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The Apocalyptic Mannequin
Doomsday is here and the earth is suffering with each breath she takes. Whether it’s from the nuclear meltdown, the wrath of the Four Horsemen, a war with technology, or a consequence of our relationship with the planet, humanity is left buried and hiding, our bones exposed, our hearts beating somewhere in our freshly slit throats.
This is a collection that strips away civilization and throws readers into the lives of its survivors. The poems inside are undelivered letters, tear-soaked whispers, and unanswered prayers. They are every worry you’ve had when your electricity went out, and every pit that grew in your stomach watching the news at night. They are tragedy and trauma, but they are also grief and fear, fear of who—or what—lives inside us once everything is taken away.
These pages hold the teeth of monsters against the faded photographs of family and friends, and here, Wytovich is both plague doctor and midwife, both judge and jury, forever searching through severed limbs and exposed wires as she straddles the line evaluating what’s moral versus what’s necessary to survive.
What’s clear though, is that the world is burning and we don’t remember who we are.
So tell me: who will you become when it’s over?
This is a collection that strips away civilization and throws readers into the lives of its survivors. The poems inside are undelivered letters, tear-soaked whispers, and unanswered prayers. They are every worry you’ve had when your electricity went out, and every pit that grew in your stomach watching the news at night. They are tragedy and trauma, but they are also grief and fear, fear of who—or what—lives inside us once everything is taken away.
These pages hold the teeth of monsters against the faded photographs of family and friends, and here, Wytovich is both plague doctor and midwife, both judge and jury, forever searching through severed limbs and exposed wires as she straddles the line evaluating what’s moral versus what’s necessary to survive.
What’s clear though, is that the world is burning and we don’t remember who we are.
So tell me: who will you become when it’s over?
115 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2019
4 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie M. Wytovich
75 books271 followersStephanie M. Wytovich is an American poet, novelist, and essayist. Her work has been featured in magazines and anthologies, such as Weird Tales, Nightmare Magazine, Southwest Review, Year's Best Hardcore Horror: Volume 2, and The Best Horror of the Year: Volumes 8 & 15.
Wytovich is the Poetry Editor for Raw Dog Screaming Press and an adjunct at Western Connecticut State University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Point Park University. She has received the Elizabeth Matchett Stover Memorial Award, the 2021 Ladies of Horror Fiction Writers Grant, and the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for nonfiction writing.
Wytovich is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, an active member of the Horror Writers Association, and a graduate of Seton Hill University’s MFA program for Writing Popular Fiction. She is a two-time Bram Stoker Award-winning poet, and her nonfiction craft book for speculative poetry, Writing Poetry in the Dark, is available from Raw Dog Screaming Press. Readers can pick up her latest project, Howl: An Anthology of Werewolves from Women in Horror, co-edited with Lindy Ryan, now from Black Spot Books.
Follow Wytovich at https://www.stephaniemwytovich.com/ and on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram @SWytovich and @thehauntedbookshelf. You can also sign up for her newsletter at https://stephaniemwytovich.substack.com/.
Wytovich is the Poetry Editor for Raw Dog Screaming Press and an adjunct at Western Connecticut State University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Point Park University. She has received the Elizabeth Matchett Stover Memorial Award, the 2021 Ladies of Horror Fiction Writers Grant, and the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for nonfiction writing.
Wytovich is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, an active member of the Horror Writers Association, and a graduate of Seton Hill University’s MFA program for Writing Popular Fiction. She is a two-time Bram Stoker Award-winning poet, and her nonfiction craft book for speculative poetry, Writing Poetry in the Dark, is available from Raw Dog Screaming Press. Readers can pick up her latest project, Howl: An Anthology of Werewolves from Women in Horror, co-edited with Lindy Ryan, now from Black Spot Books.
Follow Wytovich at https://www.stephaniemwytovich.com/ and on Twitter, Threads, and Instagram @SWytovich and @thehauntedbookshelf. You can also sign up for her newsletter at https://stephaniemwytovich.substack.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 9, 2020
But now in this clearing, now against these odds,
the maiden becomes the mother becomes the crone becomes
the night, and all those left hanging, all those left burned,
will rise and dance in her glory, this the second coming,
the rebirth of Eve.
Having experienced small doses of Wytovich's writing here and there in anthologies I've picked up along the way, I knew I was in for a treat and so I've been meaning to read one of her full works for some time, and I have to say, The Apocalyptic Mannequin did not disappoint!
Horror poetry is in and of itself an unpredictable bag, and I find this to be more and more true, the more of it I read. Often, the horror is mingled with, if not outright buried by, metaphors and commentary, and while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, it was a bit refreshing to pick up a collection that laid on the terror and macabre so thoroughly. (Don't get me wrong, though, there are plenty of poems in this collection that cut deeper than the surface, reminding us that no action is without consequence, and regaling us with the co-morbidities of simply being a woman in our society.)
This is not a collection for weak stomachs, and I found myself unsettled time and time again by the sheer violence and gruesomeness of many of the descriptions (which I mean as the utmost compliment, naturally). If you enjoy horror, poetry, or both combined, I strongly recommend you pick up this collection. If you're one of the handful of people I've seen insinuate that poetry can't be horrific, well... I believe Stephanie M. Wytovich would like to have a few words with you.
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 10, 2019
I'm a relatively new reader of poetry. So I'm prefacing this review with a disclaimer: I don't claim to be any kind of expert in what makes for quality poetry. I just haven't been in the scene long enough to know the language. So this is just more of a sharing with you all my experience engaging with Stephanie's work--and more specifically, APOCALYPTIC MANNEQUIN.
When it comes to poetry, I've only dipped my toe into horror/dark poetry. I know what I like and what I don't like. I don't like poetry that reads too ambiguously or vague--like I'm struggling to get my hands around the meaning or the message and it's too elusive. That kind of poetry makes me feel excluded; either I'm too dimwitted to "get it" or the author doesn't even want me to and in either event, I don't see the point. So I've read a few poetry collections that made me feel this way and I just set them aside. They're not for me.
Stephanie Wytovich's poetry is accessible. I feel like when I'm reading her words, she wants her readers to understand her message. She's intentionally sharing herself in a meaningful, intimate and vulnerable way.
In APOCALYPTIC MANNEQUIN, I picked up on several main ideas that came through the words with power.
Our future is uncertain.
Our actions have lasting, even catastrophic consequences.
"In the end, we are all in this together."--from the author's letter
What we fear the most is ourselves.
We are only as decent as the least of us. Those less fortunate.
The strong will prey on the weak.
The weak will rise up.
What will happen to us if everything just goes to hell?
...
This collection radiates with urgency as bright as a neon sign. It feels like a wake-up call most of the time but the most sobering poems feel like cautionary tales. If we don't do THIS, we will fall victim to THAT.
I wanted to read this collection a little at a time but I ended up just pounding them one after the other like a desperate fool at a bar drowning their sorrows. Misery loves company and some of Stephanie's more naked fears made me feel less alone in my own anxieties. If this world starts sliding off the rails and we need to start banding together for support, I'm already tapping Stephanie to be on my team. I'm going to need a good poet and I choose her.
When it comes to poetry, I've only dipped my toe into horror/dark poetry. I know what I like and what I don't like. I don't like poetry that reads too ambiguously or vague--like I'm struggling to get my hands around the meaning or the message and it's too elusive. That kind of poetry makes me feel excluded; either I'm too dimwitted to "get it" or the author doesn't even want me to and in either event, I don't see the point. So I've read a few poetry collections that made me feel this way and I just set them aside. They're not for me.
