A review by whistberry
Chimera by Ashley Hutchison
5.0
Chimera. The word suggests mythical creatures and monster mash-ups and that is exactly what you get in this intriguing collection of short stories from Lost Boys Press edited by Ashley Hutchison. Ten diverse tales explore both well-known and lesser-known folkloric cryptids from a variety of angles, horror to humor. As with any anthology, different stories will appeal to different readers, but here is a taste:
The Waterwisps by Samuel Logan is in some ways a typical “lost in a sinister forest” tale but between a flock of birds that behave in quite unexpected ways and the image of glowing carnivorous jellyfish bubbles of doom floating among the trees, this turned out to be both a suspenseful and evocative experience. The author takes their time building up the mystery and tension which only adds to the terror and excitement of the inevitable confrontation.
The Nights I Die by Matt Bliss is an imaginative mix of werewolf and zombie lore as our narrator undergoes a horrific and most unwelcome transformation each full moon. Rather than a straight horror tale, this one was more contemplative, a thought experiment in what it would mean in practical and emotional terms to live under such a curse. Throw in a fraught romance and unexpectedly poetic ending and you have this affecting twist on some beloved tropes.
Banshee Song by Michelle Tang is a lovely meditation on love and loss. What would you give up for your true love? What becomes of you when you are abandoned, an outcast among suspicious and fearful neighbors? Loved the beautifully melancholy mood of this one.
The Real Treasure by Chris Durston has a much lighter tone as a pair of friends in debt to a dangerous criminal follow a rainbow to its very unexpected end. Hard to say too much about this one without spoiling the central surprise, but the snarky dialogue and delightful twists make it a standout. Without elaborating, I will just say I would read an entire novel about the character Marcus with the very greatest pleasure.
The last story I’ll highlight is one that is haunting me. Color Unknown by Jaecyn Boné is a heartbreaking and complicated tale of loneliness, cruelty, devotion, and sacrifice. When one look into your eyes can turn others to stone, how do you survive the resulting isolation? When trust is betrayed, is all hope lost? My soul ached reading this one. A viscerally deep thrumming hurt that thrilled down my sternum as I read the words. How can you not love a story that evokes that kind of physical response?
As you might guess from the pieces I chose to feature, I tend to be drawn to the more psychological and emotional side of horror but there are plenty of tales here for fans of guts and gore and good old creature feature fests, too. I think all good anthologies should have this mix of mood and genre. That’s what makes collections fun, never knowing quite what you’re getting into as you start each tale. If you’re looking for original takes on creatures both familiar and unfamiliar, a diverse roster of accomplished storytellers, and want to find out what the heck a catilisk is (shudder), I think you will enjoy Chimera. (Review note: I was provided with an advanced reading copy by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.)
The Waterwisps by Samuel Logan is in some ways a typical “lost in a sinister forest” tale but between a flock of birds that behave in quite unexpected ways and the image of glowing carnivorous jellyfish bubbles of doom floating among the trees, this turned out to be both a suspenseful and evocative experience. The author takes their time building up the mystery and tension which only adds to the terror and excitement of the inevitable confrontation.
The Nights I Die by Matt Bliss is an imaginative mix of werewolf and zombie lore as our narrator undergoes a horrific and most unwelcome transformation each full moon. Rather than a straight horror tale, this one was more contemplative, a thought experiment in what it would mean in practical and emotional terms to live under such a curse. Throw in a fraught romance and unexpectedly poetic ending and you have this affecting twist on some beloved tropes.
Banshee Song by Michelle Tang is a lovely meditation on love and loss. What would you give up for your true love? What becomes of you when you are abandoned, an outcast among suspicious and fearful neighbors? Loved the beautifully melancholy mood of this one.
The Real Treasure by Chris Durston has a much lighter tone as a pair of friends in debt to a dangerous criminal follow a rainbow to its very unexpected end. Hard to say too much about this one without spoiling the central surprise, but the snarky dialogue and delightful twists make it a standout. Without elaborating, I will just say I would read an entire novel about the character Marcus with the very greatest pleasure.
The last story I’ll highlight is one that is haunting me. Color Unknown by Jaecyn Boné is a heartbreaking and complicated tale of loneliness, cruelty, devotion, and sacrifice. When one look into your eyes can turn others to stone, how do you survive the resulting isolation? When trust is betrayed, is all hope lost? My soul ached reading this one. A viscerally deep thrumming hurt that thrilled down my sternum as I read the words. How can you not love a story that evokes that kind of physical response?
As you might guess from the pieces I chose to feature, I tend to be drawn to the more psychological and emotional side of horror but there are plenty of tales here for fans of guts and gore and good old creature feature fests, too. I think all good anthologies should have this mix of mood and genre. That’s what makes collections fun, never knowing quite what you’re getting into as you start each tale. If you’re looking for original takes on creatures both familiar and unfamiliar, a diverse roster of accomplished storytellers, and want to find out what the heck a catilisk is (shudder), I think you will enjoy Chimera. (Review note: I was provided with an advanced reading copy by the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.)