What do you think?
Rate this book
Femina: A Collection of Dark Fiction
A Collection Of Dark Fiction explores the horror of womanhood. Or, more accurately, the horror of gender norms and societal expectations placed on women. This collection features work that delves into themes of identity, motherhood, sexuality, and isolation. A mix of Kristen Roupenian’s “Cat Person And Other Stories” and Carmen Maria Machado’s “Her Body And Other Stories”, this collection is a blend of psychological, supernatural, and body horror. FEMINA looks at the horror of being a woman in a man’s world.
227 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2022
38 people are currently reading
1234 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Marceau
69 books292 followersCaitlin Marceau is a queer Canadian author and illustrator based in Montreal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing, is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association, and has spoken about genre literature at several Canadian conventions. Her work includes Femina, A Blackness Absolute, and her award-winning novella, This Is Where We Talk Things Out. Her second novella, I’m Having Regrets, and her debut novel, It Wasn’t Supposed To Go Like This, are set for publication in 2024. For more, visit CaitlinMarceau.ca or find her on social media.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
September 11, 2023
What a great collection of stories. I always find it hard to analyze and review a book of short stories, but Marceau’s collective theme made it easy to digest.
Her writing has an overall feel to it (just how any author has their own unique voice); however, there’s a range Marceau creates in each of her stories—one story can simultaneously feel like her style, but the next one feels so different. I really enjoyed the variety. It wasn’t wash and repeat like some collections I’ve read.
This had a little something for everyone: from sci-fi to witches; and from poetry to body horror.
My four favorites and the ones I recommend you read even if you don’t read the whole collection:
Gastric
Llanwey Point
In Utero
Blood and Coffee
Her writing has an overall feel to it (just how any author has their own unique voice); however, there’s a range Marceau creates in each of her stories—one story can simultaneously feel like her style, but the next one feels so different. I really enjoyed the variety. It wasn’t wash and repeat like some collections I’ve read.
This had a little something for everyone: from sci-fi to witches; and from poetry to body horror.
My four favorites and the ones I recommend you read even if you don’t read the whole collection:
Gastric
Llanwey Point
In Utero
Blood and Coffee
December 7, 2023
After reading the novella “This Is Where We Talk Things Out” I immediately needed to read more by this author, and as expected, Femina did not disappoint. This is a collection of short stories that vary from horror, fantasy and sci-fi all told from a women’s perspective. They cover themes of grief, anxiety, frustration, humiliation, true love and so much more. There were lots of unsettling stories and the most frustrating characters that really got under my skin, I wanted to reach into the book and bash some of these antagonists faces in, particularly in the stories “Gastric” and “Blood and Coffee”.
As with any short story collection, there were some stories that stood out more than others. But luckily, the majority were home-runs and that makes Femina a book worth checking out!
There’s no doubt Marceau is a gifted storyteller and if you have yet to read something by her, I highly recommend you do. I’m addicted to her creativity and while this collection was fantastic, it left me eager for more!
📖 My favorites and all 5/5⭐️: Tabula Rasa, Gastric, Splinter, Sticky Sweet, Broken, Blood and Coffee, The Amphitrite, 23 McCormick road.
⚠️CW: Fatphobia, Disordered Eating, Emetophobia, Death of a child.
4.5/5 ⭐️
As with any short story collection, there were some stories that stood out more than others. But luckily, the majority were home-runs and that makes Femina a book worth checking out!
There’s no doubt Marceau is a gifted storyteller and if you have yet to read something by her, I highly recommend you do. I’m addicted to her creativity and while this collection was fantastic, it left me eager for more!
📖 My favorites and all 5/5⭐️: Tabula Rasa, Gastric, Splinter, Sticky Sweet, Broken, Blood and Coffee, The Amphitrite, 23 McCormick road.
⚠️CW: Fatphobia, Disordered Eating, Emetophobia, Death of a child.
4.5/5 ⭐️
April 10, 2023
Oh, we've heard it all before: "Stop being so dramatic." How many times, as a woman, have you had to listen to this moronic statement? 🫠
This book was at the top of my reading list because I appreciated the combination of feminist literature and horror. Caitlin Marceau's writing is smooth, and her stories immediately drew me in! The plots and characters were mostly entertaining!
Overall, Caitlin Marceau's book "Femina" was a good read. Some stories completely failed to engage me, while others sent chills down my spine and yet were able to hit me right in the feels! Check out my individual ratings for all of the stories:
TABULA RASA
⭐️⭐️⭐️
GASTRIC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (freaking loved it)
TEETH
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THE ONLY THING TO FEAR
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LLANWEY POINT
⭐️⭐️⭐️
RAW FOOTAGE FROM THE CUSHING’S MALL
⭐️⭐️
SPLINTER
⭐️
STICKY SWEET
⭐️
BROKEN
⭐️⭐️⭐️
IN UTERO
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
EVERYTHING SHES LOOKING FOR
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LOOP❓
I didn't understand the story's point; if anyone has read it, please clarify.
BLOOD AND COFFEE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Badass,loved it)
THE AMPHITRITE
⭐️⭐️⭐️
MCCORMICK ROAD
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
_______________________________
This book was at the top of my reading list because I appreciated the combination of feminist literature and horror. Caitlin Marceau's writing is smooth, and her stories immediately drew me in! The plots and characters were mostly entertaining!
Overall, Caitlin Marceau's book "Femina" was a good read. Some stories completely failed to engage me, while others sent chills down my spine and yet were able to hit me right in the feels! Check out my individual ratings for all of the stories:
TABULA RASA
⭐️⭐️⭐️
GASTRIC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (freaking loved it)
TEETH
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
THE ONLY THING TO FEAR
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LLANWEY POINT
⭐️⭐️⭐️
RAW FOOTAGE FROM THE CUSHING’S MALL
⭐️⭐️
SPLINTER
⭐️
STICKY SWEET
⭐️
BROKEN
⭐️⭐️⭐️
IN UTERO
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
EVERYTHING SHES LOOKING FOR
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
LOOP❓
I didn't understand the story's point; if anyone has read it, please clarify.
BLOOD AND COFFEE
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Badass,loved it)
THE AMPHITRITE
⭐️⭐️⭐️
MCCORMICK ROAD
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
_______________________________
February 13, 2023
Another winner!
You simply can't go wrong with anything from Caitlin Marceau. FEMINA is the perfect collection of bite sized femme focused horror to dip your toes into.
You simply can't go wrong with anything from Caitlin Marceau. FEMINA is the perfect collection of bite sized femme focused horror to dip your toes into.
