Book Review: Under Her Black Wings, Anthology by Kandisha Press
Published by Kandisha Press
3.5 Stars, and traditionally 4 is about the highest I go on anthologies. I am never going to LOVE all of the stories.
18 tales. 17 different female authors taking on the theme of "Women Monsters".
A funny idea comes to mind when thinking of female monsters. Well actually, the idea is more about the reverse of that. I kind of chuckle at the idea of how a male monster has to be justified with a glamour, mind control, magical powers of persuasion. That's how they get their female prey back to their lair. But women monsters? Nah, they don't need any of that because us men will walk right into their traps smiling the whole way, until it's too late.I don't really think I can say it better than Christy Aldridge does on page 135.
"You're just a man, " Sarah said to him. "All of you are weak of the flesh. It's not as if you can help it. You couldn't stop yourself from wanting me any more than you could stop yourself from loving me. That's just the way men are designed. It's the way it's been since the beginning of time. The woman was tempted by knowledge, and the man was tempted by a woman.""
The woman was tempted by knowledge, and the man was tempted by a woman." Right? Are you smiling like I am? No, just me? Damn, that was good.So yeah, women monsters. Tell me they aren't more convincing. I will argue the hell out of that. Usually, they’re fueled by some underlying abuse, infidelity. Whether that abuse is on a personal level or on a "gender as a whole" level, they usually feel somewhat justified and, like I said before, more convincing. Whether it's Shelob from LOTR, the sultry comic book Vampirella, Grendel's mother from Beowulf, the mythological Medusa. Women hold a strong place in our monster fiction. Shelley, Jackson, Morrison, du Maurier, Andrews, Rice. The masters. The list goes on and on.
So guys, buckle up. Look over your shoulders. Taken advantage of anyone? Overlooked, mistreated, cheated? These female authors are haunting your dreams, they are writing your nightmares.Let's talk about the stories, then I will pick my top 4.
1. What You Eat - Alys Hobbs - a little spoiled rich girl in a gothic mansion, Feels maybe late 1800s. A governess that doesn't govern, lets the child get away with everything and continues to feed her sweets, almost as though she is trying to fatten her up?!
2. The Aztec - Carmen Baca - An aging woman with fortune, powers. Past husbands die in mysterious accidents. She needs the help of a young bride to start her journey towards the next life.
3. The Riddled Path - Somer Canon - A scout troop on an unapproved hike. The approved sites are boring tourist attractions, yeah? An overbearing, over-protective mother comes along for the trip. Deep into uncharted game trails, the troop comes across a path keeper of sorts, must answer riddles to pass. This one is gruesome, and there is a cool line about a "garbage barge" on page 41.
4. Desert Kisses - Sisters Of Slaughter - Monica has been murdered, but not allowed to pass on. Kept alive by a shadow woman (bruja?) and her ghostly followers to serve vengeance to the one who murdered her. Line on page 64 starting with "He wanted to hunt..." DAMN!
5. Somewhere To Belong - Yolanda Stefsos - Enid is alone. Utter bleak, heavy loneliness. Page 68: "She needed the outside..." Great line. Walking alone, in the rain, past an empty playground that isn't as empty as it initially seems. Lovecraftian mother that offers a place to belong and blot out the loneliness. Page 75: "All the lonely ones do.", page 78: "the playground for found souls". The final line on page 84 is something special.
6. Heart for the Heartless - Charlotte Munro - The It Girl supermodel is actually undead. She doesn't love it and basically refuses to eat which causes her to lose her luster. Her maker serves as the "door dash" of delivery for what she needs. Cool line about "broken promises" on page 87.
7. The Darkness - Stevie Kopas - An apocalyptic story of darkness and plague. A girl living in a house with other survivors goes out to scavenge, all the while trying to stay hidden from the military. Things start to change in your mind during a scene with a cat, and without giving too much away, the author absolutely smacks us in the mouth with the ole plot twist switcheroo.
8. Sarah Smiles - Christy Aldridge - an obsessive boyfriend, not so much in an abusive way. He was the average guy, she was the pretty girl and he never expected her attention. So when she moves out, he can't stop texting, calling, social media stalking. Gets dark fast, and this one has the great paragraph I mentioned in my opening.
9. Goddess Of The Lake - Malena Salazar Macia (translated by Toshiya Kamei) - A hunting group sets out to kill/capture this fabled goddess of the lake. This one is a bit of twisted fantasy. A bit of misdirection and charity coming back to bite.
10. Abigail's Army - Sharon Frame Gay - Georgia 1864, Civil War, 2 women discover a wounded union army deserter on their farm. He nurses back to health and helps out on the farm, that doesn't sound too sinister does it? I would tell you some lie about how he is the bad guy and is going to take advantage of these women, but this is a book about women monsters so...
11. Road Rage - Sharon Frame Gay - The police told her family that her husband had died instantly, that was a lie, he died in agony. He had a history of infidelity, but always made her keep his secrets. "It could ruin everything." Gruesome scene on page 157. Cool circular ending with that "ruin everything" line.
12. Cold Calling - Paula R.C. Redman - Written as "Dear Diary" entries. An employee is invited to a big party at the boss's house, all as a joke to humiliate her. This girl isn't the "go along, get along" type, so when she hears the plan, she takes matters into her own hands. I may have cheered as a character utters "grotesque women" right before... right before what? I ain't telling.
14. The Faceless Woman - Marie Lanza - short urban legend story about a faceless woman. "Cross the bridge and you will see her". You just have to see her and she stays with you, coming after everyone you know, everyone you love.
15. Unplugged - Dawn DeBraal - An ex-pornstar develops a lifelong friendship with her court appointed psychiatrist. People close to the psychiatrist start to be affected (that's all I am gonna say). All along you are looking one way, you assume this devious, dangerous nature but the danger isn't in the direction that you are looking.
16. Firstborn - Jill Girardi – Pennangal, a Malaysian vampiric entity. This creature hasn't ever crossed my reading path before and now I have read 3 stories related to the topic in the last month. This is a harrowing tale of the creature stalking, haunting a man and his pregnant wife. Showing itself on the night of the child's birth. This one gets pretty deep into the mythology and folklore of the creature.
17. Sadie - Lydia Prime - Sadie is a dangerously bad roommate. You know the type that eats everything in the apartment? Dreams of a little girl and an enormous wolf. I initially thought there might be ties to "Little Red Riding Hood". Maybe not, but it felt that way at least for a bit.18. Pontianak - Tina Isaacs - malicious, flesh-eating female ghost from Indonesian folklore (much like the Pennangal). A father is reflecting, telling a son why he shouldn't travel there. Dad has the scars to prove it and tells a tale of being seduced and terrorized by the creature while traveling abroad.
I had a really hard time choosing my top 4.
Ones that were heavily considered but didn't make it: Sarah Smiles, Desert Kisses #4 Pontiniak - Tina Isaacs #3 Road Rage - Sharon Frame Gay #2 The Riddled Path - Somer Canon #1 Somewhere to Belong - Yolanda Stefsos
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Review by Well Read Beard
Twitter: @WellReadBeard
I received this book from the publisher for review consideration.
