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Under Her Eye: A Women in Horror Poetry Showcase, Volume II
A showcase of poetry from some of the darkest and most lyrical voices of women in horror.
A follow-up to the award-winning poetry showcase Under Her Skin, UNDER HER EYE features the best in never-before-published dark verse and lyrical prose from the voices of Women in Horror, themed on domestic horror and the terror women too often experience in their own homes.
Edited by Lindy Ryan and Lee Murray, UNDER HER EYE celebrates women in horror from cover to cover. In addition to poems contributed by over one hundred poets worldwide, the collection features poems from Stephanie M. Wytovich, Jessica McHugh, and Marge Simon, with cover art by noted horror artist Lynne Hansen and an introduction by Bram Stoker Award®-winning poet Sara Tantlinger. This showcase is produced in partnership with The Pixel Project, a global non-profit organization focused on ending violence against women globally.
A follow-up to the award-winning poetry showcase Under Her Skin, UNDER HER EYE features the best in never-before-published dark verse and lyrical prose from the voices of Women in Horror, themed on domestic horror and the terror women too often experience in their own homes.
Edited by Lindy Ryan and Lee Murray, UNDER HER EYE celebrates women in horror from cover to cover. In addition to poems contributed by over one hundred poets worldwide, the collection features poems from Stephanie M. Wytovich, Jessica McHugh, and Marge Simon, with cover art by noted horror artist Lynne Hansen and an introduction by Bram Stoker Award®-winning poet Sara Tantlinger. This showcase is produced in partnership with The Pixel Project, a global non-profit organization focused on ending violence against women globally.
216 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2023
4 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Lindy Ryan
33 books541 followersLindy Ryan is an award-winning author, anthologist, and short-film director whose books and anthologies have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal. Several of her projects have been adapted for screen. Ryan is the current author-in-residence at Rue Morgue. Declared a “champion for women’s voices in horror” by Shelf Awareness, Ryan was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree in 2020, and in 2022, was named one of horror's most masterful anthology curators. Born and raised in Southeast Texas, Ryan currently resides on the East Coast. She is a professor at Rutgers University.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 16, 2023
"I am but human, enticed and seduced by the devil himself."
This is something that I say a lot but here I am. I’m not that big of a poetry fan. I read some and enjoy it but it’s really not something that I seek out. The ones that I have picked up recently are starting to change my mind.
These poems all circle around domestic violence, so this one made me stop in my tracks. It dug deep down into my soul and gave me the chills. They weren’t easy ones to digest but they were brave and eye opening. This is a collection that every person should read and experience.
Just remember that you are not alone in this world. Reach out if you need help or even a shoulder to cry on. There is something better out there in this life and live it to the fullest.
This is something that I say a lot but here I am. I’m not that big of a poetry fan. I read some and enjoy it but it’s really not something that I seek out. The ones that I have picked up recently are starting to change my mind.
These poems all circle around domestic violence, so this one made me stop in my tracks. It dug deep down into my soul and gave me the chills. They weren’t easy ones to digest but they were brave and eye opening. This is a collection that every person should read and experience.
Just remember that you are not alone in this world. Reach out if you need help or even a shoulder to cry on. There is something better out there in this life and live it to the fullest.
September 29, 2023
STAR review in the October 1, 2023 issue of Booklist and on the blog here: https://raforallhorror.blogspot.com/2... (link live on 10/3/23)
Three Words That Describe This Book: visceral, poignant, brutally honest
The individual poems are brutally honest and poignant. Ranging in length, style and topic, each gives readers more than they expect, over and over again. Three standouts are by Ali Jiang, EF Schrader, and Emily Ruth Verona, whose “Prime Real Estate Opportunity,” uses footnotes to chilling perfection.
Also this book could literally save someone's life. Pixel Project has resources in the back. In my review I tell people to consider shelving a copy in the 300s as well as with Horror collections.
Readalikes: Into the Forest and All the Way Through by Pelayo and other anthologies edited by Lindy Ryan and Lee Murray.
I have an article about them as anthologists here: https://the-line-up.com/best-horror-a...
Three Words That Describe This Book: visceral, poignant, brutally honest
The individual poems are brutally honest and poignant. Ranging in length, style and topic, each gives readers more than they expect, over and over again. Three standouts are by Ali Jiang, EF Schrader, and Emily Ruth Verona, whose “Prime Real Estate Opportunity,” uses footnotes to chilling perfection.
Also this book could literally save someone's life. Pixel Project has resources in the back. In my review I tell people to consider shelving a copy in the 300s as well as with Horror collections.
