Horror is not my favorite genre but it's also not my least favorite. With that said, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of horror stories. I think this is an excellent example of the diversity of horror. The stories in this collection are not all gruesome and gory, but some are. The stories in this collection aren't all suspenseful, nail-biting, and causing you to look over your shoulder, but some are. I think what's so great about this collection is that it uses all the different elements that make horror great in a subtle way. I think the greatest achievement of this collection is that after you read it, it sticks with you, which is a sign of great writing.
There are three very different, yet in some ways, similar stories in this collection. Each story deals with some element of dread, death, and possibly afterlife. The first story, A Slow Burn, is probably my favorite of the three. The title is perfect because there is a slowness to the story that helps build up to what ultimately is something that either makes you feel satisfied at the end or makes you feel totally bummed out but in the best possible way.
The next story in the collection, for me, was the hardest to read. For that reason, I'd like to offer a trigger warning. I think this is a great story and would normally recommend it to anyone but considering the losses and state of our times,
**I would say that anyone dealing with depression may want to pass on this one until they're in a better place.**
That's the one thing about horror that most people don't take into consideration; it's about fear. Fear isn't always something physical; sometimes it's psychological, mental, and emotional and sometimes that's the scariest kind of fear there is. Rossa and Bella's Journal of Decline, is such a wonderfully scary story, that it will be with me for the next few months.
The last story in this collection, The Dead Party is hilarious and scary too. Many people argue that if a story is funny, it can't also be scary and vice versa. I don't believe that. A lot of times the things that we find humorous are only funny because they're such a reflection of reality. We've all heard the saying “it's funny because it's true.” Obviously, this is a fictional tale, it's a bit of dark sci-fantasy, but it's also extremely funny because it's a reflection of the current times. Even though it's told in a medium that kind of gives you the benefit of the doubt (you can escape and feel like it's not a reflection of reality if you want to) but if you're paying attention, you see clearly the underlying messages.
This is the type of collection that I like to recommend to people simply because I feel like it goes beyond genres. Obviously, if someone does not like horror they probably shouldn't read this, however, if they are like me and are willing to try horror from time to time, they're going to be pleasantly surprised and pleased with this collection. This is smart horror. This is good horror and I recommend it.
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, which has in no way affected my opinion or overall rating.
I think this collection is good for adult readers, anyone who's interested in stories from the UK, and anyone who likes a good horror story no matter where it's from.