Member Review

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this collection. As someone who just realized that there’s a whole, wonderful subgenre of dark poetry, I was intrigued by the the idea of a book of body horror poetry written by women and non-binary poets. The gorgeous cover also drew me in, and the collection is excellent. Sometimes, you can judge a book by it’s cover.

Editors Lindy Ryan and Toni Miller have a very broad interpretation of body horror which benefits the anthology immensely. The poems range from disquieting to horrific, from self-destructive to murderous, from medical problems to the supernatural, and everywhere in between. It’s empowering to read such a collection in gulps, to witness poets reclaiming themselves and their bodies, even if the reclamation is sometimes grotesque.

Reading these poems evokes strong emotions. Sometimes, I felt repulsed, sometimes moved. Love runs deeply through these poems, especially in its darker incarnations, where love and hate become different sides of the same coin. There’s definitely horror here, but there’s beauty, too.

Quality varies in all anthologies, but the overall quality of these poems was stelar. That being said, there were a few poems in particular that really stayed with me. A few of my favorite pieces were:


“We” by Morgan Sylvia
“It Hurts When I Breathe” by Mercedes M. Yardley
“Sanctification” by Amanda Kirby
“With Blood” by Jennifer Crow
“Outside In” by Dalena Storm
“Zombification” by Roni Stinger
“Regeneration/Collapse” by Tiffany Morris
“Amestris” by Shira Haus


This collection is recommended for fans of poetry, and highly recommended for fans of dark poetry and body horror. Look for it in April, 2022.

I was given an ARC of the collection by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.