Last but not least, classism teams up with feminism and an old English folk tale in “Shuck” by G.V. Feminism and queerness also play a significant role in “Poor Butcher-Bird” by Gemma Files, a unique and gory cult story that really goes some places (in the best way possible). Wise gives readers a glimpse into a terrifying universe in which aristocratic manly men hunt female-presenting creatures for sport (read: forced marriage) -a tradition that doesn’t sit well with the secretly gay main character, who both recognizes the monstrousness of the hunt and has no interest in its intended outcome. For instance, the collection begins with Simon Bestwick’s “Redwater,” an action-adventure horror narrative about a boat crew illegally navigating the flooded, monster-infested lands left to stagnate after an environmental catastrophe some years back-possibly a subtle nod to rising sea levels as a result of climate change and its long-lasting ramifications hovering over our planet.Īnother recurrent theme deals with women’s “second-class” status in society-a matter still woefully relevant in 2022. However, for anyone thinking these tales don’t pulse with a sense of urgency, or they have nothing to say about the world as it currently exists, simply because they first appeared a year ago, rest assured: the nightmares from ’21 aren’t much different than those occupying the minds of writers and readers right now. So for instance, this year’s volume doesn’t cover stories that appeared in 2022, but rather 2021. the nightmares from ’21 aren’t much different than those occupying the minds of writers and readers right now.
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