Stephanie Wytovich's poetry is accessible. I feel like when I'm reading her words, she wants her readers to understand her message. She's intentionally sharing herself in a meaningful, intimate and vulnerable way.
In APOCALYPTIC MANNEQUIN, I picked up on several main ideas that came through the words with power.
Our future is uncertain.
Our actions have lasting, even catastrophic consequences.
"In the end, we are all in this together."--from the author's letter
What we fear the most is ourselves.
We are only as decent as the least of us. Those less fortunate.
The strong will prey on the weak.
The weak will rise up.
What will happen to us if everything just goes to hell?
...
This collection radiates with urgency as bright as a neon sign. It feels like a wake-up call most of the time but the most sobering poems feel like cautionary tales. If we don't do THIS, we will fall victim to THAT.
I wanted to read this collection a little at a time but I ended up just pounding them one after the other like a desperate fool at a bar drowning their sorrows. Misery loves company and some of Stephanie's more naked fears made me feel less alone in my own anxieties. If this world starts sliding off the rails and we need to start banding together for support, I'm already tapping Stephanie to be on my team. I'm going to need a good poet and I choose her.
January 20, 2020
I haven’t read a lot of poetry in my life. Back in high school my best friend foisted a book of romantic poems on me and all I can remember is that they made me want to cry and it scared me away from poetry for a long while. They were so depressing and sad and they made me hate love for a little bit. Back in the mid 00’s I read a horror poetry chapbook and remember thinking it was okay (but not really my thing) and that’s about as far my knowledge goes. If you’re looking for a poetry expert, I am not your person. But I do know what scares me and this book contained some amazing imagery that will give me nightmares for a long time to come.
Wytovich creates a bleak world devastated by plague, chemicals, ruination and all of the painful truths about humanity that are likely to occur when life as we know it is over forever. It contains beautifully written and frightening visions of an apocalyptic future. Each poem is a little glimpse into a bleak nightmare world.
If I had to pick my favorite line, it would be this one.
“I pray to Lucifer that whatever Hell he’s building, he
Finishes it soon.”
In so few words she gets right to the pain and needless suffering of it all. Love it.
And this one is a close second.:
I am made solely of teeth.
I simply love that imagery.
I refuse to pick a favorite poem because I honestly found something haunting in all of them.
This collection basically scared the shit out of me because I am terrified for the future of the planet we continue to poison and this book didn’t help ease my fears, haha! If you are worried about the state of our world this collection might not make you feel better about that end of it but it may comfort you to know that you are not alone!
Wytovich creates a bleak world devastated by plague, chemicals, ruination and all of the painful truths about humanity that are likely to occur when life as we know it is over forever. It contains beautifully written and frightening visions of an apocalyptic future. Each poem is a little glimpse into a bleak nightmare world.
If I had to pick my favorite line, it would be this one.
“I pray to Lucifer that whatever Hell he’s building, he
Finishes it soon.”
In so few words she gets right to the pain and needless suffering of it all. Love it.
And this one is a close second.:
I am made solely of teeth.
I simply love that imagery.
I refuse to pick a favorite poem because I honestly found something haunting in all of them.
This collection basically scared the shit out of me because I am terrified for the future of the planet we continue to poison and this book didn’t help ease my fears, haha! If you are worried about the state of our world this collection might not make you feel better about that end of it but it may comfort you to know that you are not alone!
September 18, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
“There exists the hardship of weakness.”
What an absolute shame that this is my first experience with Stephanie’s writing.
The Apocalyptic Mannequin is a poetry collection like no other collection I’ve read. It opens with a note from the author, where Wytovich warns us. We’re told about what makes her scared, what brings her terror and then, true to her word, she destroys us with her words, describing time and time again, just what makes her lose sleep at night.
I’m no expert poetry reader and many, many times I’ll find a collection will have a few poems that just go waaaaay over my head. Not with this collection.
I found there was a nice flow between descriptive, longer pieces and shorter, sharper stunning pieces. Every poem makes you think, many will make you read them several times, but Wytovich is writing brutal, beautiful pieces, stories that leap off the pages and implant themselves in your brain.
With a collection of this many amazing poems, it’s near impossible to pick out some to highlight. The ones that really jumped above, personally, for me; Behind the Genetic Reaping, Greetings From the New World, Underland, There’s No Air Left, Without Light, Scavenger and I Bury Them Screaming.
Two poems that I will take the time to highlight, were my two absolute favourites.
To Bear Witness – there is a horrific, sorrow-filled song from the band God Dethroned called ‘Poison Fog.’ It’s from an album of theirs that focuses on World War Two. This poem made me think so much of this song. The visions, the atmosphere, the knowing that nothing will be better. Stunning.
Mounted – wow. When I finished reading this collection, I shared my love of Mounted on Twitter. This poem is maybe 60 words long, possibly a few more than that, but I could write a few thousand words about this poem it was so fantastic. I’ll keep it spoiler-free, but it describes a meeting between a man and an animal in the woods. Brutal, visceral, and has kept me thinking about it since I read it last week.
This collection was superb and I think for people who love poetry or those who are looking for an entry point, this would be a perfect place. I can see why Stephanie has been recommended to me so frequently.
Thank you so much Erin, RDS and Stephanie for letting me check this out! A stellar grouping and a collection that makes me want to explore some of those dark areas of my mind that keep me awake at night.
“There exists the hardship of weakness.”
What an absolute shame that this is my first experience with Stephanie’s writing.
The Apocalyptic Mannequin is a poetry collection like no other collection I’ve read. It opens with a note from the author, where Wytovich warns us. We’re told about what makes her scared, what brings her terror and then, true to her word, she destroys us with her words, describing time and time again, just what makes her lose sleep at night.
I’m no expert poetry reader and many, many times I’ll find a collection will have a few poems that just go waaaaay over my head. Not with this collection.
I found there was a nice flow between descriptive, longer pieces and shorter, sharper stunning pieces. Every poem makes you think, many will make you read them several times, but Wytovich is writing brutal, beautiful pieces, stories that leap off the pages and implant themselves in your brain.
With a collection of this many amazing poems, it’s near impossible to pick out some to highlight. The ones that really jumped above, personally, for me; Behind the Genetic Reaping, Greetings From the New World, Underland, There’s No Air Left, Without Light, Scavenger and I Bury Them Screaming.
Two poems that I will take the time to highlight, were my two absolute favourites.
To Bear Witness – there is a horrific, sorrow-filled song from the band God Dethroned called ‘Poison Fog.’ It’s from an album of theirs that focuses on World War Two. This poem made me think so much of this song. The visions, the atmosphere, the knowing that nothing will be better. Stunning.
Mounted – wow. When I finished reading this collection, I shared my love of Mounted on Twitter. This poem is maybe 60 words long, possibly a few more than that, but I could write a few thousand words about this poem it was so fantastic. I’ll keep it spoiler-free, but it describes a meeting between a man and an animal in the woods. Brutal, visceral, and has kept me thinking about it since I read it last week.
This collection was superb and I think for people who love poetry or those who are looking for an entry point, this would be a perfect place. I can see why Stephanie has been recommended to me so frequently.
Thank you so much Erin, RDS and Stephanie for letting me check this out! A stellar grouping and a collection that makes me want to explore some of those dark areas of my mind that keep me awake at night.