January 13, 2023
Want to get your blood boiling? Dismissed, shamed, taken advantage of, under valued, unappreciated, humiliated and frustrated. Women suffer indignation after indignation and it was good to see people get put in their place in this short story collection.
“She hates their conflation of beauty and weight, and how they've weaponized her size to cut at her sense of self-worth.” -Billie in the story Gastric
Of course not all the stories are about demeaning women, Caitlin shows quite a wide variety of sub genres and writing styles in FEMINA with some sci-fi horror, screenplay writing, poetry, playing around with formatting, and a very short and incredibly twisted shocker. I don’t think I could choose a favorite as there were so many exceptional stories.
This collection has solidified Caitlin Marceau as one of my must read authors. Her work is flowing and easily immerses you into the story. She writes solid characters, empathic plots, and settings that have texture and feeling. You are not just in a car in her story but you can hear the engine, feel the vibration of the road and see the dust on the dashboard. Whether it is in a submarine or drinking wine with neighbors, you are not just reading a story, you are with the characters…and sometimes you probably wish you weren’t.
The last story in this collection is called 23 McCormick Road. It is a haunted house story that absolutely made me break out in goosebumps, sent chills down my spine and just creeped me the fuck out. By the end, it was overflowing with emotions.
I’ll leave you with this to sum it all up-
“She feels helpless, something she's never been before, and the realization makes her furious.”-Cassie in the story Tabula Rasa
“She hates their conflation of beauty and weight, and how they've weaponized her size to cut at her sense of self-worth.” -Billie in the story Gastric
Of course not all the stories are about demeaning women, Caitlin shows quite a wide variety of sub genres and writing styles in FEMINA with some sci-fi horror, screenplay writing, poetry, playing around with formatting, and a very short and incredibly twisted shocker. I don’t think I could choose a favorite as there were so many exceptional stories.
This collection has solidified Caitlin Marceau as one of my must read authors. Her work is flowing and easily immerses you into the story. She writes solid characters, empathic plots, and settings that have texture and feeling. You are not just in a car in her story but you can hear the engine, feel the vibration of the road and see the dust on the dashboard. Whether it is in a submarine or drinking wine with neighbors, you are not just reading a story, you are with the characters…and sometimes you probably wish you weren’t.
The last story in this collection is called 23 McCormick Road. It is a haunted house story that absolutely made me break out in goosebumps, sent chills down my spine and just creeped me the fuck out. By the end, it was overflowing with emotions.
I’ll leave you with this to sum it all up-
“She feels helpless, something she's never been before, and the realization makes her furious.”-Cassie in the story Tabula Rasa
April 5, 2023
By far my favorite short story collection
June 2, 2023
So good. Like profoundly good. Def a favorite of 2023. The perfect depiction of the horror in being a woman. Definitely relatable but not in a cheesy contemporary fiction way. Horror, but make it about all the stuff that makes my life as a woman annoying. Favorite short story from the collection was GASTRIC. I felt it in my core and the ending was 💯. This is a Caitlin Marceau fan page from here on out lolllll. Excited to read everything else I have by her!
Read
January 13, 2023I was excited to read Femina but ultimately found that it fell flat. Across the short stories I didn't find a single compelling character, no one I wanted to root foor. The men were all the worst kinds of people, and even the women didn't support each other. It didn't so much explore gender norms and the perils of being a woman, as it did trap the characters via those means. There wasn't anything that created a sense of fear or terror. As a woman I was expecting short stories that evoked the sense of fear that walking alone at night or going to a bar or meeting someone from hinge for a first date can evoke, because although those are all simply enough interactions, they are also ways in which women are brutally murdered.
Part of why I enjoy horror is the sense of suspense, the not knowing what will come next, if something is really happening or not. Something unknown hiding behind the corner, lurking just out of sight, the build up to a reveal. All of these elements are painstakingly lacking in Femina. In Utero was the closest thing this collection had to actual horror and even that lacked any sort of emotional depth.
Other issues I had with it included the lack of likable or relatable characters, typos, and the censoring. How can anything claim to be about the human experience, specifically the women's experience if something as simple as swear words are censored out with asterisks? This collection of stories lacks any sort of intersectional understanding of what it is to be a woman as well. It can be assumed that the women in this collection are all white American as a result of this, although there are no specifications either way.
Being a woman can be bloody and painful and fearful, I was hoping to read this as someone that enjoys feminist lit and horror but found that it fell flat in both areas. I would argue that most episodes of SVU are more scary and telling of the experience of being a woman within America than Femina was.
Overall I found the writing shallow and emotionless and it took everything in me not to DNF this. However I did skim read the last 70 or so pages after another story that failed to be empowering and felt only oppressive and harmful towards women.
Self harm and murder as well as toxic relationships aren’t horror especially as in these stories the women never support each other. The horror behind this is that women are treated exactly like how they are in the real world except for they murder people and cut open their stomachs and turn into trees as a result.
Part of why I enjoy horror is the sense of suspense, the not knowing what will come next, if something is really happening or not. Something unknown hiding behind the corner, lurking just out of sight, the build up to a reveal. All of these elements are painstakingly lacking in Femina. In Utero was the closest thing this collection had to actual horror and even that lacked any sort of emotional depth.
Other issues I had with it included the lack of likable or relatable characters, typos, and the censoring. How can anything claim to be about the human experience, specifically the women's experience if something as simple as swear words are censored out with asterisks? This collection of stories lacks any sort of intersectional understanding of what it is to be a woman as well. It can be assumed that the women in this collection are all white American as a result of this, although there are no specifications either way.
Being a woman can be bloody and painful and fearful, I was hoping to read this as someone that enjoys feminist lit and horror but found that it fell flat in both areas. I would argue that most episodes of SVU are more scary and telling of the experience of being a woman within America than Femina was.
Overall I found the writing shallow and emotionless and it took everything in me not to DNF this. However I did skim read the last 70 or so pages after another story that failed to be empowering and felt only oppressive and harmful towards women.
Self harm and murder as well as toxic relationships aren’t horror especially as in these stories the women never support each other. The horror behind this is that women are treated exactly like how they are in the real world except for they murder people and cut open their stomachs and turn into trees as a result.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2022
I had heard that Caitlin Marceau is an outstanding writer and I have decided that she is. I am blown away with Femina: A Collection of Dark Fiction. This is my first book by Marceau, and I feel I must read more of her stories.
Women are the topic in Femina, a collection of stories and poems. Some give you pause to think and others will have you cringe. The stories contain many concerns and issues women deal with, but that doesn’t mean this book is only catered toward women. There is some subject matter that can relate to everyone. There is revenge, tragedy, guilt, anger, sadness, and closure. A must read for anyone interested in checking Caitlin Marceau’s powerful voice.
