Book Review: “Unburied” an Anthology Edited by Rebecca Rowland
Unburied
Edited by Rebecca Rowland
Unburied is an anthology of horror and dark fiction, focused on LGBT+ writers and characters. It’s a fantastic idea, so let me start by saying, we need more anthologies like this, please! And another one is always good news.
There are a few really good, excellent stories here, but unfortunately there’s also some which really let the anthology down. It felt at times that some of the stories didn’t fit in well together, the lengths were almost too different and maybe the placement of the stories could have done with more consideration. Because of the variety, I’m going to touch on each story. There are 16 in total, and whereas the variety in quality is frustrating, the actual variety with things like setting and characters was a strength.
Sweet Dreams – The first short story of the book is about a married couple. Their son believes a monster is lurking under his bed, and one of his dads goes to check it out. It started off interesting, but I feel like I’ve read this story before, and it is, overall, a bit too predictable.
Night Follows Night - This was excellent, and a really good punch to the gut. A man walks through a supermarket, but as a former cult member, he is constantly looking over his shoulder. Excellent build up of tension, and overall executed really well.
Flawed – This was interesting, and fun to peel back the various layers. It’s engaging. A man spots an interesting mirror in a strange shop, and soon realises it has the ability to show somewhere completely different.
When the Dust Settles – Not too bad, and the author sets up the general atmosphere really well. A good enough story. Miners and missing limbs, and a strange cooperation who owns everything.
I Can’t Wait to Become a Man – A story of addiction, and the struggles that come with it, this dipped into some interesting territory in places but ultimately felt like it dragged on too long.
Open Up and Let Me In – Completely drew me in. The small hints spread throughout, the uncertain nature, the tension – this was an absolute ride, and one of the strongest in the anthology.
The Red Candle – Something about this put me off, and to me it was one of the weakest in the anthology. It kind of created an almost disorientating effect, compared to the one before and the one after.
Razor, Knife! – An unsettling tale about two kids who meet a third. One kid crushes on the older boy, while the other wants him gone from their lives. The interactions, the relationship, the descriptions all add up to a wonderfully creepy story with an ending that absolutely nails it.
The Procedure – This really stuck out to me as being misplaced in the anthology. But I’m sure this one will still have its fans. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m already tired of seeing ‘Covid-XX’ stories, and this one feels like the author hasn’t actually learned much about Covid over the last year. This one could have been really interesting if a completely fictional disease had been created, rather than tying it in so closely to the real world, the inaccuracies and misinformation mean the whole thing reaches beyond suspension of disbelief.
Moi Aussi – Another favourite. Two Hollywood wannabe starlets find themselves tied to a house where famous men gather. The women enact their revenge, and it’s portrayed so beautifully, I absolutely fell in love with the two women. It’s a fantastic, wonderfully written tale of Hollywood Horror, and if this had come my way when we did the competition last year, it would have placed very highly.
The Other Boy – Creepy and atmospheric, a coming of age tale, a story about coming to terms with sexuality in a house where being a male means loving beer and football.
Cut Off Your Nose to Spite Your Race – To be totally upfront, the author of this story has become a dear friend of mind, since she first hired me to edit her short stories. And I’ve edited many of them since, including this one. I do love it, of course, but I won’t say too much – you’ll just have to read it and see for yourself how good it is.
For the Gods – This was a really good story, but did not feel like it fit in with the rest of the anthology. There are moments where this one really drags, and compared to the other stories it’s overly long. Again, the story is good – a young man struggles with his identity, and there’s a lot to unpack in here, but it felt like it could have been stronger elsewhere, or else cut down somewhat to make it tighter.
Some Kind of Monster – I really liked this one – a beautiful stranger’s kindness hides something darker. A story of seduction, told really well.
1,000 Tiny Cuts – Another excellent tale. This is probably the one most grounded in reality throughout the whole anthology, and it hits deep, showing how the ‘small’ things soon add up, and reflecting the abusive cycle.
Blessed - A different choice could have been made for the final story, but “Blessed” is still an intriguing choice. It’s a bit weird, trippy, and almost mesmerising. Not really totally my thing, but it’ll hit that sweet spot for some, definitely.
I would still strongly recommend this anthology. Although some of these stories felt a bit stale, they’re in the minority, and even with these it’s clear in these shorts all the writers have talent. Some are, yes, stronger than others, with a few really standing out, but the rest aren’t bad as such – more middling. I think this is really one of those anthologies that has something for everyone, and it’s a good variety.
Grade: C
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
I received this anthology from the editor for review consideration.