September 25, 2019
There's a reason why I equate the name Stephanie Wytovich with quality horror fiction, and this newest poetry collection cements this for me. In addition to her fiction work, Wytovich teaches higher education, writes blog posts, essays, and just in general finds a way to champion the horror genre. Earlier this year I read and enjoyed her novel The Eighth, so I knew I needed to pick up more of her work.
This collection boasts 90 pieces of horror art ranging in length and style, yet all coming together to lay bare the horrors of a world gone wrong. Of a world that cut a little bit close to reality. This is a hard one to review simply because of the amount of material, so I decided to list my top 21, because I couldn't cull any more from the list.
Behind the Genetic Reaping (Clash, 2017)
Greetings from the New World
When the World Began to Swell
It's in the Rain
Radiation Poisoning and Stale Coffee for Breakfast (Clash, 2017)
To Bear Witness
Plagued
Small Suffocations
The Evacuation Rally
Without Light
When the Snow Falls Black
Madam, Never Mistress
The Second Coming
Underneath Atomic Lake
Cannibalized
Hospital Notes Written on Gauze for My Sores (Literary Hatchet, 2017)
The Manufacturing of Bodies
Still Life with Scars
Corpse Covered Glasses (Sanitarium, 2018)
The Collection Day Saints
Corpse Meditation
These vary in length and all boast what I have come to love most about the shortest form of horror fiction. Every word counts. Sometimes it's slow. Often it's a gut punch. But whether these pieces are insidious or brazen, the result is the same. I am unsettled, entertained, and left thinking. I will be seeking out more from Wytovich in the future.
This collection boasts 90 pieces of horror art ranging in length and style, yet all coming together to lay bare the horrors of a world gone wrong. Of a world that cut a little bit close to reality. This is a hard one to review simply because of the amount of material, so I decided to list my top 21, because I couldn't cull any more from the list.
Behind the Genetic Reaping (Clash, 2017)
Greetings from the New World
When the World Began to Swell
It's in the Rain
Radiation Poisoning and Stale Coffee for Breakfast (Clash, 2017)
To Bear Witness
Plagued
Small Suffocations
The Evacuation Rally
Without Light
When the Snow Falls Black
Madam, Never Mistress
The Second Coming
Underneath Atomic Lake
Cannibalized
Hospital Notes Written on Gauze for My Sores (Literary Hatchet, 2017)
The Manufacturing of Bodies
Still Life with Scars
Corpse Covered Glasses (Sanitarium, 2018)
The Collection Day Saints
Corpse Meditation
These vary in length and all boast what I have come to love most about the shortest form of horror fiction. Every word counts. Sometimes it's slow. Often it's a gut punch. But whether these pieces are insidious or brazen, the result is the same. I am unsettled, entertained, and left thinking. I will be seeking out more from Wytovich in the future.
December 18, 2020
Review to follow...
March 26, 2020
"They'll wrap you up in their apocalyptic charm."
3.5⭐
I want to say upfront that I am not the biggest fan of post-apocalyptic content; however, I was going to read this no matter what because I love Stephanie Wytovich's books, and she's an auto-buy author for me. This was the fourth collection I've read by her, and I'm still working my way through her collection Brothel.
Although I enjoy Stephanie's poetry, I just have a hard time staying invested in post-apocalyptic books. It all starts to feel very repetitive after a while no matter what book or movie it is, but I did like the small insights into different horror experiences in this setting.
My top 5 poems in this collection were Nearsighted in the Mushroom Cloud, Saints Don't Spread Their Legs, The Survival of Fishes, Inside the House of Labor, and Madam, Never Mistress.
3.5⭐
I want to say upfront that I am not the biggest fan of post-apocalyptic content; however, I was going to read this no matter what because I love Stephanie Wytovich's books, and she's an auto-buy author for me. This was the fourth collection I've read by her, and I'm still working my way through her collection Brothel.
Although I enjoy Stephanie's poetry, I just have a hard time staying invested in post-apocalyptic books. It all starts to feel very repetitive after a while no matter what book or movie it is, but I did like the small insights into different horror experiences in this setting.
My top 5 poems in this collection were Nearsighted in the Mushroom Cloud, Saints Don't Spread Their Legs, The Survival of Fishes, Inside the House of Labor, and Madam, Never Mistress.
May 14, 2020
If you've been following my updates for a while, you know I enjoy reading poetry. I especially love reading horror poetry so I was really excited to check out Stephanie Wytovich's latest collection The Apocalyptic Mannequin. Several of the Ladies of Horror Fiction team members had already read and loved it so I had high expectations going into it.
Wow, was this collection timely! I have no idea why I wasn't expecting a book called "The Apocalyptic Mannequin" to be so apocalyptic. It hit me hard in the pandemic feels! I'm pretty sure I've been avoiding the topic of outbreaks and plagues in my entertainment so I'm glad I didn't realize what I was getting myself into when I picked it up. It turned out to be perfect timing, and I loved it!
At roughly 100 poems, there are a lot of flavors of the apocalypse to be had, and they are all terrifying.
One of the most important things I look for in poetry is being able to understand it in a way that I can relate to. I've read a lot of poetry that has left me scratching my head, but Wytovich's poetry is very accessible. There is a reason Stephanie Wytovich is so well loved in the horror community. Her writing is beautiful and it's brutal.
If you are looking for a recommendation on where to start reading poetry or are simply looking for another great collection to pick up, The Apocalyptic Mannequin is on my recommendations list. It's a travesty that I've put off reading Wytovich's poetry collections until now. Since finishing The Apocalyptic Mannequin, I've added four more of her collections to my shelf. I plan to lose myself in each of them over the next few months so stay tuned for my thoughts on those as well.
Wow, was this collection timely! I have no idea why I wasn't expecting a book called "The Apocalyptic Mannequin" to be so apocalyptic. It hit me hard in the pandemic feels! I'm pretty sure I've been avoiding the topic of outbreaks and plagues in my entertainment so I'm glad I didn't realize what I was getting myself into when I picked it up. It turned out to be perfect timing, and I loved it!
At roughly 100 poems, there are a lot of flavors of the apocalypse to be had, and they are all terrifying.
One of the most important things I look for in poetry is being able to understand it in a way that I can relate to. I've read a lot of poetry that has left me scratching my head, but Wytovich's poetry is very accessible. There is a reason Stephanie Wytovich is so well loved in the horror community. Her writing is beautiful and it's brutal.
If you are looking for a recommendation on where to start reading poetry or are simply looking for another great collection to pick up, The Apocalyptic Mannequin is on my recommendations list. It's a travesty that I've put off reading Wytovich's poetry collections until now. Since finishing The Apocalyptic Mannequin, I've added four more of her collections to my shelf. I plan to lose myself in each of them over the next few months so stay tuned for my thoughts on those as well.
October 1, 2019
I don't normally appreciate poetry. I don't know why that is, call it a character flaw. So when I got a copy of Apocalyptic Mannequin for review, I was doubtful that I would like it. However, over several nights I read Stephanie Wytovich's poems and each one had an effect on me. Every word is perfect and intentional. Stephanie Wytovich is an artist at the top of her game. Some of my favorites from this collection are:
.
Greatings From the New World
Cannibalized
Underneath Atomic Lake
When the Snow Falls Black
Warnings in the Suicide Forest
Corpse Meditation
.
But honestly they are all excellent and wonderfully done. I loved it. I may need to read more poetry. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
.