Women are the topic in Femina, a collection of stories and poems. Some give you pause to think and others will have you cringe. The stories contain many concerns and issues women deal with, but that doesn’t mean this book is only catered toward women. There is some subject matter that can relate to everyone. There is revenge, tragedy, guilt, anger, sadness, and closure. A must read for anyone interested in checking Caitlin Marceau’s powerful voice.
March 19, 2024
I enjoyed a lot of these stories individually, but the collection as a whole felt a little lackluster. I think there was a lot more “telling” the themes of this book than there were “showing.”
Llanwey Point, Raw Footage From the Cushing’s Mall, In Utero, and Everything She’s Looking For were my favorites.
Blood and Coffee was the story that spoke to me the most…. iykyk
Llanwey Point, Raw Footage From the Cushing’s Mall, In Utero, and Everything She’s Looking For were my favorites.
Blood and Coffee was the story that spoke to me the most…. iykyk
December 8, 2023
At this point, I am just going to read everything Marceau publishes...
June 9, 2024
Femina ist eine Sammlung von Geschichten über Frauen, die sich ihre Selbstbestimmtheit (zurück) erlangen. Die weiblichen Hauptfiguren sind alle sehr gut ausgearbeitet und gehen jeweils eine glaubhafte Entwicklung durch. Jede der Stories konnte mich gut abholen und so habe ich das Buch insgesamt sehr genossen.
Die männlichen Charaktere hat die Autorin (vermutlich bewusst) zumeist sehr eindimensional und austauschbar, fast schon überzeichnet kreiert. Das scheint mir aber zum feministischen Konzept des Buches zu gehören und scheint, wie gesagt Absicht zu sein.
Teilweise sind die Schlussszenen der Stories, nicht zu Beginn, jedoch ab einem Gewissen Punkt etwas vorhersehbar und wenig überraschend. Weil diese Enden aber immer befriedigend und pointiert sind, hat mich das gar nicht weiter gestört.
Für mich eine tolle Sammlung, von einer sehr guten Autorin!
Die männlichen Charaktere hat die Autorin (vermutlich bewusst) zumeist sehr eindimensional und austauschbar, fast schon überzeichnet kreiert. Das scheint mir aber zum feministischen Konzept des Buches zu gehören und scheint, wie gesagt Absicht zu sein.
Teilweise sind die Schlussszenen der Stories, nicht zu Beginn, jedoch ab einem Gewissen Punkt etwas vorhersehbar und wenig überraschend. Weil diese Enden aber immer befriedigend und pointiert sind, hat mich das gar nicht weiter gestört.
Für mich eine tolle Sammlung, von einer sehr guten Autorin!
November 12, 2024
The perfect week for some feminist horror.
January 31, 2025
Now this is female rage done right. Favorites are probably 'Blood and Coffee' and 'Broken'.
May 12, 2024
This is a collection of horror stories with female issues. I absolutely love the last story 23 McCormick street it was a great way to end this book. My other favorite was story number 2: Gastric. That one was hard because I could relate so much to the character, having lived the same issues and struggling. All the stories were well written and I was surprised at how much I like this book (I don’t normally like short stories)
July 17, 2024
Excellent collection of short horror stories that really represent the experience of being a woman in our patriarchal society. Some of these were so difficult to read, but really worth it.
February 14, 2024
4.5 stars…there were a couple I didn’t like, but the rest were great!
December 1, 2024
4.5⭐️ Best collection of short stories I’ve read in a while! From body horror to paranormal and even a little romance, this one had it all.
July 22, 2024
1) Tabula Rasa: 2.5/5
2) Gastric: 3/5
3) Teeth: 3/5
4) The Only Thing to Fear: 2.5/5 (Typo noted)
5) Llanway Point: 3.75/5 (Typo noted)
6) Raw Footage From the Cushing’s Mall: 3/5
7) Splinter: 3.5/5
8) Sticky Sweet: 3/5 (Typo/grammatical errors noted)
9) Broken: 3.75/5
10) In Utero: 3.75/5
11) Everything She’s Looking For: 3.75/5
12) Loop: 2/5
13) Blood and Coffee: 3/5
14) The Amphitrite: 2.5/5
15) 23 McCormick Road: 4/5
Averaged together, my rating would be 3.13, which I am rounding down to a 3. For me, the last story saved this book. (Side note: “Tendrils” is clearly Caitlin Marceau’s favorite word, since she overuses it in every piece of work she puts out, lol.) This wasn’t BAD, but it wasn’t scary and every story was predictable.
2) Gastric: 3/5
3) Teeth: 3/5
4) The Only Thing to Fear: 2.5/5 (Typo noted)
5) Llanway Point: 3.75/5 (Typo noted)
6) Raw Footage From the Cushing’s Mall: 3/5
7) Splinter: 3.5/5
8) Sticky Sweet: 3/5 (Typo/grammatical errors noted)
9) Broken: 3.75/5
10) In Utero: 3.75/5
11) Everything She’s Looking For: 3.75/5
12) Loop: 2/5
13) Blood and Coffee: 3/5
14) The Amphitrite: 2.5/5
15) 23 McCormick Road: 4/5
Averaged together, my rating would be 3.13, which I am rounding down to a 3. For me, the last story saved this book. (Side note: “Tendrils” is clearly Caitlin Marceau’s favorite word, since she overuses it in every piece of work she puts out, lol.) This wasn’t BAD, but it wasn’t scary and every story was predictable.
February 27, 2024
I loved this compilation of short stories by Caitlin Marceau. Her talented way of story telling left me in awe. I was captivated by nearly every single story. I think this was just such an amazing peek into her talented mind. I will absolutely be looking into further works by her.
I don't feel like I can do a good job at reviewing on each and every single story; as some are just too short, and you just have to experience it for yourself. But, I'm going to try and put some of my thoughts about each without being spoilery:
1. Tabula Rasa
This was a strong start with a Sci-Fi setting. Of a ship in space, where a woman wakes up to this confusing reality. Ultimately, I interpreted this as the concept of a woman's decision on how to handle her pain and loss.
2. Gastric
This was actually quite sad for me to read. I could probably dive into a massive discussion on this and all of the multitude of branches this theme brought up for me. It was such an impactful and tragic story of a woman who undergoes surgery to lose weight. She is pressured mainly by her husband to do the surgery. She has a moment of hesitation on the day of surgery, but not only does her husband deny her comfort; but the Doctor applies pressure as well.
