What do you think?
Rate this book
The Worm In Every Heart
IN THE SHADOWS OF WAR AND HISTORY, THE MIRROR BETWEEN MAN AND MONSTER BREAKS . . . From the haunted hills of Roman Britain to the sewers of occupied Warsaw... in the bloodied streets of Revolutionary Paris, and the anarchy World War II Shanghai... out of the wilds of America, India, Africa and Europe... down the long savage darkness of the centuries, monsters have fed upon us. They are shapeshifters, vampires, sorcerers and spirits--things named only in myth, and things for which we have no name. They are our demons, our reflections, our desires and our nightmares. And all too often, they are...only human. In this second collection from Gemma Files--featuring the award-winning "The Emperor's Old Bones" (winner of the 1999 International Horror Guild Award for Best Short Fiction), and five never-before-published stories--we tour the overlooked intersections between wilderness and civilization where secret dances of fear and pain are performed and hunters and hunted change roles.
278 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2006
82 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Files
183 books727 followersPreviously best-known as a film critic for Toronto's eye Weekly, teacher and screenwriter, Gemma Files first broke onto the international horror scene when her story "The Emperor's Old Bones" won the 1999 International Horror Guild award for Best Short Fiction. She is the author of two collections of short work (Kissing Carrion and The Worm in Every Heart) and two chapbooks of poetry (Bent Under Night and Dust Radio). Her Hexslinger Series trilogy is now complete: A Book of Tongues, A Rope of Thorns and A Tree of Bones, all available from ChiZine Publications.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 20, 2020
Like with so many other immensely talented writers, I always seem to be the last to know about them. Gemma Files is no exception--and that's a shame because she can craft a story like none other. Her writing takes the best of horrific and fantastic fiction and makes them uniquely hers.
Each gem in this collection takes a traditional story mode and does something new and interesting with it. And the sheer variety of settings, characters, themes and tones makes for always-exciting, unexpected reading.
Just her take on the Dracula and Frankenstein tales alone makes this book worth the cover price--breathing new and vibrant life into those too-often generic stories, something you rarely see in any novel or story. And she makes it all look so easy. As effortless to write as to read, from the way they fly off the page.
In a perfect (and sane) world, Gemma's work would be topping the bestseller lists, promoted as readily as the garbage that passes for good-writing in the mainstream and discussed as avidly among readers of the latest fiction as the undeserving dreck that inexplicably gets widely read and too-easily published.
If you like your fiction weird, dark, well-written and full of place and voice, Gemma Files's collection is the way to go. Time will see her talked about with the same reverence and enthusiasm as we talk about the likes of Peter Straub, Stephen King and Ramsey Campbell.
So check it.
Each gem in this collection takes a traditional story mode and does something new and interesting with it. And the sheer variety of settings, characters, themes and tones makes for always-exciting, unexpected reading.
Just her take on the Dracula and Frankenstein tales alone makes this book worth the cover price--breathing new and vibrant life into those too-often generic stories, something you rarely see in any novel or story. And she makes it all look so easy. As effortless to write as to read, from the way they fly off the page.
In a perfect (and sane) world, Gemma's work would be topping the bestseller lists, promoted as readily as the garbage that passes for good-writing in the mainstream and discussed as avidly among readers of the latest fiction as the undeserving dreck that inexplicably gets widely read and too-easily published.
If you like your fiction weird, dark, well-written and full of place and voice, Gemma Files's collection is the way to go. Time will see her talked about with the same reverence and enthusiasm as we talk about the likes of Peter Straub, Stephen King and Ramsey Campbell.
So check it.
May 20, 2012
A lot if this wasn't to my interests, but when Files scores she really knocks it out of the park.
December 30, 2014
Reminiscent of Poppy Z Brite, Koja and Kiernan. A multi-sensory, lyrical writer of the grotesque and erotic and the terrible across many periods of history. Impressed.
September 4, 2023
This was very good
May 14, 2019
Very good read.
Nigredo was good.
Ring of Fire was lovely.
The Guided Tour was also lovely and kind of unexpected.
Year Zero was very fancy and a bit much for me. Good, but a bit too much.
Flare was lovely and perfect.
Bottle of Smoke was good.
Fly-By-Night was good.
In the Poor Girl Taken by Surprise was good and I liked it a lot.
A Single Shadow Make was good.
Beyond the Forest was good.
Sent Down was ok? It didn't do much for me.
The Kindly Ones was fantastic and horrifying.
By the Mark was good, but I wanted more.
The Emperor's Old Bones was good. And pretty horrifying. .
THe Narrow World
Nigredo was good.
Ring of Fire was lovely.
The Guided Tour was also lovely and kind of unexpected.
