I sometimes read things from Longreads' picks, which is how I got to this interview with Carmen Maria Machado, which was interesting enough that I requested her collection of stories, Her Body and Other Parties, from the library. The book is weird and intense and probably not for everyone. (I'm not sure it was for me.) It requires a lot of content warnings that I can't possibly remember enough details to give you, so google for them if that's something you're concerned about. I did get to the end of the book, then read the acknowledgments, and find that her list of teachers to thank includes Cass*ndra Cl*re, so if people who think positive things about her is your line, you may want to avoid this book.
If you choose to read the book, I recommend reading it in bits and pieces instead of gulping down the whole thing in a few hours like I did - I think it would benefit from some mental space between stories. I read it last weekend, and looking at the table of contents now, I can't remember specific about some of the stories, and there are only eight of them.
Of the eight stories, I thought there were two standouts. One is the also available for free online "Especially Heinous: 272 Views of Law & Order SVU," which is weird, paranormal SVU fic told in fictional episode blurbs. I couldn't put it down. The other is "The Resident," which is a narrative by a writer about her time at a writing residency. It's really the ending that I loved. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that I keep thinking about how brilliant it was.
If you're into weird, feminist, queer literature with a paranormal/horror bent, this book is probably be for you.
If you choose to read the book, I recommend reading it in bits and pieces instead of gulping down the whole thing in a few hours like I did - I think it would benefit from some mental space between stories. I read it last weekend, and looking at the table of contents now, I can't remember specific about some of the stories, and there are only eight of them.
Of the eight stories, I thought there were two standouts. One is the also available for free online "Especially Heinous: 272 Views of Law & Order SVU," which is weird, paranormal SVU fic told in fictional episode blurbs. I couldn't put it down. The other is "The Resident," which is a narrative by a writer about her time at a writing residency. It's really the ending that I loved. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say that I keep thinking about how brilliant it was.
If you're into weird, feminist, queer literature with a paranormal/horror bent, this book is probably be for you.