Her voice and feelings are continually ignored when she speaks up to those around her. Her husband, the Doctor, and a close friend...no one gives this woman a scrap of human decency to simply listen to her fears and worries. All that seems to matter to those around her is how much "prettier" she's become since the surgery.
Essentially, the story takes a horrifying turn of events that brought me nothing but pure sadness. Because I feel like even though I do not personally struggle with this particular issue...what I can relate to as a woman is "Beauty Standards". These so called standards, can be so isolating and deteriorate one's confidence and ability to love oneself. I felt the anguish in this story due to all of the real life barriers and obstacles in place to feel "acceptably beautiful".
3. Teeth
I'm not going to lie...I think I only half understood this. For me personally, this little one page story will need time to marinate in my mind. And hopefully I might have a deeper understanding or ability to recognize varying interpretations of its meaning.
4. The Only Thing To Fear
This was the cutest freaking story about two friends that belong together. I could probably talk about this story for quite some time. This is a story set in a world of Paranormal elements, focused on a girl in high school who is in this relationship with this guy who doesn't really fit her. If I were to sum this up, I would say it's a story of "finding the courage to follow your heart".
5. Llanwey Point
A really fun story that is based on this married woman, who accompanies her husband to an old hiking trail that he wanted to revisit as an adult. Right away, the Author hints at the husband being a bit self-absorbed and a bit dismissive of his wife's feelings. The more they travel this trail, the more his selfish behavior and motives become clear. Ultimately, the finishing touch of the wife having her big F*CK YOU moment was awesome.
6. Raw Footage From The Cushing's Mall
I could see what the Author was trying to do here...however, I think if I didn't have a good understanding from seeing this act out in films, I would have had an extremely difficult time keeping up with the pacing and layout of the visuals in this story.
There was a typo as well, that in my personal opinion, put a strain on this already ambitious plot. I think if some of the "voices" that were meant to be figments of the imagination/delusions were in italics, it would have been clearer for me personally. This was probably the only story that I didn't jive with completely, only because of the execution.
7. Splinter
Odd, bizarre, possibly a bit Sci-Fi like...and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
8. Sticky Sweet
Short, poetic, bizarre, and I found this to be quite beautiful even if it is macabre.
9. Broken
Tragic. A tragic story where I felt for every character involved. I think this was actually so impressive in how the Author was able to make the Villain understandable and I didn't hate her. I understood her, even while still loving the other two characters ...I could have read a full length novel on this story alone. It was so good!
10. In Utero
11. Everything She's Looking For
This was kind of messed up! I felt sorry for one of the characters. But, I think that was the intent...to show the way of deceit and how in one person's view you're the loser and in the other's you're the victor. It challenges the reader, in my opinion, on how to declare a person's motives as villainous? Or are they just considered strong and "only the strong survive" type of mentality....
12. Loop
A beautiful format and one of my favorites. If a poetic story could have body, this would be one that I would refer to.
13. Blood and Coffee
A completely relatable story in the buildup of pure rage. This was a well painted picture of how a person can slowly split apart until they make that resounding snap.
14. The Amphrite
This was something that made my heart ache and I found it tragic. The way that the Author is able to evoke so much in such a short amount of time, really impressed me. I felt a tremendous amount of sorrow with this tale.
15.23 Mccormick Road
This was such a cool spin on a Hauntedhouse with an ending that I found pleasing. I loved the mystery and all of the visuals that played in my mind.
I am sure that this book may be triggering for some readers...so, I would say be responsible when reading. I however, could not be more impressed with the writing. And I have to thank my dear friend who recommended this book to me. This was quite an incredible collection of this Author's strength as a story teller and evoking emotions with intentional writing.
I don't feel like I can do a good job at reviewing on each and every single story; as some are just too short, and you just have to experience it for yourself. But, I'm going to try and put some of my thoughts about each without being spoilery:
1. Tabula Rasa
This was a strong start with a Sci-Fi setting. Of a ship in space, where a woman wakes up to this confusing reality. Ultimately, I interpreted this as the concept of a woman's decision on how to handle her pain and loss.
2. Gastric
This was actually quite sad for me to read. I could probably dive into a massive discussion on this and all of the multitude of branches this theme brought up for me. It was such an impactful and tragic story of a woman who undergoes surgery to lose weight. She is pressured mainly by her husband to do the surgery. She has a moment of hesitation on the day of surgery, but not only does her husband deny her comfort; but the Doctor applies pressure as well.
Her voice and feelings are continually ignored when she speaks up to those around her. Her husband, the Doctor, and a close friend...no one gives this woman a scrap of human decency to simply listen to her fears and worries. All that seems to matter to those around her is how much "prettier" she's become since the surgery.
Essentially, the story takes a horrifying turn of events that brought me nothing but pure sadness. Because I feel like even though I do not personally struggle with this particular issue...what I can relate to as a woman is "Beauty Standards". These so called standards, can be so isolating and deteriorate one's confidence and ability to love oneself. I felt the anguish in this story due to all of the real life barriers and obstacles in place to feel "acceptably beautiful".
3. Teeth
I'm not going to lie...I think I only half understood this. For me personally, this little one page story will need time to marinate in my mind. And hopefully I might have a deeper understanding or ability to recognize varying interpretations of its meaning.
4. The Only Thing To Fear
This was the cutest freaking story about two friends that belong together. I could probably talk about this story for quite some time. This is a story set in a world of Paranormal elements, focused on a girl in high school who is in this relationship with this guy who doesn't really fit her. If I were to sum this up, I would say it's a story of "finding the courage to follow your heart".
5. Llanwey Point
A really fun story that is based on this married woman, who accompanies her husband to an old hiking trail that he wanted to revisit as an adult. Right away, the Author hints at the husband being a bit self-absorbed and a bit dismissive of his wife's feelings. The more they travel this trail, the more his selfish behavior and motives become clear. Ultimately, the finishing touch of the wife having her big F*CK YOU moment was awesome.
6. Raw Footage From The Cushing's Mall
I could see what the Author was trying to do here...however, I think if I didn't have a good understanding from seeing this act out in films, I would have had an extremely difficult time keeping up with the pacing and layout of the visuals in this story.
There was a typo as well, that in my personal opinion, put a strain on this already ambitious plot. I think if some of the "voices" that were meant to be figments of the imagination/delusions were in italics, it would have been clearer for me personally. This was probably the only story that I didn't jive with completely, only because of the execution.
7. Splinter
Odd, bizarre, possibly a bit Sci-Fi like...and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
8. Sticky Sweet
Short, poetic, bizarre, and I found this to be quite beautiful even if it is macabre.
