I've read several horror anthologies lately. I'm impressed with the imagination and variety coming from the writers. Beyond the Veil, from Flame Tree Press, is another happy clump of ickiness...and I mean that in a good way. There's a few stories that seemed like the opening chapters to upcoming books, and that's perfectly all right. I think some authors hash out their novels through the writing of short stories. One, A Mystery for Julie Chu, seemed like a first chapter, had an intriguing subject about a young woman who sluices out mysterious and magical items at flea markets, and sees a future in buying and selling weirdness. I'd read that one if it gets turned into a novel. Who doesn't want to find something magical at a flea market?
There are creepy stories, and gory stories, icky stories and hopeful stories, lots of misunderstood little kids, and one story that is like a fairytale. A woman finally escapes a bad boss, bad co-workers, and a bad husband. Isn't that a real horror story--to be stuck in a rotten job and marriage? I bet we've all dreamed of running away with fairies a time or two in our lives. I know I have, like every other day. One that gave me a chuckle (I'm biased toward funny horror) was The Care and Feeding of Household Gods. If you ever get the urge to draw a face on your jug of laundry detergent, you might want to think twice. And for Heaven's sake, leave the kids' hamster alone. A little bit of something for everyone here. Thanks to Netgalley and Flame Tree for allowing me to read an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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