Greatings From the New World
Cannibalized
Underneath Atomic Lake
When the Snow Falls Black
Warnings in the Suicide Forest
Corpse Meditation
.
But honestly they are all excellent and wonderfully done. I loved it. I may need to read more poetry. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
November 19, 2019
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.*
If you've read any of Stephanie Wytovich's previous work, you will know that she will lead you down into a raw, visceral rabbit hole, directing you to her brutal truth, a truth that will make you question your perspective on any given subject she chooses. With Apocalyptic Mannequin, Wytovich takes you into the gaping void of the end of the world. You will experience the anxiety before all hell breaks loose, the terror during, and the horrifying aftermath of her post apocalyptic world.
Apocalyptic Mannequin is a collection of poems that strips away civilization and throws readers into the lives of people experiencing the elusive Four Horseman of the Apocalypse- the end of the world. The poetry consists of unanswered prayers, and undelivered letters. They embody tragedy and trauma, grief and fear. This collection begs the question- what will come of humanity if what gives us our humanity is taken away?
Stephanie Wytovich is now a must buy author for me. Whether you've read her insanely deep and terrific novel, The Eighth- based on Dante's 8 layers of Hell, or her brilliant views on feminism in the sex trade in her poetry collection, Brothel, you will have realized that Wytovich is a master at delving into any subject matter and proceeds to tug on fears you didn't even know you had. She gives your fears a pulse, a heartbeat, and will know doubt make you bleed. Within these poems, the reader will bear witness to their own self destruction from technology, futuristic- hybrid creatures, humanoids and supernatural cults. Here is where the author brings her traumatic and surreal take on the end of the world and introduces you to it.
The author opens her collection by addressing the reader herself. She exposes her own dark fears and what truly terrifies her. While you might not have the same fears as her when starting her poetry, you might come out the other side with those same fears now your own. The author is skilled at finding the reader's triggers- fears that may have been lying dormant inside you- waking them up and exploiting them to the fullest. Wytovich skillfully directs her poetry with extreme intent. The shorter poems are written to shock, while the longer pieces are more detailed and descriptive of the horrors of the impending apocalypse. She holds nothing back, that's not her style. Her words are as blunt as they are beautiful, mesmerizing and harsh, all while being told with a hint of sweet eloquence.
Some of my favorite poems in this 90 piece collective are:
-To Bear Witness- the atmosphere, the imagery- perfection.
- Mounted- an unusual meeting between a man and an animal in a forest. Gut-wrenching, viscous, and visceral.
- A Cathartic Ode to Me- a collection of anxieties that were so accurate, I felt she was writing about me. This is the first poem and she starts off with a punch to the gut. But I expect no less. I didn't enjoy what she was writing, nonetheless, it was the absolute truth, and that can sometimes be a tough pill to swallow.
Within these poems, Stephanie Wytovich's Apocalyptic Mannequin touches on many pivotal points in today's society- our taste for disposibility, the loss of innocence in today's youth, toxic masogany,and the unfortunate list goes on. Wytovich has a way of eliciting intense feelings with her lush prose, digging into your rib cage to expose what might be rotting inside each one of us and to show for all the world to see. She writes with a fervor that begs for complacency to be shoved to the side and gives us hope with a voice that continues to rise to a fever pitch. Whether you are a fan of the topic or not, experiencing the Apocalypse with Wytovich is an experience not to be missed.
If you've read any of Stephanie Wytovich's previous work, you will know that she will lead you down into a raw, visceral rabbit hole, directing you to her brutal truth, a truth that will make you question your perspective on any given subject she chooses. With Apocalyptic Mannequin, Wytovich takes you into the gaping void of the end of the world. You will experience the anxiety before all hell breaks loose, the terror during, and the horrifying aftermath of her post apocalyptic world.
Apocalyptic Mannequin is a collection of poems that strips away civilization and throws readers into the lives of people experiencing the elusive Four Horseman of the Apocalypse- the end of the world. The poetry consists of unanswered prayers, and undelivered letters. They embody tragedy and trauma, grief and fear. This collection begs the question- what will come of humanity if what gives us our humanity is taken away?
Stephanie Wytovich is now a must buy author for me. Whether you've read her insanely deep and terrific novel, The Eighth- based on Dante's 8 layers of Hell, or her brilliant views on feminism in the sex trade in her poetry collection, Brothel, you will have realized that Wytovich is a master at delving into any subject matter and proceeds to tug on fears you didn't even know you had. She gives your fears a pulse, a heartbeat, and will know doubt make you bleed. Within these poems, the reader will bear witness to their own self destruction from technology, futuristic- hybrid creatures, humanoids and supernatural cults. Here is where the author brings her traumatic and surreal take on the end of the world and introduces you to it.
The author opens her collection by addressing the reader herself. She exposes her own dark fears and what truly terrifies her. While you might not have the same fears as her when starting her poetry, you might come out the other side with those same fears now your own. The author is skilled at finding the reader's triggers- fears that may have been lying dormant inside you- waking them up and exploiting them to the fullest. Wytovich skillfully directs her poetry with extreme intent. The shorter poems are written to shock, while the longer pieces are more detailed and descriptive of the horrors of the impending apocalypse. She holds nothing back, that's not her style. Her words are as blunt as they are beautiful, mesmerizing and harsh, all while being told with a hint of sweet eloquence.
Some of my favorite poems in this 90 piece collective are:
-To Bear Witness- the atmosphere, the imagery- perfection.
- Mounted- an unusual meeting between a man and an animal in a forest. Gut-wrenching, viscous, and visceral.
- A Cathartic Ode to Me- a collection of anxieties that were so accurate, I felt she was writing about me. This is the first poem and she starts off with a punch to the gut. But I expect no less. I didn't enjoy what she was writing, nonetheless, it was the absolute truth, and that can sometimes be a tough pill to swallow.
Within these poems, Stephanie Wytovich's Apocalyptic Mannequin touches on many pivotal points in today's society- our taste for disposibility, the loss of innocence in today's youth, toxic masogany,and the unfortunate list goes on. Wytovich has a way of eliciting intense feelings with her lush prose, digging into your rib cage to expose what might be rotting inside each one of us and to show for all the world to see. She writes with a fervor that begs for complacency to be shoved to the side and gives us hope with a voice that continues to rise to a fever pitch. Whether you are a fan of the topic or not, experiencing the Apocalypse with Wytovich is an experience not to be missed.
October 4, 2019
5 stars! Full review to come
September 8, 2020
Stephanie M. Wytovich’s poetry comes to us from the future. She has seen what awaits us all, and it’s a world of gas masks, poison, mushroom clouds, radiated creatures, no breathable air, monsters, slashed throats, and burned cities. Her words are beautifully arranged, but they are poetic wounds. Post-apocalyptic poetry is a glimpse of what’s to come, and what Wytovich shows us in The Apocalyptic Mannequin, her latest collection, isn’t pleasant. However, we keep going back to it the way we’d go back to a gorgeous killer despite the possibility of getting hurt; the way we go back to all our vices despite knowing that road doesn’t lead to long-term happiness.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read Gabino's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
November 14, 2019
This little beauty caught my eye a number of times - the bleak, stark eyes of the cover girl mannequin. It takes me longer to read poetry because I work to make sure my literal mind is processing everything, seeing the hidden messages in each poem. I read many of these aloud and savored them. There are a lot of poems here - I never knew how many shades there were to destruction, but while each is thematically fitting, they cover the gamut of the end of things. Wytovich has a haunting touch with her poetry, and I'm excited to look into her back catelog.
November 4, 2019
Having just finished Hysteria, which was absolutely fantastic, this collection fell a bit flat for me. My review can be read here ---> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1QT
November 25, 2019
I didnt plan to read this all in one night but it was so fun, I couldn't put it down.
March 30, 2022
Maybe this is going to be my year of poetry. I am on this lovely one collection per month track (which is more consistent and more frequent than I used to be) and I am quite enjoying what I am reading. So much that I bought 2 (!) new collections on my last book shopping spree. Aaaand with this introduction I likely jinxed my run (and yes, I am not superstitious but jinxing is real people!).
I had encountered Wytovich's beautiful way with words in Horror anthologies before and just had to get my hands on a collection of hers, "The Apocalyptic Mannequin" was the obvious choice since I love apocalyptic stories and it turns out I also enjoy them in poetry form. Because that's what this book is, a bind up of apocalypses (pretty much always literal but with figurative undertones) written into poems. If I can criticize it a little bit, I have to say that there were maybe a few too many in here. Usually it's a good thing to get more bang for your buck but even though I stretched the reading over several weeks these almost 100 pieces blurred together, so much indeed that it is hard for me to name standouts. But at the same time I loved the doomsday picture this created as a whole. While there are actually different types of apocalypses featured you still feel like you are stuck in this devastated end of days land, there is a coherence and vague connection going down this troubled road. But still, there was also this feeling of repetition that rained so slightly and sourl on my enjoyment.
Having said that, there are worse things than getting too many apocalypses and Wytovich just has some killer lines in here. I mean, just take this one:
"With drowned lungs and dead eyes, we'll emerge from the earth, the tree of knowledge growing in our wombs, for we are the chosen, we are the coven, and this is how we'll remake Eve."
Or this one:
"The air is washed with blood, a red fog that hangs like a dead man's sneeze."
Or this one:
"All these broken necks now the subject of children's ghost stories, the hollowed shadows that still go bump in the night, that still try dig their way out of the hell around them."
And while I maybe craved a bit more subtext to take away personally, I absolutely adored the infected, horrifying disaster vibe of this. And yes, some of these hit differently with Covid around....
3.5* that I very happily round up because it does feel more like a 4* now that I'm done.
These were my favorites:
Eat the Breath of the Apocalypse/ Greetings from the New World/ Viral/ Beneath the Rubble they are Watching/ There's No Air Left/ Remaking Eve/ The Survival of Fishes/ Abandonment/ A Collection of Pomegranate Seeds/ The Mannequin Legs in my Bed/ From Maiden to Monster/ Identification/ Consumption's Footprint/ The Martyrdom of Saints/ I Bury Them Screaming/ Open Casket
I had encountered Wytovich's beautiful way with words in Horror anthologies before and just had to get my hands on a collection of hers, "The Apocalyptic Mannequin" was the obvious choice since I love apocalyptic stories and it turns out I also enjoy them in poetry form. Because that's what this book is, a bind up of apocalypses (pretty much always literal but with figurative undertones) written into poems. If I can criticize it a little bit, I have to say that there were maybe a few too many in here. Usually it's a good thing to get more bang for your buck but even though I stretched the reading over several weeks these almost 100 pieces blurred together, so much indeed that it is hard for me to name standouts. But at the same time I loved the doomsday picture this created as a whole. While there are actually different types of apocalypses featured you still feel like you are stuck in this devastated end of days land, there is a coherence and vague connection going down this troubled road. But still, there was also this feeling of repetition that rained so slightly and sourl on my enjoyment.
Having said that, there are worse things than getting too many apocalypses and Wytovich just has some killer lines in here. I mean, just take this one:
"With drowned lungs and dead eyes, we'll emerge from the earth, the tree of knowledge growing in our wombs, for we are the chosen, we are the coven, and this is how we'll remake Eve."
Or this one:
"The air is washed with blood, a red fog that hangs like a dead man's sneeze."
Or this one:
"All these broken necks now the subject of children's ghost stories, the hollowed shadows that still go bump in the night, that still try dig their way out of the hell around them."
And while I maybe craved a bit more subtext to take away personally, I absolutely adored the infected, horrifying disaster vibe of this. And yes, some of these hit differently with Covid around....
3.5* that I very happily round up because it does feel more like a 4* now that I'm done.
These were my favorites:
Eat the Breath of the Apocalypse/ Greetings from the New World/ Viral/ Beneath the Rubble they are Watching/ There's No Air Left/ Remaking Eve/ The Survival of Fishes/ Abandonment/ A Collection of Pomegranate Seeds/ The Mannequin Legs in my Bed/ From Maiden to Monster/ Identification/ Consumption's Footprint/ The Martyrdom of Saints/ I Bury Them Screaming/ Open Casket
February 6, 2020
THE APOCALYPTIC MANNEQUIN paints a grim future in blood red, biohazard orange, caution tape yellow, pus green, asphyxiation blue, and ozone-layer-dissolving ultraviolet. This collection is not for the weak of heart or stomach.
My favorite poems are as follows: ”Greetings From the New World,” “There’s No Air Left,” “Without Light,” “Remaking Eve,” “Warnings in the Suicide Forest,” “Future Mannequins on Display,” “From the Mouths of Plague-Mongers,” “All Things Poison,” “Marionette Disorder,” “From Maiden to Monster,” “Still a Life with Scars,” “Identification,” “Call Me Haunted,” and “A Masquerade of Reapers.”
This collection is a thorough exploration of all manor of apocalypse. For me this is a solid, four and a half star read, rounded up to five.
My favorite poems are as follows: ”Greetings From the New World,” “There’s No Air Left,” “Without Light,” “Remaking Eve,” “Warnings in the Suicide Forest,” “Future Mannequins on Display,” “From the Mouths of Plague-Mongers,” “All Things Poison,” “Marionette Disorder,” “From Maiden to Monster,” “Still a Life with Scars,” “Identification,” “Call Me Haunted,” and “A Masquerade of Reapers.”
This collection is a thorough exploration of all manor of apocalypse. For me this is a solid, four and a half star read, rounded up to five.
September 30, 2019
I was really excited when I received a paperback copy of this really nice book last week and couldn't wait to read it. I mean, look at that creepy/pretty cover, and the title.
So, as soon as I finished The Institute, I got stuck into it.
There are 90 amazing poems included in this collection. They come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they all share is a surreal and very traumatic quality that sends your mind floating in a river of blood and ash, littered with the bones of the suffering.
I felt the pain and loss in every word. Saw the devastation with every line. And couldn't turn away. The more I read, the more I craved.
The way each poem painted a terrifying picture glowing with radioactive brightness, was only enhanced by the bleak clips that were playing inside my head. I felt like I was inside each poem, so scared of getting trapped, yet not wanting to escape because so much of the destruction was layered with beauty.
The macabre and the lovely twisted together in a way that still haunts me after reading the last word.
Usually, when I read a short story and/or poetry collection, I single out my favourites. I'm not going to do that with this book because, to me, every poem fits together in its own unique way.
The sequence was perfect, and although I know they were individually written and self-contained, my mind totally perceived every end of days fragment as one brilliant masterpiece.
I think horror poetry is definitely something I need to read more of. Not to mention more of Stephanie M. Wytovich's work.