Readalikes: Into the Forest and All the Way Through by Pelayo and other anthologies edited by Lindy Ryan and Lee Murray.
I have an article about them as anthologists here: https://the-line-up.com/best-horror-a...
October 31, 2023
Everything about this collection is darkly haunting and beautiful, from the cover art to the poetry inside.
Read
August 13, 2023I received an e-ARC from NetGalley.
This is a horror poetry collection focused on the abuse too often faced by women in their own homes.
Some of the poems were very vivid and raw, while the majority didn't manage to foster enough emotion or get a point across. Unfortunately, I felt very detached reading this.
It feels wrong to rate it considering the topic at hand.
This is a horror poetry collection focused on the abuse too often faced by women in their own homes.
Some of the poems were very vivid and raw, while the majority didn't manage to foster enough emotion or get a point across. Unfortunately, I felt very detached reading this.
It feels wrong to rate it considering the topic at hand.
June 17, 2023
Under Her Eye is an unique poetry book. Unique in that the poems are horror themed.
As with any poetry book, there were some great poems, some mediocre poems, and some.... meh ones.
I found myself a little bored with a good portion of them unfortunately. I wanted to love it, but the mediocre poems won out over the great.
The coverart IS beautiful though, and that upped my rating a tad.
As with any poetry book, there were some great poems, some mediocre poems, and some.... meh ones.
I found myself a little bored with a good portion of them unfortunately. I wanted to love it, but the mediocre poems won out over the great.
The coverart IS beautiful though, and that upped my rating a tad.
July 24, 2023
In her introduction, Regina Yau writes “The Pixel Project is a global virtual volunteer-run 501c3 anti-violence against women non-profit whose mission is to raise awareness, funds, and volunteer power for the cause to end violence against women (VAW) through activism and advocacy at the intersection of social media, new technologies, and popular culture/the Arts. In 2022, Black Spot Books proposed putting together a poetry collection in benefit of The Pixel Project’s anti-VAW work. Co-editors Lindy Ryan and Lee Murray rallied 112 female and non-binary poets from across the world to contribute poems to the collection that would become Under Her Eye.” This book is, unfortunately, a necessary collection on the shelf of every horror reader, not just because of its cause, but also because of its message.
The poems in this collection tackle violence against women head on through a lens of horror, myth, and fantasy. Some of the poems are rooted in historical truths, such as Jacqueline West’s “Gossip in Salem,” which begins:
It starts small, like everything else.
Two heads bowed, bonnets touching
like two heavy daisies in a field.
Murmurs travelling with the hum of bees…
and ends with a violent lesson in misogyny and rumor. Poems like this, grounded in reality, remind readers that the horrors in this collection are very much real and are to be taken seriously.
Elsewhere, poets use horror imagery and tropes as metaphorical vehicles for the tenor of abuse. For example, “Augury” by Belicia Rhea begins:
Your vampiric gaze spells the herd
enamored by that sagging charade;
tar-black saccharine eyes,
those fists and talons scrape bloody…
Here, the horror tropes are used to heighten the experience for the reader, driving home the extreme seriousness of topic. Reading poems like this, readers are reminded that people who perpetuate violence are monsters and should be seen as such; art is reflecting and hyperbolizing reality in an attempt to raise awareness and affect positive social change. This is exactly how horror poetry is supposed to work.
Elsewhere, the poems are triumphant. While it is important to give voice to the victims, it is also important that they receive justice and victory. There are poems that encapsulate those themes as well, such as “A Map of the Backyard” by Jessica McHugh, which begins “Feminine as the grave,/you are brushing dirt over a bad dream,” and ends “He burned so many holes in you./There are plenty of places to bury him.” Part of horror is that monsters and evil can be, must be, fought against and vanquished. So, too, must the real monsters in this world, and poems like this inspire readers to work towards that reality and gives them strength and hope to believe it possible.
As a reviewer, I wish this collection didn’t need to exist. I wish we lived in a world where violence was not perpetrated, and where all human beings could live in safety. That world does not exist, so books like this are necessary. The Pixel Project is an incredible organization with an incredible mission. Too often, genre work is relegated to “fluff” or “entertainment,” especially genre poetry. This collection shows that not only does genre poetry have strength and power, but also has purpose and meaning. Any collection like this that gives voice to the voiceless and unheard should be championed. Any collection that raises money to fight the real monsters in the world should be purchased. The fact that the work in this collection is incredibly well-written by a vast array of talented authors and approaches the topic from so many creative and brutally terrifying angles should be the only temptation necessary for every horror reader to purchase this book immediately for themselves and all their friends and relatives.
