Like You Never Had Wings: Transformations In Horror

by Joe Koch, Kyle Winkler, Charlene Elsby

88 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2024

About the author

Joe Koch writes literary horror and surrealist trash. Their books include THE WINGSPAN OF SEVERED HANDS, CONVULSIVE, INVAGINIES, and THE COUVADE, which received a Shirley Jackson Award nomination in 2019. His short fiction appears in numerous publications such as Vastarien, Southwest Review, PseudoPod, Children of the New Flesh, and The Book of Queer Saints. Joe also co-edited the art horror anthology STORIES OF THE EYE. He/They. Find Joe online at horrorsong.blog and on Twitter @horrorsong.

Reviews

[Lydia Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Like You Never Had Wings" is a collection of three scholarly essays examining the concept of transformation in horror through different theoretical lenses. The collection brings together perspectives from Joe Koch, Kyle Winkler, and Charlene Elsby, each offering unique insights into how transformation functions in horror literature and media. There is, sadly, a lack of a unifying introduction, or conclusion to tie the 3 pieces together. Biographical info about the authors would be welcome.
Koch's essay begins with fairy tales as precursors to modern horror, using "The Frog Prince" as a launching point to discuss how transformation in horror often involves violence and death. The essay explores how trauma is essential to transformation, drawing connections between psychoanalysis, death, and sexual themes in horror. Koch argues that horror's transformative power lies in its ability to force readers to confront uncomfortable truths about existence and mortality.
Winkler's essay introduces the concept of the "shit mirror" - a metaphorical device that reflects distorted but essential truths, but the personal narrative occasionally overshadows the theoretical discussion as Winkler weaves personal narrative about his father's death with theoretical discussions.
Elsby takes a phenomenological approach, examining transformation through the lens of classical philosophy, particularly Aristotelian and Platonic concepts of form (be warned - academic jargon, philosophical analysis). The essay explores how different types of transformation operate in horror, from species-level changes to individual metamorphoses, and what makes these transformations horrific. There is limited discussion of digital-age transformations, body horror and minimal attention to social and cultural contexts of transformation but these are perhaps beyond the scope of this publication and a deliberate exclusion based on focus.
The collection's greatest strength lies in how it transforms our understanding of horror itself, revealing the genre's capacity to reflect profound truths about human experience and consciousness.

[Chanel Chapters]

Literature as autopsy. Horror as philosophy

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slim volume of essays illuminates my favorite aspect of horror - the power of transformation. It's a great doorway into finding more in horror than just a slap and tickle of cheap thrills.

[Möwgli Skräp · Rating 4 out of 5]

some cool things to noodle on 🦋🪰🪲🦇