9. Broken
Tragic. A tragic story where I felt for every character involved. I think this was actually so impressive in how the Author was able to make the Villain understandable and I didn't hate her. I understood her, even while still loving the other two characters ...I could have read a full length novel on this story alone. It was so good!
10. In Utero
11. Everything She's Looking For
This was kind of messed up! I felt sorry for one of the characters. But, I think that was the intent...to show the way of deceit and how in one person's view you're the loser and in the other's you're the victor. It challenges the reader, in my opinion, on how to declare a person's motives as villainous? Or are they just considered strong and "only the strong survive" type of mentality....
12. Loop
A beautiful format and one of my favorites. If a poetic story could have body, this would be one that I would refer to.
13. Blood and Coffee
A completely relatable story in the buildup of pure rage. This was a well painted picture of how a person can slowly split apart until they make that resounding snap.
14. The Amphrite
This was something that made my heart ache and I found it tragic. The way that the Author is able to evoke so much in such a short amount of time, really impressed me. I felt a tremendous amount of sorrow with this tale.
15.23 Mccormick Road
This was such a cool spin on a Hauntedhouse with an ending that I found pleasing. I loved the mystery and all of the visuals that played in my mind.
I am sure that this book may be triggering for some readers...so, I would say be responsible when reading. I however, could not be more impressed with the writing. And I have to thank my dear friend who recommended this book to me. This was quite an incredible collection of this Author's strength as a story teller and evoking emotions with intentional writing.
August 7, 2023
The eternal existential question ‘Who Am I?’ has various answers depending on whose audience we entertain. In our daily lives there’s often a struggle with which facet of our personality to hide or reveal; to our parents, for instance, we show a different side of ourselves than we do to our co-workers, our lovers, our friends. For writers this friction between one’s innermost self and that which we expose to the world at large can provide an unending wellspring of dark inspiration.
Exploding onto the literary horror scene in 2022 with her terrifying examination of a disturbed mother-daughter relationship in the novella This Is Where We Talk Things Out, Canadian author Caitlin Marceau explores those same issues of identity in a way that will satiate anyone ravenous for more of her intense strain of terror fiction in the DarkLit Press release Femina, a captivating collection of fifteen short stories.
‘Tabula Rasa’, the book’s haunting and heart-wrenching future-set opener, follows Cassie, sole surviving crew member of an interstellar flight, as she battles the alien doppelgänger that’s stolen her memories. The pains taken to achieve the perfect smile are turned into a poetic ode in ‘Teeth’. When faltering couple Daniel and Rebecca take a long hike to isolated ‘Llanwey Point’ so that Daniel can discover a long-sought connection to his ancestors, the results are far from what he expected. An alleged transcript of video left behind by a trio of guerrilla YouTubers exploring the interior of an abandoned shopping plaza, ‘Raw Footage From The Cushing’s Mall’ is a chilling entry in the subgenre popularized by The Blair Witch Project. ‘Splinter’ plants a potent dose of body horror, when a woman stuck with a sliver of wood undergoes a most unusual growth spurt.
The collection’s second half kicks off with the similarly-themed short poem, ‘Sticky Sweet’, that shows readers how trees feed. That’s followed by a seat-squirming sewing sequence in the flash fiction piece ‘In Utero’, where a new mother experiences second thoughts after giving birth. In the next story, college gal Ari thinks her new Wiccan girlfriend Mason is ‘Everything She’s Looking For’, but when Mason mystically unlocks Ari’s own spiritual potential, some harsh truths are revealed. Though written long before the Titan deep-sea submersible disaster, ‘The Amphitrite’ gains eerie atmosphere with marine biologist Emilia’s ghostly experiences aboard an underwater research station. And things go bump in the night when married couple Everly and Brooke move into the house at ‘23 McCormick Road’ and must solve the mystery haunting their new abode.
There are several recurring themes woven throughout Femina. The juxtaposition between how women see themselves as opposed to how society views them lies at the beating emotional heart of Marceau’s work, and the multifaceted roles women assume in the modern world are explored in all their intricate, intimate, sometimes messy aspects. The lack of understanding some men have towards women, too, is unflinchingly portrayed; boyfriends, husbands and bosses are by turns selfish, overly-critical, uncaring shapes, content with their position in the patriarchal hierarchy and intent on constraining and controlling feminine will, often with gleefully gory results.
It would be a mistake, however, to assume the protagonists in Femina are cookie cutter ‘final girls’; these are raw, realistic, three-dimensional individuals, imperfect and believably defined more by their humanness than gender, and therein lies the secret strength of Marceau’s prose: male or female, gay or straight, young or old, every reader can relate to the thoughts, feelings, desires and actions present in these stories, and as such, five pieces stand above the rest in their vivid descriptions of loss, life and death.
With the feel of an old-world fairy tale, the tragic ‘Broken’ plumbs the bittersweet consequences of true love, when the rulers of two warring kingdoms unite their nations via the arranged marriage of their eldest children. The brilliant flash fiction entry ‘Loop’ is as fascinating for its experimental visual style as for the mournful story it tells. Aggravated with her immature boyfriend and a boorish, bullying boss, officer-worker Laura finds cathartic release through murder in the darkly comic ‘Blood And Coffee’. And when overweight Billie is goaded into stomach bypass surgery by her fatphobic husband, the dreadful result as her body wastes away culminates with a literal gut-wrenching climax in ‘Gastric’.
Yet the blue ribbon of Marceau’s collection is undoubtedly the high-concept ‘The Only Thing To Fear’. Set in an alternate world where shape-shifting loup-garous are a common, if not accepted, segment of the population, sweet teenager Gwen’s anxiety that she may be afflicted with the monstrous morphing trait compounds the ill-treatment she’s received from her boyfriend. But will she choose to use her newfound animal side for revenge?
If there’s a fault in Femina it’s that the pages pass too quickly. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but with an author of such keen ability an audience wants as much material as it can get. That said, Marceau is at the forefront of a new wave of female indie horror writers, and anyone seeking a quick Tales From The Crypt thrill will find much to love here. Blood gushes, spurts and sprays in a variety of clever, crafty and creative ways, but beneath any mayhem lurks the fascinating, tragic, beautiful and sometimes sad workings of the human soul.
Femina hereby earns a well-earned 4 (out of 5) on my Fang Scale. I can’t wait to see what worlds Marceau creates next.
Exploding onto the literary horror scene in 2022 with her terrifying examination of a disturbed mother-daughter relationship in the novella This Is Where We Talk Things Out, Canadian author Caitlin Marceau explores those same issues of identity in a way that will satiate anyone ravenous for more of her intense strain of terror fiction in the DarkLit Press release Femina, a captivating collection of fifteen short stories.
‘Tabula Rasa’, the book’s haunting and heart-wrenching future-set opener, follows Cassie, sole surviving crew member of an interstellar flight, as she battles the alien doppelgänger that’s stolen her memories. The pains taken to achieve the perfect smile are turned into a poetic ode in ‘Teeth’. When faltering couple Daniel and Rebecca take a long hike to isolated ‘Llanwey Point’ so that Daniel can discover a long-sought connection to his ancestors, the results are far from what he expected. An alleged transcript of video left behind by a trio of guerrilla YouTubers exploring the interior of an abandoned shopping plaza, ‘Raw Footage From The Cushing’s Mall’ is a chilling entry in the subgenre popularized by The Blair Witch Project. ‘Splinter’ plants a potent dose of body horror, when a woman stuck with a sliver of wood undergoes a most unusual growth spurt.
The collection’s second half kicks off with the similarly-themed short poem, ‘Sticky Sweet’, that shows readers how trees feed. That’s followed by a seat-squirming sewing sequence in the flash fiction piece ‘In Utero’, where a new mother experiences second thoughts after giving birth. In the next story, college gal Ari thinks her new Wiccan girlfriend Mason is ‘Everything She’s Looking For’, but when Mason mystically unlocks Ari’s own spiritual potential, some harsh truths are revealed. Though written long before the Titan deep-sea submersible disaster, ‘The Amphitrite’ gains eerie atmosphere with marine biologist Emilia’s ghostly experiences aboard an underwater research station. And things go bump in the night when married couple Everly and Brooke move into the house at ‘23 McCormick Road’ and must solve the mystery haunting their new abode.
There are several recurring themes woven throughout Femina. The juxtaposition between how women see themselves as opposed to how society views them lies at the beating emotional heart of Marceau’s work, and the multifaceted roles women assume in the modern world are explored in all their intricate, intimate, sometimes messy aspects. The lack of understanding some men have towards women, too, is unflinchingly portrayed; boyfriends, husbands and bosses are by turns selfish, overly-critical, uncaring shapes, content with their position in the patriarchal hierarchy and intent on constraining and controlling feminine will, often with gleefully gory results.
It would be a mistake, however, to assume the protagonists in Femina are cookie cutter ‘final girls’; these are raw, realistic, three-dimensional individuals, imperfect and believably defined more by their humanness than gender, and therein lies the secret strength of Marceau’s prose: male or female, gay or straight, young or old, every reader can relate to the thoughts, feelings, desires and actions present in these stories, and as such, five pieces stand above the rest in their vivid descriptions of loss, life and death.
With the feel of an old-world fairy tale, the tragic ‘Broken’ plumbs the bittersweet consequences of true love, when the rulers of two warring kingdoms unite their nations via the arranged marriage of their eldest children. The brilliant flash fiction entry ‘Loop’ is as fascinating for its experimental visual style as for the mournful story it tells. Aggravated with her immature boyfriend and a boorish, bullying boss, officer-worker Laura finds cathartic release through murder in the darkly comic ‘Blood And Coffee’. And when overweight Billie is goaded into stomach bypass surgery by her fatphobic husband, the dreadful result as her body wastes away culminates with a literal gut-wrenching climax in ‘Gastric’.
Yet the blue ribbon of Marceau’s collection is undoubtedly the high-concept ‘The Only Thing To Fear’. Set in an alternate world where shape-shifting loup-garous are a common, if not accepted, segment of the population, sweet teenager Gwen’s anxiety that she may be afflicted with the monstrous morphing trait compounds the ill-treatment she’s received from her boyfriend. But will she choose to use her newfound animal side for revenge?
If there’s a fault in Femina it’s that the pages pass too quickly. Brevity may be the soul of wit, but with an author of such keen ability an audience wants as much material as it can get. That said, Marceau is at the forefront of a new wave of female indie horror writers, and anyone seeking a quick Tales From The Crypt thrill will find much to love here. Blood gushes, spurts and sprays in a variety of clever, crafty and creative ways, but beneath any mayhem lurks the fascinating, tragic, beautiful and sometimes sad workings of the human soul.
Femina hereby earns a well-earned 4 (out of 5) on my Fang Scale. I can’t wait to see what worlds Marceau creates next.
January 7, 2024
Giving this a one star simply bc i should have DNFd it. I waited and waited for this collection to get better but it really never did. I loved this authors other work but this one felt shallow when i was expecting a deep plunge into reality horror. There was legit one story I liked from this whole collection and i definitely regret not calling it quits when i first felt the urge to.
1st book I’ve finished in 2024 and im praying this isn’t how my reading year will go lol
1st book I’ve finished in 2024 and im praying this isn’t how my reading year will go lol
February 27, 2023
This collection of short stories reflects on the horrors of being a woman and it was absolutely incredible. Spanning different genres within horror, Marceau expertly expresses various turmoils via horrifying tales while sparking reflection and insight. I absolutely loved this and will continue to read Marceau’s work!
August 10, 2023
if i could i’d give this book 2 1/2 instead of only two.
i liked some chapters but ultimately found it hard to get through the rest, ended up dnf-ing it :/
i liked some chapters but ultimately found it hard to get through the rest, ended up dnf-ing it :/
September 29, 2023
This repetitious, meandering abomination needs more honest reviews.
November 1, 2023
Marceau’s latest collection explores the vulnerabilities and horrors of being a woman in a world often hostile to bodies in general, and women in particular. The pieces vary from short stories and flash fiction to poetry to the found footage story, “RAW Footage from The Cushing’s Mall.” While the whole collection is horror, it covers a wide range of subgenres including science fiction, dark fantasy/fairy tale, body horror, and ghost stories. It’s becoming more common, especially in indie horror, to see this kind of variety in single-author collections, and I enjoy this trend!
One of the major themes Femina explores is the loss of bodily autonomy. Marceau considers this theme and what it means to lose control from many different perspectives, including the loss of memory and selfhood in the opening piece, “Tabula Rasa,” and the loss of control inherent in puberty and the shame which can accompany it in “The Only Thing to Fear” (two of my favorites). These stories force the reader to consider what makes a person themselves, and what it means to lose control of that “self”. Can you take back control after you’ve lost it? And at what cost?
Though love and healthy relationships support some of the protagonists in this collection, unhealthy relationships are at the heart of many of these stories. The theme of love as a redemptive and positive force is turned on its head in “Broken” and “Everything She’s Looking For.”
In “Gastric”, Billie’s husband, Alfie, gaslights her as she undergoes an experimental and dangerous weight loss treatment. People, especially women, are still pressured to conform to superficial and unobtainable beauty standards. Often, the very real harm done to the body is dismissed by doctors as long as the person is losing weight. This story unnerves me more than most in the collection because it feels like it could be true.
Marceau has a gift for writing dialogue that conveys interpersonal tension, backstory, and characterization without slowing down the plot. Even a seemingly innocuous exchange reveals hidden or double meaning. This is especially clear in “Blood and Coffee.” There’s no supernatural threat in this story, but any woman who's found her contributions minimized and herself summarily dismissed at the workplace and at home will feel the microaggressions and sexism in the comments directed at Laura before she snaps. The dialogue is also excellent in “RAW Footage from The Cushing’s Mall,” which is written like a found-footage transcription. The reader can’t help but visualize the characters as they move through the haunted and abandoned Cushing’s Mall.
Femina concludes with “23 McCormick Road”, a ghost story which broke my heart in the best way. When Everly and her wife, Brooke, move into a new house to start their family, Everly’s pregnancy discomforts are compounded by the presence of a ghost. However, Brooke can’t perceive anything supernatural, which makes Everly’s experience more upsetting and isolating as she searches for answers. You can read “23 McCormick Road” for free when you subscribe to Marceau’s newsletter here.
Marceau’s a gifted and prolific writer, and I highly recommend this collection as well as her other work!
March 22, 2025
Femina - A Collection Of Dark Fiction
Tabula Rasa
2 stars - 2 beings left on a ship, a human and a creature that looks like her, has her memories…
Gastric
5 stars - Weight loss surgery goes wrong for one woman. She voices concern after concern only being shut down by multiple people. They just keep pressuring her into wanting to be “prettier and thinner”. Having gastric bypass surgery myself I absolutely loved this story and definitely could relate to the complications that come with it.
Teeth
0 stars - Not sure what the point of this very short story was.
The Only Thing To Fear
3 star - Gwen, a high school student, is humiliated by a boyfriend. She turns into a Lugaru and head out to seek revenge. She runs into a friend who is also a lugaru and more secrets come out.
Llanwey Point
3 stars A couple heads out to Llanwey Point in the middle of nowhere to go camping. He claims he used to go there with his family. There’s an underlying reason that draws the boyfriend there, pulling the gf with him.
He wants to live a different life and he can find it, with his gf a willing partner or not, in the woods. It doesn’t exactly turn out as he planned.
Raw Footage From The Cushing’s Mall
3 stars - this was an interesting story. I would have liked to known more of exactly what was causing all the mysterious happenings.
Splinter
3 star - interesting story of a shrub that causes a splinter. What becomes of that splinter is something much more.
Sticky Sweet
1 star - Very short. Very similar to the concept of Splinter so I wasn’t a fan of listening to this directly after that one.
Broken
2 stars. Wasn’t a fan on this story.
In Utero
3 stars. Definitely weird 1 minutes story. A mother hates being a mom after her baby is born. She does the unimaginable.
Everything She’s Looking For
4 stars. Do you really trust your significant other? Maybe you shouldn’t, maybe the have powers you know nothing about.
Loop
0 stars. Dumb
Blood And Coffee
5 stars!! Loved this one. This was the second best story.
I’m sure almost every woman can relate to the way Laura is in this story.
The Amphitrite
2 stars. To me this had the same vibes as Tabula Rasa.
McCormick Road
5 stars!!!
This was the absolute best story of the book!! I loved everything about it. A couple move into a home and the one woman starts seeing a little boy. Is he really there, who could it be?
Tabula Rasa
2 stars - 2 beings left on a ship, a human and a creature that looks like her, has her memories…
Gastric
5 stars - Weight loss surgery goes wrong for one woman. She voices concern after concern only being shut down by multiple people. They just keep pressuring her into wanting to be “prettier and thinner”. Having gastric bypass surgery myself I absolutely loved this story and definitely could relate to the complications that come with it.
Teeth
0 stars - Not sure what the point of this very short story was.
The Only Thing To Fear
3 star - Gwen, a high school student, is humiliated by a boyfriend. She turns into a Lugaru and head out to seek revenge. She runs into a friend who is also a lugaru and more secrets come out.
Llanwey Point
3 stars A couple heads out to Llanwey Point in the middle of nowhere to go camping. He claims he used to go there with his family. There’s an underlying reason that draws the boyfriend there, pulling the gf with him.
He wants to live a different life and he can find it, with his gf a willing partner or not, in the woods. It doesn’t exactly turn out as he planned.
Raw Footage From The Cushing’s Mall
3 stars - this was an interesting story. I would have liked to known more of exactly what was causing all the mysterious happenings.
Splinter
3 star - interesting story of a shrub that causes a splinter. What becomes of that splinter is something much more.
Sticky Sweet
1 star - Very short. Very similar to the concept of Splinter so I wasn’t a fan of listening to this directly after that one.
Broken
2 stars. Wasn’t a fan on this story.
In Utero
3 stars. Definitely weird 1 minutes story. A mother hates being a mom after her baby is born. She does the unimaginable.
Everything She’s Looking For
4 stars. Do you really trust your significant other? Maybe you shouldn’t, maybe the have powers you know nothing about.
Loop
0 stars. Dumb
Blood And Coffee
5 stars!! Loved this one. This was the second best story.
I’m sure almost every woman can relate to the way Laura is in this story.
The Amphitrite
2 stars. To me this had the same vibes as Tabula Rasa.
McCormick Road
5 stars!!!
This was the absolute best story of the book!! I loved everything about it. A couple move into a home and the one woman starts seeing a little boy. Is he really there, who could it be?
June 14, 2023
Having read the award-winning “This is where we talk things out”, and having had Caitlin frustrate me in the best possible way in that novella, I snatched up both “Femina” and “Palimpsest” to see what she could do in even shorter form, both are collections of her short stories. There’s a lot on offer in Femina, given that there are 15 shorts here, with women MCs up front and in the center of all of the stories.
The longer “short” - Tabula Rasa – straight from the get-go lets the reader know that you’re in good hands and shows the diversity of writing that Caitlin is bringing to the party. Set in deep space, a woman awakes to find herself with worrying memory loss, and at the same time, she is being hunted by something that is desperately trying to be her… It’s a strong start, I don’t think there was any doubt where the short was going to end, but the strength of the story creates exactly the tension you want going into a new collection.