Apocalyptic Mannequin is as disturbing as it is elegant. It made me feel like I was lost in one of my own personal nightmares about the world dying after careless, greedy men choose to destroy the planet rather than admit they were wrong. I felt like I was a kid back in the 80s, constantly scared about the threat of nuclear war becoming our horrid reality. And just like I did then, when I read and watched as many doomsday stories as I could even though my distress was as deep as it was strong, I devoured every bit of this collection with raw terror beating inside my chest.
This truly feels like falling into a nightmare full of awful images told through beautiful words. A nightmare with a broken landscape full of death and ruin, dripping with dreamy and stunning imagery.
I'd like to thank Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy of this book. It's one I will cherish and add to my Keeper Shelf.
So, as soon as I finished The Institute, I got stuck into it.
There are 90 amazing poems included in this collection. They come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing they all share is a surreal and very traumatic quality that sends your mind floating in a river of blood and ash, littered with the bones of the suffering.
I felt the pain and loss in every word. Saw the devastation with every line. And couldn't turn away. The more I read, the more I craved.
The way each poem painted a terrifying picture glowing with radioactive brightness, was only enhanced by the bleak clips that were playing inside my head. I felt like I was inside each poem, so scared of getting trapped, yet not wanting to escape because so much of the destruction was layered with beauty.
The macabre and the lovely twisted together in a way that still haunts me after reading the last word.
Usually, when I read a short story and/or poetry collection, I single out my favourites. I'm not going to do that with this book because, to me, every poem fits together in its own unique way.
The sequence was perfect, and although I know they were individually written and self-contained, my mind totally perceived every end of days fragment as one brilliant masterpiece.
I think horror poetry is definitely something I need to read more of. Not to mention more of Stephanie M. Wytovich's work.
Apocalyptic Mannequin is as disturbing as it is elegant. It made me feel like I was lost in one of my own personal nightmares about the world dying after careless, greedy men choose to destroy the planet rather than admit they were wrong. I felt like I was a kid back in the 80s, constantly scared about the threat of nuclear war becoming our horrid reality. And just like I did then, when I read and watched as many doomsday stories as I could even though my distress was as deep as it was strong, I devoured every bit of this collection with raw terror beating inside my chest.
This truly feels like falling into a nightmare full of awful images told through beautiful words. A nightmare with a broken landscape full of death and ruin, dripping with dreamy and stunning imagery.
I'd like to thank Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy of this book. It's one I will cherish and add to my Keeper Shelf.
October 30, 2019
I consider myself a “newbie” when it comes to reading and reviewing poetry, as most of my reading consists of prose. However, over this past year I’ve ventured into some horror-themed poetry collections. So, when I was offered a copy of The Apocalyptic Mannequin for review, I happily accepted, for two main reasons. Number one: I’ve heard nothing but praise for the author’s work. The second reason was simply to broaden my horizons as a reader and step slightly out of my comfort zone.
Because I’m newer to poetry, I don’t feel completely solid about my opinions when it comes to reviews, but here’s what I can tell you about this collection—the writing is gorgeous and descriptive, even while being centered on such a terrifying topic as the apocalypse. All of the poems, no matter whether short or long in length, conjure up some strong mental imagery for the reader. Stephanie Wytovich does an amazing job of making one truly “see” what they’re reading. Some of the descriptions are so well written that I could nearly taste or feel what she was writing about in that moment.
As usual with collections, I’ve selected my “Top 5” pieces to share with you. In this collection, my favorites are:
“Only What Could Be Carried”
“Abandonment”
“There’s No Air Left”
“Beneath the Rubble, They’re Watching”
“Marionette Disorder”
If you’re a fan of horror-themed poetry, especially apocalyptic horror, I’d recommend this collection. I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.
Note: I received a copy of this collection from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Because I’m newer to poetry, I don’t feel completely solid about my opinions when it comes to reviews, but here’s what I can tell you about this collection—the writing is gorgeous and descriptive, even while being centered on such a terrifying topic as the apocalypse. All of the poems, no matter whether short or long in length, conjure up some strong mental imagery for the reader. Stephanie Wytovich does an amazing job of making one truly “see” what they’re reading. Some of the descriptions are so well written that I could nearly taste or feel what she was writing about in that moment.
As usual with collections, I’ve selected my “Top 5” pieces to share with you. In this collection, my favorites are:
“Only What Could Be Carried”
“Abandonment”
“There’s No Air Left”
“Beneath the Rubble, They’re Watching”
“Marionette Disorder”
If you’re a fan of horror-themed poetry, especially apocalyptic horror, I’d recommend this collection. I’m looking forward to reading more of this author’s work in the future.
Note: I received a copy of this collection from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2019
The Apocalyptic Mannequin is a collection of poetry about the apocalypse, and those who survived. Wytovich attempts to tap into the emotions of survivors with her poetry, creating a cast of characters who explore their fears and pain; however, while there are some really inventive ideas and clever survivor stories in this collection, the majority of the poems ultimately fall short due to craft issues.
Full Review Here: https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Full Review Here: https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
September 12, 2019
Set in a post-apocalyptic world that at times seems all too near, Wytovich’s poems conjure up frighteningly beautiful and uncomfortably prescient imagery. Populated by a cast of unsettling, compelling characters, this collection is one that stuck with me. Definitely recommend!
September 13, 2019
There’s a thrumming pulse and a haunting humidity connecting each poem in this collection. “Warnings In The Suicide Forest” is my favorite.
June 22, 2020
Amazing, delicious, dark poetry. Read my review at my blog: https://finalwomen.blogspot.com/2020/...
April 17, 2020
We’re in the middle of coronovirus social distancing. I’m keeping myself and my family tucked away in our home, and I figured this would be the perfect time to catch on some light reading. Enter The Apocalyptic Mannequin. I’ve had my eye on this collection of poems since it started swirling around social media, and when I got a chance to review it, I jumped at the opportunity. What followed was a heavy experience through the end of days like none other.
Wytovich is a master of horror poetry. Her prose drips off the page with a deep visceral connection to readers. Perhaps it’s because of the current virus, but these poems tugged at my deepest fears and created an eerie landscape of humanity at the end of its reign. This reads much like a warning with strong feminist vibes. Our narrator is plagued by a nuclear disaster which leaves the Earth in ruins and people struggling to find a new way of existence as the power goes out, the survivors become savage, and everyone begins to fend for themselves. The poem that impacted me the most was “Saints Don’t Spread Their Legs.” Here’s a brief excerpt from that piece:
I stopped drinking holy water at fourteen,
told my father that the knives in my back made it hard to sleep,
how the visions in my head brought locusts in my room,
their chirps a reminder that with spread legs and evil thoughts,
my body, my chapel was constantly being watched ( Wytovich 46).
Brilliant, yes?
The structure and composition of the poems read more like a novel, which is great for anyone intimidated by poetry. There’s a familiar storytelling prose connecting each piece and weaving you from start to finish. Once you begin, you won’t be able to set it down. If you’ve never read horror poetry, this is the place to start.
Wytovich is a master of horror poetry. Her prose drips off the page with a deep visceral connection to readers. Perhaps it’s because of the current virus, but these poems tugged at my deepest fears and created an eerie landscape of humanity at the end of its reign. This reads much like a warning with strong feminist vibes. Our narrator is plagued by a nuclear disaster which leaves the Earth in ruins and people struggling to find a new way of existence as the power goes out, the survivors become savage, and everyone begins to fend for themselves. The poem that impacted me the most was “Saints Don’t Spread Their Legs.” Here’s a brief excerpt from that piece:
I stopped drinking holy water at fourteen,
told my father that the knives in my back made it hard to sleep,
how the visions in my head brought locusts in my room,
their chirps a reminder that with spread legs and evil thoughts,
my body, my chapel was constantly being watched ( Wytovich 46).
Brilliant, yes?
The structure and composition of the poems read more like a novel, which is great for anyone intimidated by poetry. There’s a familiar storytelling prose connecting each piece and weaving you from start to finish. Once you begin, you won’t be able to set it down. If you’ve never read horror poetry, this is the place to start.
Read
April 13, 2020The Apocalyptic Mannequin begins with pure fire. Eat the Breath of the Apocalypse is such an intense opening that builds with every stanza and explodes at the bottom of the page. The momentum never really lets up from there.
Wytovich lays about 90 short works in front of us, each one as unflinching as the last. I felt as though I should be taking the time to savor each poem, but I couldn’t. Each vignette, each picture of a world gone to shit and the human reactions and consequences leads seamlessly to the next and the reader is tirelessly dragged along.
One thing that makes this one different than the collection I previously read is the thematic element of the apocalyptic literature. This is approached in a myriad of different ways with the one commonality being rawness. The imagery is incredibly vivid and draws on all the senses. A couple examples…
“Collapsed eyeballs dropped like candle wax on the tables.” – from To Bear Witness
“The first blast popped my ear drum, it’s sound like
gunfire in my head; I didn’t open my eyes for three days,
couldn’t breathe without wondering if that air would be my last,
if the taste of metal would ever leave my mouth.” – from Greetings From the New World
It’s a bleak picture, to be sure, but oddly comforting in commiseration. Part of me would love to share a list of favorites, but it’s not quite that simple. When you read an anthology of short stories, even a themed one, you can recommend preferred stories outside their context. This book, however, is one that begs to be read from cover to cover, and I suspect that you might find it as difficult to stop as I did.
Wytovich lays about 90 short works in front of us, each one as unflinching as the last. I felt as though I should be taking the time to savor each poem, but I couldn’t. Each vignette, each picture of a world gone to shit and the human reactions and consequences leads seamlessly to the next and the reader is tirelessly dragged along.
One thing that makes this one different than the collection I previously read is the thematic element of the apocalyptic literature. This is approached in a myriad of different ways with the one commonality being rawness. The imagery is incredibly vivid and draws on all the senses. A couple examples…
“Collapsed eyeballs dropped like candle wax on the tables.” – from To Bear Witness
“The first blast popped my ear drum, it’s sound like
gunfire in my head; I didn’t open my eyes for three days,
couldn’t breathe without wondering if that air would be my last,
if the taste of metal would ever leave my mouth.” – from Greetings From the New World
It’s a bleak picture, to be sure, but oddly comforting in commiseration. Part of me would love to share a list of favorites, but it’s not quite that simple. When you read an anthology of short stories, even a themed one, you can recommend preferred stories outside their context. This book, however, is one that begs to be read from cover to cover, and I suspect that you might find it as difficult to stop as I did.
December 27, 2019
*** Review copy received from the publisher for review consideration ***
I used to feel (and perhaps still feel a bit) self-conscious about reviewing poetry, because my thought is that I’m generally not good at it or that I’m going to leave out something crucial, and mostly that I’m not going to offer a substantive or long enough review. I challenged myself to change this with the new poetry collection from Stephanie M. Wytovich, Apocalyptic Mannequin. The first poem is a cathartic ode to me, a collection of our collective anxieties rolled up into one, specifically this question of ‘what does it all mean?’ and ‘what will matter in the end?’
Throughout the poems herein, there is a strong undercurrent of desperation, or clawing to survive, of wanting to insulate ourselves from the on-going, non-stop 24/7 cycle of updates, media, internet, and knowing in general.
Wytovich puts her fears of destruction on the page, of everything just burning down despite our best efforts to preserve sanity and normalcy. The ‘apocalyptic’ part of the title permeates throughout each poem, each piece of the stitched together narratives, which reminded me of a quilt-like quality.
The energy and rawness of all of Wytovich’s collections to date courses through the veins of this book, her confrontations of death as vivid as ever, but this time, with a different understanding—an external weight that hangs over all of us, this sickening inevitability, and the reactions of the people in the poems, I felt a deeper sense of gravity and connection.
The visceral, in-your-face-ness of the writing runs strongly through this collection like a raging river, demanding to be looked at and confronted. Rather than it adding to my anxiety, I processed it as a cathartic release of all the fears and pains I hold inside. “Viral” had the simultaneous effect of questioning how parents could do so much harm, while juxtaposing images of comfort, which I found interesting. It’s an affront to the notion that childhood used to seem to safe, the issues plaguing us now and how everything that has had to change as a result having stripped away the innocence.
Illness and decay, the ravages of combustible bodies, and exploring the relief to evaporate rather than face the collective weight of what we have in front of us that grows heavier each day were all fascinating themes that resonated with me. Wytovich also hearkens to the notion of disposability when bodies became corpses, which has sickening relevance even today.
The evocativeness and lush descriptions of her words echoed inside my chest and throat, phrases like “…all those charcoal-kissed butterflies drowning in the open, their wings heavy, weighed down with the arms of night.” Wytovich doesn’t simply write the poems. She paints them on a landscape of darkness that spills inside and throughout the reader’s innermost core.
She also calls to mind the theme of women being under increasing attack. The death threats, the toxic, polluting, overbearing male energy that threatens and causes pain with every step it takes has become a mutated entity we have always feared. It is vicious, deceptive, fast-striking, ruinous, and devastating. On a daily basis, women face this choking down the air of silenced throats, ‘to collect the bones left by angry men from beaten women,’ and how we make it through burial grounds every day whether we like it or not.
One of Wytovich’s most distinctive strengths for me has always been her uncanny ability to take what is pulsing in my chest, in my veins, and in the fiber of my being, and to put it to words. She has the ability to articulate that which I feel and want to speak but cannot. She conjures the strength of collecting women’s energy, of not just being complacent to the status quo. Every attempt to police women’s bodies and being that has gone on far too long is wrapped here in an embroiled, eloquent fury. However, she imbues the reader with bursts of a hopeful, feminine energy that is throbbing, pounding, and rising. This collection is a much-needed beacon of hope, of a collective pooling together of women’s strength, calling on spirits from past and present to help us forge our path.
There are many water-themed poems, even one that focuses on transformation and breathing underwater, of survival. Explorations of aftermath leap off the page toward the halfway point of the collection. Themes of entrapment, of broken reflections, inevitability, loss, no chance to breathe, and reacting purely on adrenaline, flow through the pieces.
Toward the end of the volume, Wytovich features narratives that sliced into the primitive core of my womanhood, putting names to things I dare not speak. She captures so well the nihilistic and self-destructive, self-hating energy, the complexities of wanting to erase that self and contending with the evidence left behind, the scraps of scars. Death, graves, bones and decay feature heavily, as with the author’s other works.
With each successive collection, Wytovich excels in leaps and bounds, suffusing her distinctive energy within each of these books, maintaining the conjured rawness that makes these so uniquely her own and so incredibly meaningful for the reader.
This image gave me much-needed hope: “Beware the consequences of a fire too bright, of sleeping witches woken.” It is putting men on notice, making the statement that we are not going to be doormats and accept the negative actions against us anymore. We have mobilized. You are starting to face consequences, and now have no choice but to be accountable for centuries of getting away with ripping us apart and continuing patriarchy. Although there are still many strides that need to happen, it feels as though there is a momentum now that wasn’t there previously.
If you’re new to Wytovich’s poetry and want to read more, I suggest starting with Mourning Jewelry, Sheet Music to My Acoustic Nightmare, or An Exorcism of Angels. Whatever I have read from her, including the amazing debut novel she released a few years ago, The Eighth, it has always affected me profoundly, and spoken to me on the deepest levels.
I challenge more readers to explore her work, for though it is not easy to confront the themes and images included, it is exhilarating, heart-breaking, and meaningful all at the same time. Wytovich is a witch goddess who weaves together shadows, cobwebs, skulls, and pain. She is more than an author–she is a force of nature overflowing with incredible power.
I used to feel (and perhaps still feel a bit) self-conscious about reviewing poetry, because my thought is that I’m generally not good at it or that I’m going to leave out something crucial, and mostly that I’m not going to offer a substantive or long enough review. I challenged myself to change this with the new poetry collection from Stephanie M. Wytovich, Apocalyptic Mannequin. The first poem is a cathartic ode to me, a collection of our collective anxieties rolled up into one, specifically this question of ‘what does it all mean?’ and ‘what will matter in the end?’
Throughout the poems herein, there is a strong undercurrent of desperation, or clawing to survive, of wanting to insulate ourselves from the on-going, non-stop 24/7 cycle of updates, media, internet, and knowing in general.
Wytovich puts her fears of destruction on the page, of everything just burning down despite our best efforts to preserve sanity and normalcy. The ‘apocalyptic’ part of the title permeates throughout each poem, each piece of the stitched together narratives, which reminded me of a quilt-like quality.
The energy and rawness of all of Wytovich’s collections to date courses through the veins of this book, her confrontations of death as vivid as ever, but this time, with a different understanding—an external weight that hangs over all of us, this sickening inevitability, and the reactions of the people in the poems, I felt a deeper sense of gravity and connection.
The visceral, in-your-face-ness of the writing runs strongly through this collection like a raging river, demanding to be looked at and confronted. Rather than it adding to my anxiety, I processed it as a cathartic release of all the fears and pains I hold inside. “Viral” had the simultaneous effect of questioning how parents could do so much harm, while juxtaposing images of comfort, which I found interesting. It’s an affront to the notion that childhood used to seem to safe, the issues plaguing us now and how everything that has had to change as a result having stripped away the innocence.
Illness and decay, the ravages of combustible bodies, and exploring the relief to evaporate rather than face the collective weight of what we have in front of us that grows heavier each day were all fascinating themes that resonated with me. Wytovich also hearkens to the notion of disposability when bodies became corpses, which has sickening relevance even today.
The evocativeness and lush descriptions of her words echoed inside my chest and throat, phrases like “…all those charcoal-kissed butterflies drowning in the open, their wings heavy, weighed down with the arms of night.” Wytovich doesn’t simply write the poems. She paints them on a landscape of darkness that spills inside and throughout the reader’s innermost core.
She also calls to mind the theme of women being under increasing attack. The death threats, the toxic, polluting, overbearing male energy that threatens and causes pain with every step it takes has become a mutated entity we have always feared. It is vicious, deceptive, fast-striking, ruinous, and devastating. On a daily basis, women face this choking down the air of silenced throats, ‘to collect the bones left by angry men from beaten women,’ and how we make it through burial grounds every day whether we like it or not.
One of Wytovich’s most distinctive strengths for me has always been her uncanny ability to take what is pulsing in my chest, in my veins, and in the fiber of my being, and to put it to words. She has the ability to articulate that which I feel and want to speak but cannot. She conjures the strength of collecting women’s energy, of not just being complacent to the status quo. Every attempt to police women’s bodies and being that has gone on far too long is wrapped here in an embroiled, eloquent fury. However, she imbues the reader with bursts of a hopeful, feminine energy that is throbbing, pounding, and rising. This collection is a much-needed beacon of hope, of a collective pooling together of women’s strength, calling on spirits from past and present to help us forge our path.
There are many water-themed poems, even one that focuses on transformation and breathing underwater, of survival. Explorations of aftermath leap off the page toward the halfway point of the collection. Themes of entrapment, of broken reflections, inevitability, loss, no chance to breathe, and reacting purely on adrenaline, flow through the pieces.
Toward the end of the volume, Wytovich features narratives that sliced into the primitive core of my womanhood, putting names to things I dare not speak. She captures so well the nihilistic and self-destructive, self-hating energy, the complexities of wanting to erase that self and contending with the evidence left behind, the scraps of scars. Death, graves, bones and decay feature heavily, as with the author’s other works.
With each successive collection, Wytovich excels in leaps and bounds, suffusing her distinctive energy within each of these books, maintaining the conjured rawness that makes these so uniquely her own and so incredibly meaningful for the reader.
This image gave me much-needed hope: “Beware the consequences of a fire too bright, of sleeping witches woken.” It is putting men on notice, making the statement that we are not going to be doormats and accept the negative actions against us anymore. We have mobilized. You are starting to face consequences, and now have no choice but to be accountable for centuries of getting away with ripping us apart and continuing patriarchy. Although there are still many strides that need to happen, it feels as though there is a momentum now that wasn’t there previously.
If you’re new to Wytovich’s poetry and want to read more, I suggest starting with Mourning Jewelry, Sheet Music to My Acoustic Nightmare, or An Exorcism of Angels. Whatever I have read from her, including the amazing debut novel she released a few years ago, The Eighth, it has always affected me profoundly, and spoken to me on the deepest levels.
I challenge more readers to explore her work, for though it is not easy to confront the themes and images included, it is exhilarating, heart-breaking, and meaningful all at the same time. Wytovich is a witch goddess who weaves together shadows, cobwebs, skulls, and pain. She is more than an author–she is a force of nature overflowing with incredible power.
December 10, 2020
What's not to love, or dread about this poetry collection. You're taken on a sea of nostalgia, nightmares -both good and bad. There's a sudden, yet familiar feeling that shrouds your mind when reading. It's a rare delicacy that if read in one sitting you might actually gain some awareness. Beautiful and tragic, but isn't that the way of life? The Apocalyptic Mannequin is the meal you need to fill your hunger and your eyes with!
March 11, 2025
I love Wytovich's writing, she's definitely one of my favorite poets nowadays, her blend of horror, feminism, darkness, critical thinking and political compromise is delightful.
In this collection she imagines an apocalyptic world and it feels so close to our reality today that it's surreal. And reading it after Gorman's book heightens the experience. It's an exquisite journey, dark and lush, provocative and seductive at once, touching and thought provoking.
In this collection she imagines an apocalyptic world and it feels so close to our reality today that it's surreal. And reading it after Gorman's book heightens the experience. It's an exquisite journey, dark and lush, provocative and seductive at once, touching and thought provoking.
February 14, 2020
I had never read poetry in the horror genre until I read Wytovich’s A Benediction of Corpses in The collection Miscreations: Gods, Monstrosities & Other Horrors. As soon as I finished that poem I ordered this collection.
Wytovich is a brilliant wordsmith and she just kept knocking my socks off with beautiful and brutal phrases and verses throughout this collection.
A must-have collection.
Wytovich is a brilliant wordsmith and she just kept knocking my socks off with beautiful and brutal phrases and verses throughout this collection.
A must-have collection.
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