The poems in this collection tackle violence against women head on through a lens of horror, myth, and fantasy. Some of the poems are rooted in historical truths, such as Jacqueline West’s “Gossip in Salem,” which begins:
It starts small, like everything else.
Two heads bowed, bonnets touching
like two heavy daisies in a field.
Murmurs travelling with the hum of bees…
and ends with a violent lesson in misogyny and rumor. Poems like this, grounded in reality, remind readers that the horrors in this collection are very much real and are to be taken seriously.
Elsewhere, poets use horror imagery and tropes as metaphorical vehicles for the tenor of abuse. For example, “Augury” by Belicia Rhea begins:
Your vampiric gaze spells the herd
enamored by that sagging charade;
tar-black saccharine eyes,
those fists and talons scrape bloody…
Here, the horror tropes are used to heighten the experience for the reader, driving home the extreme seriousness of topic. Reading poems like this, readers are reminded that people who perpetuate violence are monsters and should be seen as such; art is reflecting and hyperbolizing reality in an attempt to raise awareness and affect positive social change. This is exactly how horror poetry is supposed to work.
Elsewhere, the poems are triumphant. While it is important to give voice to the victims, it is also important that they receive justice and victory. There are poems that encapsulate those themes as well, such as “A Map of the Backyard” by Jessica McHugh, which begins “Feminine as the grave,/you are brushing dirt over a bad dream,” and ends “He burned so many holes in you./There are plenty of places to bury him.” Part of horror is that monsters and evil can be, must be, fought against and vanquished. So, too, must the real monsters in this world, and poems like this inspire readers to work towards that reality and gives them strength and hope to believe it possible.
As a reviewer, I wish this collection didn’t need to exist. I wish we lived in a world where violence was not perpetrated, and where all human beings could live in safety. That world does not exist, so books like this are necessary. The Pixel Project is an incredible organization with an incredible mission. Too often, genre work is relegated to “fluff” or “entertainment,” especially genre poetry. This collection shows that not only does genre poetry have strength and power, but also has purpose and meaning. Any collection like this that gives voice to the voiceless and unheard should be championed. Any collection that raises money to fight the real monsters in the world should be purchased. The fact that the work in this collection is incredibly well-written by a vast array of talented authors and approaches the topic from so many creative and brutally terrifying angles should be the only temptation necessary for every horror reader to purchase this book immediately for themselves and all their friends and relatives.
April 25, 2025
“Sometimes hope comes stained in blood or soft with bruises, but hope on its own is a formidable emotion that can blaze through the bleakest of moments.”
Much like volume 1, Under Her Eye, gives us an intensely evocative, personal, and darkly profound collection of horror poetry that dives in to what is a real life horror story for too many women. Volume II tackles the difficult, but extremely important topic of domestic horror and the haunting, suffocating reality of any safety and love being stripped from ones home for anyone who has experienced it- and what it is like to endure and then survive that.
The poems tackle many different stories within this, most involving marital abuse, but also showcasing that sadly it can come from anyone you love and trust such as a parent or even sibling. The effects of verbal and psychological abuse along with physical abuse is represented well too. It takes you inside the emotional and logistical turmoil in an authentic way.
As you can imagine, it's extremely discomforting, brutal, and harrowing, yet there is an underlying power and freedom in bringing voice to these difficult truths. Some of the poems end in a sad, grim ending while others feature women rising above and gaining their freedom from the entrapment they experienced. Together it presents a raw, unfiltered truth and form of resistance in itself.
The mere existence of this series is worth celebrating as it represents the belief in the capabilities of both horror and storytelling as a whole to expose, explore, and connect- and to bring understanding, a bit of hope, and positive change. I love the mission of the Pixel Project and it makes this collection all the more special that it both highlights an important voice and the profits directly support action against violence against women. Definitely worth adding to your collection.
Much like volume 1, Under Her Eye, gives us an intensely evocative, personal, and darkly profound collection of horror poetry that dives in to what is a real life horror story for too many women. Volume II tackles the difficult, but extremely important topic of domestic horror and the haunting, suffocating reality of any safety and love being stripped from ones home for anyone who has experienced it- and what it is like to endure and then survive that.
The poems tackle many different stories within this, most involving marital abuse, but also showcasing that sadly it can come from anyone you love and trust such as a parent or even sibling. The effects of verbal and psychological abuse along with physical abuse is represented well too. It takes you inside the emotional and logistical turmoil in an authentic way.
As you can imagine, it's extremely discomforting, brutal, and harrowing, yet there is an underlying power and freedom in bringing voice to these difficult truths. Some of the poems end in a sad, grim ending while others feature women rising above and gaining their freedom from the entrapment they experienced. Together it presents a raw, unfiltered truth and form of resistance in itself.
