Feral: A Short Story

by Gemma Amor

Meet Margot.

She's had enough.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Novella

70 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2024

About the author

I'm a horror fiction author, podcaster, artist and voice actor from Bristol, in the U.K.

I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. My traditionally published debut FULL IMMERSION is out from Angry Robot in September 2022.

Find me at @manylittlewords on Twitter and Insta.

Repped by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Man, that Adam sure does treat his partner nice. I’m not gay, but I’d consider it for a guy like that. Really sets the bar high for men everywhere. So, he is the partner is our lead, Margot, who has become tired of all the upkeep that comes along with being a ‘proper lady’ and decides to stop putting in all the unnecessary effort. And let’s face facts, women are kept at a very high standard socially to always be clean-shaven, dressed to the nines, perfect make up, toned bodies, etc. Men, and I say this with my 38 years of experience as one, can go scruffy, be overweight, wear whatever, burp, fart, make lewd comments, and it’s mostly always overlooked. Double standard, much? Now Margot makes this choice and feels the reverberations of that decision across her job, relationship, and entire life, that is, until she meets the fox. And she takes a deep interest in the animal, evolving into something else… something darker…something…primal. I loved the story. Great use of modern-day culture with, clearly, a ton of hidden messages throughout, leaving you wondering what was and what wasn’t Margot’s possible psychosis. Definitely gets the gears in your mind turning, especially the finale. The only critique that I had was that it moved incredibly quick, and I really wanted more time with our lead. She had so much depth and such an interesting arc, that I just wanted more from it. But she was still written beautifully and even her relationship dynamics with Adam pulled me right in, too. A really great, perfectly unique outing from Gemma Amor.

[John Mauro · Rating 5 out of 5]

My complete review is published at Before We Go Blog.

“When I wake up, I have blood on my teeth and flesh in my mouth and my face is hot, and sticky.”

The five-word blurb for Gemma Amor’s blistering new short story, FERAL, is as fitting as it is succinct: “Meet Margot. She’s had enough.”

The opening scene of FERAL channels Franz Kafka’s classic novella, The Metamorphosis, as Margot awakens in a disoriented state, coming to grips with a bodily transformation:

“Soon I will slough this suffocating flesh off completely, and I do not know what I will be underneath, but that is part of the joy of giving birth to oneself, I suppose: the uncertainty of the new.”

As a schoolgirl, Margot was bullied for her natural body hair and later became obsessed with meeting society’s expectations of femininity:

“I started the war with my body in earnest, and it consumed me.”

Margot’s self-consciousness regarding her body continues into adulthood: she is always careful to present a well-groomed, professional façade, masking her face with makeup and keeping her teeth an unnatural shade of white.

Then one day, Margot had enough. Exhausted by the daily obsession with her physical appearance, she decides to rebel against society’s norms. FERAL follows Margot as she discards her uptight persona and inhibitions, embracing her human body in its most natural state. However, Margot takes her newfound grittiness to an extreme, refusing to bathe or keep herself clean. Margot’s increasingly concerned boyfriend, Adam, genuinely loves her. But he looks on with despair, and perhaps a bit of disgust, as the stench from her unwashed body grows.

Meanwhile, Margot finds new kinship with a neighborhood fox, adopting some of its vulpine behavior:

“My evening foraging habits grew more determined. I began raiding people’s bins when they were left out the night before collection day, sharing any particularly good morsels with the fox, who was loyal to me now she had determined I was a good source of food.”

FERAL dips into zoomorphism as Margot assumes animalistic features, including elongated canine teeth and a heightened sense of smell. In this manner, the story echoes traditional werewolf horror, albeit with a more gradual transformation.

Although it would seem natural to describe FERAL as a story of feminist rage, its themes of freedom and nonconformity are much broader. More than anything, FERAL is a declaration of independence from the often nonsensical expectations that society places on people, especially women.

Through it all, Gemma Amor writes with a savage energy, embracing Margot’s insatiable hunger as she casts aside the inhibitive for a more instinctive existence. Altogether, FERAL is a ferociously good story, and not one I’ll soon forget.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

What starts out as a woman rebelling against societal pressures about how women should look and behave quickly descends into absolute chaos, or does it? Am I bias? Did I think "good for her" several times, maybe, this was great Gemma has a fantastic story telling voice, this was a quick horrifying visceral read, as unnecessary as Margots concerns and worries were they were also relatable and thoughts I've had myself, I think there was a larger theme at play, one of women reclaiming their power, maybe we're all monsters underneath all the makeup and nice clothes, or does society make us feel like one?..

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m going to think about this book every time someone or some social expectation pisses me off.

[Stacy (Gotham City Librarian) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know why I was thinking that this was another holiday horror story, but there is nothing holiday about it. It’s good, though. Amor is pretty reliable when it comes to body horror and strong female protagonists. I appreciated the nods to all the impossible beauty standards that women are expected to reach, and the idea that rejecting them could kickstart a transformation into something both monstrous and powerful.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story, really enjoyed it. Love that book cover!

[Cliff's Dark Gems · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margot is fed up with society and the demands it places on her as a woman. She decides to follow her own path. An excellent story but I was expecting a bit more from the ending.

[👻🎀Emma 🎀👻 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Sidney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Huuuuh??

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ultimately this is a tale of a woman who's had enough and decides to live true to herself. On the surface Margot has it all, a great boyfriend by her side who's loyal loving and accepts her as she, a promising career and great wardrobe, but she longs to free herself from the shackles of conformity and find her real self. Who is she under all the make up and glamour. Who was the woman she would have been without being subjected to societal pressure?

I really enjoyed reading this! All women can relate to the feminine urge of saying to no to the patriarchy. My only criticism is that I wanted more of this tale! I loved Margot but maybe we'll see her again one day!

[Luci · Rating 5 out of 5]

“All the many, variegated parts of my garden were dealt with on rotation, and I felt trapped in a never-ending cycle of maintenance as I attempted to hold back the insidious fingers of age that spread like roots across my face and beyond.”

slight spoilers ahead??? ***************

A woman fed up with all the societal pressures of keeping one’s self beautiful, respectable, worthy even and goes from one extreme of keeping up with these standard to becoming a literal beast, and tbh if I could just turn into some kind of animal or creature fuck I probably would so you know what? GOOD FOR HER. I will say, after reading about her chowing on maggots I was hoping for more details about her ripping apart adam’s killer BUTTTTT over all still good for her, amazing concept, wonderful short read.

[MM Suarez · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My heart yearned for something, yearned to the point of physical pain, but I could not determine what, exactly, I was longing for."

I know one thing for sure that there isn't a woman out there who, hasn't at one time or another resented what Margot described as the "never-ending cycle of maintenance as I attempted to hold back the insidious fingers of age that spread like roots across my face and beyond.", however, this short story takes the idea of reverting to a more natural state of being to some b*tshit crazy extremes! Anyway, the story is weird, very gory, and maybe offensive to some, as for me, I found it weirdly original. Gemma Amor has an interesting imagination.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fox, considering me no threat, got bored watching me and sauntered off, shadow trotting along the road beneath it. I found I envied the creature’s freedom, and wondered where it slept at night. Maybe if I saw it again, I would follow it, and it could teach me something about living.

‘Do you have a plan?’ He asked, calmly. ‘Not really’…‘But you were right. Being there…its killing me slowly from the inside out. It’s so fucking meaningless.’

5/5. Read this if you hate your job.

[Precious · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anytime I read something by Gemma Amor, it becomes an instant favorite & FERAL: A Short Story is no different.

FERAL centers around Margot who follows this idea of what society believes femininity should look like. Hair groomed, makeup on, etc. That is until she finally has had enough. & that’s as far into the plot as I will go.

FERAL gives me all of the “good for her” vibes & I am LIVING for it. The writing is phenomenal; Amor perfectly crafted every single word — the pacing is brilliant, the storytelling is amazing, there is not a single word wasted in this short story.

[Ainihkiwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Specifically now. Yes.
Just. Go feral.

[Michael (Horror Gardener) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The amount of 5 star reads Gemma Amor keeps putting out is getting a little out of hand.

Quite honestly, she is one of the masters of the craft. Emotionally charged, in depth characters put through arcs of turmoil and growth. Never a dull moment.

[Adriana De Jesús Salamán · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I did not connect with this book, I can see how the novella delivers some necessary social commentary on the perceptions and expectations society has regarding women. Even more, I find it comical (in a good way) how the author represents "being fed up": with a primal scream. Reject modernity, embrace feral.

[Jessie Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad I gave this story a shake.

[Reyrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything I have ever felt about the constant performance women have to put on for society is represented in this book. What a relief to have it in words.

[LADY BUGG · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have no clue what I just read.
sat here like " huuuuuuh?" For 5 mins thinking I had truly gone dumb 🤣

[Kevin Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margot has had enough so don't get in her way. I cheered for her the entire length of this short book.

Go Margot!

[Elizabeth Gonzalez-Collazo IG - Shereadswithcoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A threshold has been crossed from which I can never come back.”

This book permeated through the sinews of my brain, my heart and body. While reading. I often found myself relating to the mental and emotional anguish that comes with being well, a woman!
Gemma Amor is exquisite in her writing; she managed to turn a woman fed up with social conventions into a thing of commiserating beauty!

Any woman going through hormonal changes, whether at the start of adolescence or that thin curtain that leads to the next stage in life, knows that none of it is fun. This short story was so visceral and real that I ate it all up!

Fed up with the constant upkeep of being a woman, one who is constantly dealing with “an unruly garden in need of constant tending” Margot slowly goes down the decline. As a woman who constantly needs to be at her best behavior, a well-groomed outward appearance, and womanly/wifely expectations, the message Margot sends is F^%* this S^&T! She’s had enough! How she emerges is triumphant and real and I could not love this character more! Love anything Gemma writes, and this was a 5-star read for me!!! Bring Margot back! 😊

[N.J. Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick fun read. Nice social commentary of the expectations foisted upon women and the desire for freedom.

[The Yeti Reads and Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

You really don't need more of a synopsis than what is provided in the description, "Meet Margot. She's had enough." That pretty much sums it up, and honestly, I don't blame her.

I randomly grabbed this on KU,and I am so glad I did. A solid short story. I have never read Gemmas work before, and I will definitely check more of her titles out. I absolutely recommend checking this one out. I think you'll dig it. I know I did.

4 severed fingers out of 5

[Fran Matteini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I made a TT review about this one... I loved it! I felt all the emotions, the need to go back to a primordial state, the love for our instinct calling us from a remote inner place. A short book with lots of depth written beautifully

[˗ˏˋ mckenna ˎˊ˗ · Rating 4 out of 5]

good for her

[Amber Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted something more out of this. It all felt a bit lacklustre to me. The premise was good, but, I don’t know. It was all a bit ‘meh’.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margot is having a bit of a crisis. She’s got a good job, a sweet boyfriend, and a pretty good life. But none of that is really doing it, and what begins with small rebellions against societal expectations for how women present themselves, soon escalates into a full on Tyler Durden-esque rejection of social norms. In no time, Margot is unemployed, unwashed, and eating rotten food out of garbage cans.

In the world of Feral, Gemma Amor’s stand-alone story, this transformation is a positive thing. Partly, it’s a feminist rejection of the endless primping and sculpting of the female body to make it “presentable,” but it’s something more than that as well.

Feral is a little battle cry for everyone who has stared into the tree line and considered simply walking away from their life, from the world, from the whole crazy experiment known as civilization.

But, of course, this is isn’t quite that kind of story.

There is a tragedy, just as Margot is waffling, standing on the precipice between her old life and the new wilder world she’s uncovered while running wild at night, and Feral transforms suddenly into a revenge narrative. It’s a brutal, nasty little revenge arc, that doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of the story’s first half, but certainly delivers cathartic bloodshed and also cements Margot’s decision for the life she wants to lead.

In the end, Feral is maybe a touch too short to really pull off everything its ambitions first act sets in motion, but for a nasty little tale filled with blood, guts, filth, and body horror that slides into nearly erotic celebration, it’s remains pretty darned satisfying.

[A.D. Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sheer level of pressure that is put upon women to be preened to perfection is insane. Shave everything, wear make-up, dye your hair, have a skincare regime, diet, go the gym, dress a certain way, act a certain way….. exhausting. This novella sums this all up in such a beautiful, and heartbreaking way.
Margot is going through some severe changes for sure, but there’s definitely an aspect of just the weight of being a woman to this story.

This story resonated with me a lot, and I can only imagine what it would be like for a female reader. There’s a lot to be said about the longing to go ‘off the grid’ too!
This was a one sitting read for me, and as is the way with Amor’s work, I myself was feral in my devouring of its pages. Absolutely loved it!