is from his older brother. When he stumbles across a secret it will lead to tragedy 4/5
The Pickling Jar. A village competition of who can make the best pickle is a lot darker than you'd expect 4/5
Cavities. After a visit to the dentist Olivia reminisces on the tricks that were played on her at school. She won't fall for anymore now 5/5
Resting Bitch Face. Can a needle and thread get rid of Resting Bitch Face. 5/5
The Puckering. Octopus, mermaids and an unhappy marriage 3/5
Parroting. There's nothing scary about an old lady with a parrot, so it's fine to let your son spend time with them, right? 4/5
Cortona. An annual return to the site of a tragedy 3/5
Chooks Don't Have Teeth, a lonely girl wants to change her mother 3/5
The Devil Of Timanfaya. What happened at the burnt down house opposite the families holiday home and how will it affect their children
Wretched. In a fascist UK that seems scarily real an Ex-prisoner is employed to find the wretched for the police, much to the disappointment of his girlfriend 5/5
The Birds of Nagasaki. Sibling rivalry goes very, very wrong 4/5
Dead Relatives. A strange young girl in a house where ladies go to deal with unwanted accidents has to appease her dead relatives 4/5
Jutland. A young family renting a cottage in a remote fishing village. Visions of a young boy stood by the sea 4/5
Badgerface. Badgerface is dealing with his mother's violent boyfriend and the only support he has is from his older brother. When he stumbles across a secret it will lead to tragedy 4/5
The Pickling Jar. A village competition of who can make the best pickle is a lot darker than you'd expect 4/5
Cavities. After a visit to the dentist Olivia reminisces on the tricks that were played on her at school. She won't fall for anymore now 5/5
Resting Bitch Face. Can a needle and thread get rid of Resting Bitch Face. 5/5
The Puckering. Octopus, mermaids and an unhappy marriage 3/5
Parroting. There's nothing scary about an old lady with a parrot, so it's fine to let your son spend time with them, right? 4/5
Cortona. An annual return to the site of a tragedy 3/5
Chooks Don't Have Teeth, a lonely girl wants to change her mother 3/5
The Devil Of Timanfaya. What happened at the burnt down house opposite the families holiday home and how will it affect their children
Wretched. In a fascist UK that seems scarily real an Ex-prisoner is employed to find the wretched for the police, much to the disappointment of his girlfriend 5/5
The Birds of Nagasaki. Sibling rivalry goes very, very wrong 4/5
uhm_kai's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
spooky, very nice
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Murder, Cannibalism, and Child death