Year Zero was very fancy and a bit much for me. Good, but a bit too much.
Flare was lovely and perfect.
Bottle of Smoke was good.
Fly-By-Night was good.
In the Poor Girl Taken by Surprise was good and I liked it a lot.
A Single Shadow Make was good.
Beyond the Forest was good.
Sent Down was ok? It didn't do much for me.
The Kindly Ones was fantastic and horrifying.
By the Mark was good, but I wanted more.
The Emperor's Old Bones was good. And pretty horrifying. .
THe Narrow World
January 25, 2021
REVIEWED: The Worm in Every Heart
WRITTEN BY: Gemma Files
PUBLISHED: Nov., 2004 by Prime Books
Stellar second collection of fiction tales by a longtime champion of the weird and macabre. Including fifteen short stories, the subjects range from dark takes of the realms of cruel fairies, and crueler fairy tales; war-torn cannibalistic refugees; military experiments gone loose; mythology; obsession, and more, all written in an elegant and literary fortitude that is found in very few authors who can blend visceral horror and beauty of the world.
WRITTEN BY: Gemma Files
PUBLISHED: Nov., 2004 by Prime Books
Stellar second collection of fiction tales by a longtime champion of the weird and macabre. Including fifteen short stories, the subjects range from dark takes of the realms of cruel fairies, and crueler fairy tales; war-torn cannibalistic refugees; military experiments gone loose; mythology; obsession, and more, all written in an elegant and literary fortitude that is found in very few authors who can blend visceral horror and beauty of the world.
December 27, 2007
Gemma Files wields her language like a scalpel. This collection of horror stories is immaculately constructed. The horror most often comes from very human characters who populate her stories, and not from the terrors that surround them.
March 1, 2008
GORGEOUS. If you can ever find it, buy it, you won't be disappointed.
July 8, 2022
Not everything here worked for me, but what did, REALLY did. And “The Emperor’s Old Bones” is hands-down one of the best short stories I’ve ever read.
February 14, 2025
Gemma Files presents a collection of horror stories, generally featuring a historically grim era--or sometimes a grim situation--and adding a monstrous twist that demonstrates, yes, things can indeed get worse.
I liked this collection a lot, though it's a bit more liking it in theory than in practice. And honestly, I think the fault is in me, not the stories. I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm not very good at reading short story collections. The individual story goes fine, but to properly digest an organized collection requires a specific pacing that isn't too slow--or you forget any resonance between stories--or too fast, as the stories would get lost in a blur. Because of the circumstances of my life when reading this particular collection, I kind of swung back and forth between too fast and too slow, and I think the overall appreciation suffered. It balanced out by the final stories, and I think they were my favourite.
Let's talk about the stories. There are seventeen spread over 300+ pages, so these aren't short works. The first story "Nigredo" is set in Warsaw during World War II, as a Jewish woman evades Nazis in the Warsaw catacombs, and unearths a monster with Christian intentions. "Ring of Fire" takes place in 1857 India, in which a monstrous British man encounters a rhakshasa, and they both come to understand monstrosity a bit more. In "The Guided Tour," a serial killer accidentally approaches someone who can't be killed. "Year Zero" is about the French Revolution, and a man who tries to fight for justice, but can't escape his own thirsts or his enemies'. (I'll admit, I had a lot of trouble with the time jumps in this one!) In "Flare," a female pyromaniac makes her way through her own noir story, eager to unleash the flames in her on the organized crime elements that betrayed her. "Bottle of Smoke" jumps back and forth between an aunt and her inheriting niece, both lesbians disowned from their family who find a temporary and enormously powerful release in a djinn. In "Fly-By-Night," a mentally ill former soldier realizes that the new patient at the hospital is a vampire, and no one there will believe her. "In the Poor Girl Taken by Surprise," a tavern full of people attack a pair of innocent girls, and then the fur begins to fly. "A Single Shadow Make" is a Frankenstein story, with the man and monster locked in a cycle of loathing and lust. "Beyond the Forest" is about a woman who married the wrong lord, and she must decide whether she serves her people or what she's become. "Sent Down" is kind of reminiscent of "Ring of Fire," but instead of a British man in India, it's a Roman soldier stuck in an unruly, surly conquered Britain and, in one of the story's more cosmic horror type stories, he's punished appropriately for his actions. In "The Kindly Ones" an old woman is made to account for her behaviour to her daughter, by beings who specialize in such accounting. In "By the Mark," a girl bullied at school and receiving worse at home comes into her power as a witch. "The Emperor's Old Bones" is about a cycle of grooming in the name of staying out of the grasp of death, whatever the price. And the novella-length "The Narrow World" is about a magician who used to care, but took very specific steps so he doesn't have to do that anymore.
Roughly speaking, then, the stories are all about people in dire straits or terrible settings, or both, and then things take a turn even worse when some sort of supernatural being is introduced. For whatever reason, I had some trouble parsing "Year Zero," (and a little in parts of "The Narrow World," but I really enjoyed that one). But everything else was very strong, and I began to appreciate them even more as it went on--everything in the second half is particularly strong. "A Single Shadow Make" is particularly chilling, as the Frankenstein equivalent finds himself trapped in a kind of incestual cycle. And I loved the atmosphere in "Sent Down." Files has a lot of queerness in these stories too, generally in ways that fit the story and add a bit of misery to the characters, particularly the ones in eras or places where they can't express their desires. There's an afterword which gives a bit of authorial reflection on each story, which is always nice to see, and not for nothing, the collection's title is a great one for a horror collection. I wasn't totally in the right frame of mind to fully appreciate this book, but I at least was cognizant enough to recognize its strengths.
I liked this collection a lot, though it's a bit more liking it in theory than in practice. And honestly, I think the fault is in me, not the stories. I'm coming to the conclusion that I'm not very good at reading short story collections. The individual story goes fine, but to properly digest an organized collection requires a specific pacing that isn't too slow--or you forget any resonance between stories--or too fast, as the stories would get lost in a blur. Because of the circumstances of my life when reading this particular collection, I kind of swung back and forth between too fast and too slow, and I think the overall appreciation suffered. It balanced out by the final stories, and I think they were my favourite.
Let's talk about the stories. There are seventeen spread over 300+ pages, so these aren't short works. The first story "Nigredo" is set in Warsaw during World War II, as a Jewish woman evades Nazis in the Warsaw catacombs, and unearths a monster with Christian intentions. "Ring of Fire" takes place in 1857 India, in which a monstrous British man encounters a rhakshasa, and they both come to understand monstrosity a bit more. In "The Guided Tour," a serial killer accidentally approaches someone who can't be killed. "Year Zero" is about the French Revolution, and a man who tries to fight for justice, but can't escape his own thirsts or his enemies'. (I'll admit, I had a lot of trouble with the time jumps in this one!) In "Flare," a female pyromaniac makes her way through her own noir story, eager to unleash the flames in her on the organized crime elements that betrayed her. "Bottle of Smoke" jumps back and forth between an aunt and her inheriting niece, both lesbians disowned from their family who find a temporary and enormously powerful release in a djinn. In "Fly-By-Night," a mentally ill former soldier realizes that the new patient at the hospital is a vampire, and no one there will believe her. "In the Poor Girl Taken by Surprise," a tavern full of people attack a pair of innocent girls, and then the fur begins to fly. "A Single Shadow Make" is a Frankenstein story, with the man and monster locked in a cycle of loathing and lust. "Beyond the Forest" is about a woman who married the wrong lord, and she must decide whether she serves her people or what she's become. "Sent Down" is kind of reminiscent of "Ring of Fire," but instead of a British man in India, it's a Roman soldier stuck in an unruly, surly conquered Britain and, in one of the story's more cosmic horror type stories, he's punished appropriately for his actions. In "The Kindly Ones" an old woman is made to account for her behaviour to her daughter, by beings who specialize in such accounting. In "By the Mark," a girl bullied at school and receiving worse at home comes into her power as a witch. "The Emperor's Old Bones" is about a cycle of grooming in the name of staying out of the grasp of death, whatever the price. And the novella-length "The Narrow World" is about a magician who used to care, but took very specific steps so he doesn't have to do that anymore.
Roughly speaking, then, the stories are all about people in dire straits or terrible settings, or both, and then things take a turn even worse when some sort of supernatural being is introduced. For whatever reason, I had some trouble parsing "Year Zero," (and a little in parts of "The Narrow World," but I really enjoyed that one). But everything else was very strong, and I began to appreciate them even more as it went on--everything in the second half is particularly strong. "A Single Shadow Make" is particularly chilling, as the Frankenstein equivalent finds himself trapped in a kind of incestual cycle. And I loved the atmosphere in "Sent Down." Files has a lot of queerness in these stories too, generally in ways that fit the story and add a bit of misery to the characters, particularly the ones in eras or places where they can't express their desires. There's an afterword which gives a bit of authorial reflection on each story, which is always nice to see, and not for nothing, the collection's title is a great one for a horror collection. I wasn't totally in the right frame of mind to fully appreciate this book, but I at least was cognizant enough to recognize its strengths.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2024
Gemma Files has this super unique writing style that I'm totally into. The way she does horror is so crazy, it's not like in-your-face scary, but more like this creeping feeling down your spine that you can't shake.