In Utero was a nice addition, short enough to not want to paraphrase here, for fear of spoiling it. Everything she’s looking for was likewise crisp in prose, though again the ending seemed pretty clear to me. Blood and coffee has that frustrating element to it I experienced from reading Caitlin’s “This is where…”, that same feeling of wanting to punch someone on behalf of the character. The ending was as bloody and brutal as I hoped it would be - Caitlin flexing her Gore muscles in the right moment in the right place. 23 McCormick Road – which I believe is a stand-alone novella previously published, reminded me of Shauna McEleney’s Debut, “Awake in the Night”, both having great portrayals of Lesbian marriage relationships. As I said, Character is everything, and Caitlin delivers.
There were some misses in here for me too, a story that felt a bit preachy or another that seemed undefined (which could have been my misinterpretation of the short or that they just left the definition of the “threat” as something better left to your imagination), but the voice, the quality of the writing and Marceau’s commitment to her characters still left me impressed and wanting to read more.
Highlight of the collection? Probably Tabula Rasa – though In Utero gives it a run for its money, in a much shorter run time.
I’m giving this 4 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s, and am looking forward to Palimpsest – coming up soon.
The longer “short” - Tabula Rasa – straight from the get-go lets the reader know that you’re in good hands and shows the diversity of writing that Caitlin is bringing to the party. Set in deep space, a woman awakes to find herself with worrying memory loss, and at the same time, she is being hunted by something that is desperately trying to be her… It’s a strong start, I don’t think there was any doubt where the short was going to end, but the strength of the story creates exactly the tension you want going into a new collection.
In Utero was a nice addition, short enough to not want to paraphrase here, for fear of spoiling it. Everything she’s looking for was likewise crisp in prose, though again the ending seemed pretty clear to me. Blood and coffee has that frustrating element to it I experienced from reading Caitlin’s “This is where…”, that same feeling of wanting to punch someone on behalf of the character. The ending was as bloody and brutal as I hoped it would be - Caitlin flexing her Gore muscles in the right moment in the right place. 23 McCormick Road – which I believe is a stand-alone novella previously published, reminded me of Shauna McEleney’s Debut, “Awake in the Night”, both having great portrayals of Lesbian marriage relationships. As I said, Character is everything, and Caitlin delivers.
There were some misses in here for me too, a story that felt a bit preachy or another that seemed undefined (which could have been my misinterpretation of the short or that they just left the definition of the “threat” as something better left to your imagination), but the voice, the quality of the writing and Marceau’s commitment to her characters still left me impressed and wanting to read more.
Highlight of the collection? Probably Tabula Rasa – though In Utero gives it a run for its money, in a much shorter run time.
I’m giving this 4 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s, and am looking forward to Palimpsest – coming up soon.
January 25, 2023
Oh look here - a fantastic collection of stories from Caitlin Marceau, capturing all of the positive and negative emotions that surround life as a woman. Queer, straight, young, old, every physical shape, literal, metaphorical, you name it and she's included it in this bunch.
There's the horror of being told you're overreacting when you know something is wrong, especially at a doctor's office.
Or maybe you work in a male-dominated field, with a bunch of misogynistic douchebags who assume you aren't capable of anything beyond pouring a cup of coffee and fetching snacks, before going home to another person who treats you the same way.
Tired of everyone telling you how your body should look, and how you should feel about yourself?
In addition to the stories all so accurately conveying the things that are just a normal, terrifying part of life, Caitlin adds in equally eerie haunted houses, ghosts, creatures, claustrophobic vibes, you name it. There's something for everyone in this collection, and yes I'm biased because I adore Caitlin, but if you've read any of her other work, then you know full well how fantastic her writing is!
Be prepared for boiling rage when you feel the same frustration at being ignored because of your body shape, chills when everything clicks and you realize what's happening to the character, and a bizarre (but also understandable) satisfaction when someone gets what's coming to them.
There's the horror of being told you're overreacting when you know something is wrong, especially at a doctor's office.
Or maybe you work in a male-dominated field, with a bunch of misogynistic douchebags who assume you aren't capable of anything beyond pouring a cup of coffee and fetching snacks, before going home to another person who treats you the same way.
Tired of everyone telling you how your body should look, and how you should feel about yourself?
In addition to the stories all so accurately conveying the things that are just a normal, terrifying part of life, Caitlin adds in equally eerie haunted houses, ghosts, creatures, claustrophobic vibes, you name it. There's something for everyone in this collection, and yes I'm biased because I adore Caitlin, but if you've read any of her other work, then you know full well how fantastic her writing is!
Be prepared for boiling rage when you feel the same frustration at being ignored because of your body shape, chills when everything clicks and you realize what's happening to the character, and a bizarre (but also understandable) satisfaction when someone gets what's coming to them.
January 31, 2023
This shuffle of short stories, poems, and the previously released novella 23 McCormick Road underlines why the buzz around Caitlin Marceau is getting louder by the month; she’s the real deal.
The pieces gathered here give you a sense of exactly what skills the author has at her disposal, and there are plenty of them. Potential too - heck, there’s a lot of potential here.
When this collection hits, it absolutely slams. The body horror in both Splinter and the deliciously twisted climax of my personal standout from the whole thing Gastric (like a messed up distant cousin of Stephen King’s Thinner) is superbly done - gorey and shocking, but also serving the stories brilliantly.
These tales aren’t without their share of black comedy too; Llanwey Point and The Only Thing to Fear both made me chuckle, while the final line of Blood and Coffee made me do a real-life laugh out loud, as did the wonderful one-page micro piece In Utero, which my sick brain found hilarious and highly relatable.
Not everything hit for me, but collections rarely do. And anyway, let’s not dwell on that; this is solid throughout with some flashes of brilliance and I’m excited to read more from this talented writer.
The pieces gathered here give you a sense of exactly what skills the author has at her disposal, and there are plenty of them. Potential too - heck, there’s a lot of potential here.
When this collection hits, it absolutely slams. The body horror in both Splinter and the deliciously twisted climax of my personal standout from the whole thing Gastric (like a messed up distant cousin of Stephen King’s Thinner) is superbly done - gorey and shocking, but also serving the stories brilliantly.
These tales aren’t without their share of black comedy too; Llanwey Point and The Only Thing to Fear both made me chuckle, while the final line of Blood and Coffee made me do a real-life laugh out loud, as did the wonderful one-page micro piece In Utero, which my sick brain found hilarious and highly relatable.
Not everything hit for me, but collections rarely do. And anyway, let’s not dwell on that; this is solid throughout with some flashes of brilliance and I’m excited to read more from this talented writer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews