A review by forgedopulence
Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

Reviews for each story are as short as I can keep them. I Also had a bit of trouble finding trigger/content warnings for the stories, so I documented some to hopefully make the search a little easier for someone else.

A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Suicide, Body Horror
This was a banger, literally.

Roberto - ⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Pedophilia
I'm so uncomfy, but I still don't get it?

Unamuno's Boxes - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Serial Killer
This felt rushed. I really would have liked more context. The last line really hit, though.

Candy Pink - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Psychological Break, Suicide
This was literally the most disturbing story in the entire anthology. Oh my god.

Anita and Happiness - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Hint of Murder Fantasy
Solid. I enjoyed it.

Dishwasher - ⭐️
TW/CW: Mental Illness
What was the point?

Earth - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Pedophilia, Murder, Toxic Family, Child Abandonment
This really hit me in the feels, but the conclusion is a bit unrealistic. 

Perfect Symmetry - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Murder
Again, this needs more context.

The Wolf's Breath - ⭐️
No major TW/CW.
This read like a draft.

Teicher vs. Nietzsche - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Fantasy of Animal Cruelty/Death (cat)
JUSTICE. I hope the cat eats him.

The Dead - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Parental Death, Grief from Child's Perspective 
Wonderfully written.

Elena-Marie Sandoz - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW/CW: Stalking/Obsession, Suicide, Psychological Break
This story was set up pretty much perfectly, but it just wasn't intriguing enough for me. Women can't just exist. I know this. I don't need the reminder.

The Slowness of Pleasure - ⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Yearning for Death
Death is a pleasurable experience, I guess?

No Tears - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Funeral Voyeurism
A slow dance between the happiness and sadness that is inevitable within grief. Beautiful.

The Continuous Equality of the Circumference - ⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Mutilation
Striving for perfection will kill you, and you know it, but you do it anyway.

A Hole Hides a House - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Child Death
Absolutely tragic, being that close to freedom. At least he's dead though.

Hell - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Animal Cruelty/Death (birds)
The first glimpse of freedom not taken is the first glimpse of hell. The impact would have been better with a human subject, but I still very much enjoyed the premise.

Architecture - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Religious Horror
I feel the same about the church I was raised in. 

Mary Carminum - ⭐️
TW/CW: Religious/Cult Horror
This just felt thrown together. I have no idea how decisions were made, what anyone was doing, or what I was supposed to take from this story.

The Solitary Ones - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Mention of Animal Death (dog)
Routine creepy ghost story.

Overall Average: 3.35⭐️ but I'm happy enough to bump it to 4⭐️
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