The mere existence of this series is worth celebrating as it represents the belief in the capabilities of both horror and storytelling as a whole to expose, explore, and connect- and to bring understanding, a bit of hope, and positive change. I love the mission of the Pixel Project and it makes this collection all the more special that it both highlights an important voice and the profits directly support action against violence against women. Definitely worth adding to your collection.
September 14, 2023
“Everyone is amused by a heinous bitch, but a girl who cries is just uncomfortable to deal with.” - Love Letters For Kirsty Cotton After ‘Hellraiser’ 1987 by Mim Murrells
Edited by Lindy Ryan and Lee Miller, this collection of poetry is a jarring insight into domestic violence against women. Told through varying narratives these poems address many factors that affect victims of such cruelty.
All of these address the horrors one goes through, wether they are the one experiencing it or how they imagine they would have confronted their abuser had they been able to.
This collection is very raw and explicit in addressing these important issues. With contributions from several horror authors this makes this collection a must read for fans of horror poetry.
Many thanks to Blackcrowpr for the arc.
Edited by Lindy Ryan and Lee Miller, this collection of poetry is a jarring insight into domestic violence against women. Told through varying narratives these poems address many factors that affect victims of such cruelty.
All of these address the horrors one goes through, wether they are the one experiencing it or how they imagine they would have confronted their abuser had they been able to.
This collection is very raw and explicit in addressing these important issues. With contributions from several horror authors this makes this collection a must read for fans of horror poetry.
Many thanks to Blackcrowpr for the arc.
May 27, 2024
Under Her Eye is a beautiful collection of poems from women and their experiences with abuse, domestic abuse, verbal abuse, SA, and mistreatment in the form of poems. The poems range from sorrowful, angry, vengeful, and confusion. (My fave is the revenge poems).
Sadly, I think a lot of women could relate to at least one of the poems in this book. I don’t dabble much in poetry but had to give this a read considering the topic at hand is something I am very passionate about. Some of the poems were confusing like a Tori Amos song. I was sure that there was a deeper meaning to the words and just figured the poet knew what it meant but as the reader i was left…confused :) I recommend this book.
Also, THE COVER! So beautiful. Rawr women.
My thanks to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sadly, I think a lot of women could relate to at least one of the poems in this book. I don’t dabble much in poetry but had to give this a read considering the topic at hand is something I am very passionate about. Some of the poems were confusing like a Tori Amos song. I was sure that there was a deeper meaning to the words and just figured the poet knew what it meant but as the reader i was left…confused :) I recommend this book.
Also, THE COVER! So beautiful. Rawr women.
My thanks to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2023
This collection gives the reader a view into the dark world of domestic abuse and how women have been attempting to both take back their lives and continue to fall victim to it with the end of their lives every day. Each poem is packed with a punch of poetic justice that leaves the reader breathless and wanting more. Some of my favorite poems included a look into the narrator's mind as they turn the tables on their abusers or imagine hurting their abusers like they've been hurt themselves with endings spanning from killing to walking away. As a collection with a darker theme, be warned if you have a weaker stomach or struggle with these topics, as it can become hard to read the farther in you get as each poet takes on this theme in strikingly similar, as well as different, ways.
October 1, 2023
Oh my goodness, what an amazing, troubling and thought provoking book!
Certainly not one to read cover to cover, but great for dipping into and I can see why the "featured poets" gained their status. My particular favourite was "attn: prime Real Estate opportunity" an innocuous enough poetic advert and only on turning the page on Kindle ( I really hope this is the same in the print book) do you realise the hidden depths.
I really hope this helps to raise awareness of violence against women, although, cynically, I imagine it may be preaching to the converted.
Thank you to netgalley and Black Spot Books for an advance copy of this book
Certainly not one to read cover to cover, but great for dipping into and I can see why the "featured poets" gained their status. My particular favourite was "attn: prime Real Estate opportunity" an innocuous enough poetic advert and only on turning the page on Kindle ( I really hope this is the same in the print book) do you realise the hidden depths.
I really hope this helps to raise awareness of violence against women, although, cynically, I imagine it may be preaching to the converted.
Thank you to netgalley and Black Spot Books for an advance copy of this book
November 20, 2023
First off: I LOVE the title of this poetry collection here, UNDER HER EYE, especially as it relates to horrors of being a woman and living in a time filled with so many terrors. The writers and voices within this book are so impressive. I am actually a little speechless due to the high caliber lineup. I think this is not only just a great collection to raise awareness of the abuses women struggle with and face all the time, but also an important reminder of their voice and power, too. This collection is lyrical, it's brutally honest, it's raw, and it's just so well done. I feel angered but empowered at the same time. Incredible collection!
June 22, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I read the first volume, Under Her Skin, which was some intense, scary, body horror poetry. Body horror is not my cup of tea, but I was impressed with the poems.
I enjoyed Under Her Eye more than Under Her Skin. There are a lot of poems to pore over regarding domestic abuse, a lot of heartbreaking pieces, but my hands down favorite is Tarantella. I kept going back to that one and have read it close to a dozen times. The imagery in it was very vivid, at least for me.
I read the first volume, Under Her Skin, which was some intense, scary, body horror poetry. Body horror is not my cup of tea, but I was impressed with the poems.
I enjoyed Under Her Eye more than Under Her Skin. There are a lot of poems to pore over regarding domestic abuse, a lot of heartbreaking pieces, but my hands down favorite is Tarantella. I kept going back to that one and have read it close to a dozen times. The imagery in it was very vivid, at least for me.
May 11, 2023
This compilation of poetry addresses the torments and tortures of being a woman. There is no sugar-coating or romanticizing here. Everything is raw, brutal and real.
This book addresses many hard topics, but it is an important tool for raising awareness about all forms of abuse that women experience in their home lives.
Powerful, moving, and so frustratingly real that it makes me want to scream.
This book addresses many hard topics, but it is an important tool for raising awareness about all forms of abuse that women experience in their home lives.
Powerful, moving, and so frustratingly real that it makes me want to scream.
July 21, 2023
Under Her Eye is a compelling follow-up to the award-winning poetry showcase "Under Her Skin." This collection of dark verse and lyrical prose by Women in Horror delves into the chilling theme of domestic horror and the unsettling terror that women too often encounter within their homes. The powerful voices featured in this anthology shed light on the haunting realities women face, making it a thought-provoking and impactful read. (3.5 Stars)
December 15, 2023
Under Her Eye is a heart wrenching horror poetry anthology all centered around domestic issues facing women. Each poem tackles abuse that makes home an unsafe place. There are over 100 poems by different poets with many different styles so there is something for everyone. Some were straight forward and brutally honest. Others played with metaphors with horror tropes and some were abstract. Since there are such different styles some fit my taste more closely than others which is common with any kind of anthology. However, I have found some new authors to seek out. This is a very important topic and there are resources for women dealing with domestic violence in the back of the book as well.
I would recommend this collection for those who enjoy dark poetry and can handle the subject matter.
I received a copy for review through NetGalley.
I would recommend this collection for those who enjoy dark poetry and can handle the subject matter.
I received a copy for review through NetGalley.
October 16, 2025
Like its sister poetry collection, Under Her Skin, Under Her Eye conveys the complex nightmare of the feminine experience, this time focusing on domestic violence in its many forms. All of the poets did a wonderful job conveying the emotional, physical, and psychological experience, some focusing on the emotional and others making it much more visceral. Highly recommended for fans of dark poetry and discussions on the feminine experience.
February 25, 2024
(Bias disclosure: I have a poem in this collection).
Beautiful and honest poems dealing with a subject too often seen as taboo and relegated to the background. Some amazing writing in here. I can't stop thinking about my favorite poem in the collection "They Eat the Mother" by Lindsay King-Miller.
Beautiful and honest poems dealing with a subject too often seen as taboo and relegated to the background. Some amazing writing in here. I can't stop thinking about my favorite poem in the collection "They Eat the Mother" by Lindsay King-Miller.
July 14, 2023
This was a great book of poetry. Lots of great ones. It is always a change of pace to read poetry, and this book had many, many, great ones. My favorite was "Love Letters for Kirstry Cotton after 'Hellraiser (1987)' by Mim Murrells. Great introduction to many great poets. #UnderHerEye #NetGalley
January 19, 2024
I loved this collection so much but I feel like that is the wrong word — it’s truly unique and awesome collection of horror poetry featuring so many women’s issues, domestic abuse, rape, body horror.
November 21, 2023
It is a lyrical, dark and thought-provoking anthology I am immensely proud to be part of.
February 13, 2024
This one will be dogeared for sure in the future. I will definitely be flipping through from time to time.
May 19, 2024
I haven't read that much Stephen King, but I can certainly see the influence on these authors. And whatever you do, avoid the hole in the factory basement. No good can come from there. Or can it?
January 22, 2025
There’s nothing like violence against women to spark feminine rage. It never ends well, especially in poetry.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews