We Are Wolves edited by Gemma Amor, Laurel Hightower & Cynthia Pelayo
Publisher – Burial Day Books
Published – Out Now
Price –£4.46 Kindle eBook £10.99 paperback
NB all proceeds of this book go towards helping survivors of abuse/assault
Once upon a time, there was a woman, and she was tired. Tired of pushing. Tired of being pushed. Tired of feeling alone. Tired of so much.
So she gathered together a pack of wolves, a band of mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, partners, friends, lovers, survivors, victors and brilliant, shining things, and she told them to sing.
And sing they did.
The result is WE ARE WOLVES, a chorus of of terrifying, moving and heart-breaking stories from some of horror’s finest contemporary writers including Gemma Amor, Laurel Hightower, Cina Pelayo, Sarah Read, Hailey Piper, V Castro, Sara Tantlinger, Sonora Taylor and many more.
Horror can be cruel and nasty. For me if it’s just allowing you to be entertained by someone’s misfortune it is not doing its job it should make you think about the world and its dangers and injustices. Monsters are avatars for so many of the things we have to deal with day to day. Bad things happen so what are you going to do about them? Women in horror have often been used as the victim or cautionary tales as to how women must behave – be silent, be obedient, be chaste etc etc and often males revel in the cruelty that gets exhibited. In the startling We Are Wolves Gemma Amor, Laurel Hightower and Cynthia Pelayo pull together a vast array of female authors to tell tales exploring women in horror and the world making this an unforgettable collection that will stay with you log after you finish
Amongst the tales that impressed me were
The Black Wallpaper by Cynthia Pelayo – horror fans may spot a reference to a famous tale in the title as we watch a high-flying executive and her husband take a night in a luxury hotel with a ghostly reputation. But slowly things don’t quite add up and this tale explores the horror of having to be perfect and balancing a hundred things at once as the pressure builds with little support. Truly haunting.
Though Your Heart is Breaking by Laurel Hightower – Two detectives investigate a strange death of a man who died having his head split into two. There is a dark punchline awaiting in this tale that so many women have had to endure from men thinking they are funny.
Angel by Gemma Amor – This is one of the standout tales and it is not an easy read which I must warn you deals with child abuse and the death of a child. A police officer investigates a report of a child in danger and finds something truly terrible. The events carry through her day until a dark, eerie and terrible climax. This tale goes to a dark place and holds a mirror up to the world of people who get forgotten.
Trouble With Fate by Sarah Read – an epic tale of myths, avatars and a reminder that the cycle never seems to end. It has an amazing last line that the story has led us on an unworldly dance towards.
A Key For Any Lock by SH Cooper – a young woman is abused by a rich high school student and the world punishes her and not him. She has an elegant terrible revenge in store – satisfying but also a reminder of how little justice there is in many of these court cases.
The Curse of She, Part 6: The Final Girlfriend by Hailey Piper – A strange metafiction exploring the roles of women in films and the avatars that have been created. This becomes a tale of change and how still patriarchy controls the narrative until such time as the various women realise what has been going on and pointing towards better and smarter horror to come. Deliciously on target.
The Parrot by Sonora Taylor – A man has killed his technology-driven wife and he thinks he has got away from it all. Only her home AI nicknamed The Parrot now keeps him company. But slowly he realises he may also now be the prey. Smart, modern and doesn’t go where I was expecting at all.
The Silence of Sarah Cross by Beverley Lee – Sarah is constantly told by society and her husband Hugo to hold her tongue until a stranger at a graveyard shows another way. A historical horror tale of liberation, freedom and revenge with another wonderful closing scene. Horror here as taking your life into your own hands is a wonderful message to read.
Woman, Mother. Goddess. Death by Lilyn George – A monster tale told by the monster. A mother summoned by a cruel act seeks revenge on her daughter’s abuser. Manages to be darkly amusing yet also a reminder that people get preyed on by those closest to them. Creates a whole other world of the undead and how spirits work
Welcome Home by Jessica Guess – a tale of a daughter rebelling against her mother leading to a trip alone at night goes in an unexpected direction. Unreliable narration, surprises and morality get turned around in this visceral tale
A very impressive collection of stories that explores topics horror has often got wrong (in the hands of many male authors) reflecting reality and a way forward. Well worth your time.