I'd read a few stories from this collection before, but I was stoked to finally sit down and read the whole thing. There are some really great stories in there. Each one has its own vibe, which can be a hit or miss with collections, but this one totally hit the spot for me.
The story that really stood out for me was "The Emperor's Old Bones." There's just something about that one that stuck with me. The first time I read it, and even more so the second time.
I'd read a few stories from this collection before, but I was stoked to finally sit down and read the whole thing. There are some really great stories in there. Each one has its own vibe, which can be a hit or miss with collections, but this one totally hit the spot for me.
The story that really stood out for me was "The Emperor's Old Bones." There's just something about that one that stuck with me. The first time I read it, and even more so the second time.
May 20, 2021
I picked this up because it includes The Emperor's Old Bones, which definitely deserves its awards. I recommend reading that story (I found it free online!) because it's a really good representation of the kind of horror you'll find in this collection. It's also my favorite story of the bunch, but there are several that are almost as good. You'll find classic monsters and retellings inside, but this is brutal supernatural horror, grotesque and erotic. If I was more a fan of the latter I might have given this 5 stars, so that's purely just my personal taste. If you like disturbing sex, this is the book for you.
Other than Old Bones, my favorite stories were: Ring of Fire, The Guided Tour, Flare, In The Poor Girl Taken By Surprise
Other than Old Bones, my favorite stories were: Ring of Fire, The Guided Tour, Flare, In The Poor Girl Taken By Surprise
October 8, 2024
This is the author's 2nd collection, and 2nd larger scale publication. It contains 2 stories I really, really like ("Nigredo," and "The Emperor's Old Bones") which remain among the harder-hitting things I've read. Particularly the 2nd one, but the first is no slouch. There are also A LOT of sexual/gore tropes scattered freely throughout, many from a female or feminine perspective, if that's what you're looking for. Overall, this batch of stories leans more on Files' familiarity with mythology than the first one did, and a little less on the urban noir mood. But there's nothing compromised about the tone or the themes. This lady does not really do cheerful or upbeat. But she's a very good writer and an interesting thinker, and some of her stories are too good to forget. Unfortunately.
March 4, 2024
Another amazing collection by Gemma Files that was available through the Audible Plus program. After listening to this and the prior collection, Kissing Carrion have led me to believe I have been missing out on her work for far too long. Now I must buy all her books to add to my physical library though that is not an indication of the quality of narration on either books part. Both are amazingly cast with readers that truly embody the characters and stories that they are responsible for. Both collections have been an amazing reading experience for me and have led me to believe that yes, I am a fan of extreme horror but only when it is done right.
June 25, 2024
Although not all of the stories in this collection are my cup of tea, it is extremely well written. But even the stories that weren't my favourites had rich characters and disturbing moments of horror. Regardless of whether or not I liked a story, the audiobook was exceptionally well cast; each narrator was perfectly suited for the story they told. And I also appreciated the variety of monsters and points of view. My favourite stories in this collection are "Bottle of Smoke", "In the Poor Girl Taken by Surprise", "A Single Shadow Make", and "The Kindly Ones". Despite my mixed feelings on this collection, I'm looking forward to reading more of Files' work.
3.5
3.5
February 25, 2024
My full video review can be found here: https://youtu.be/nEO-EavGSpo?si=GXcwB...
Like all collections and anthologies, you will find some that you really love, many that are just okay and maybe even some that you hate. I found that to be true here. I think “Bottle of Smoke” was my favorite of all the stories. But what you find in all of these stories is excellent writing. Worth your time.
Like all collections and anthologies, you will find some that you really love, many that are just okay and maybe even some that you hate. I found that to be true here. I think “Bottle of Smoke” was my favorite of all the stories. But what you find in all of these stories is excellent writing. Worth your time.
August 26, 2022
Many reviewers have praised and described Gemma Files's writing better than I ever could. Suffice to say she is a deity in the horror genre. There isn't much left of hers that I haven't read, and I did it in reverse, starting with her latest (Experimental FIlm) and working my way backwards, quite unintentionally.
December 29, 2021
What impressed me most is the breadth of Files' vision here, taking us from India in the 1800s to Roman-occupied Briton to WII (for my favorite story, a riff on "Empire of the Sun"). Can't wait to get to her next collection.
February 29, 2024
I almost abandoned this. A few interesting and creepy stories, but so much of the horror here relies on the shock of explicit content and gore. I can see why others might like this, but it's not my kind of horror.
Read
September 29, 2016This collection just gets better and better, though I skimmed a couple, other stories like Bottle of Smoke, The Kindly Ones and By the Mark are outstanding and make me want to read more by Files.
December 24, 2019
Strong language-based short stories in the horror and grotesque tradition.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews