Rating: 3.75

I hate short stories. They always leave me wanting more, looking for more of a conclusion… more of a connection with the characters.

That being said I was pleasantly surprised reading this collection of short creepy/spooky stories. While I did feel a few weren’t as fleshed out or I didn’t really understand what a few were trying to convey… the majority were quite good.

The author does have a way with creating a creepy narrative even within a page long story. And if you haven’t checked out Tender is the Flesh you should obviously give that novel a read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you Net Galley for the eARC of this collection of short stories for an honest review.

Like this book, I myself am strange and unusual. I do wish the stories themselves were slightly longer, but this is only because I truly enjoyed most of them, which is hard to do with collections. The writing is dark, twisted, and almostly sickly-sweet in nature. Definitely reccommend for any horror readers & those who are wanting to dip their toes into the genre without having to commit to a full-sized novel. This was my first encouner with the author, but Tender is the Flesh just skipped to the top of my TBR pile!

This is the first book I have read from this author and was really impressed with the level of creativity and ingenuity to create something so visceral and alive. I felt very haunted and just enjoyed the bizarreness and the range of stories that were told in this book. I am definitely going to have to go back and read Tender is the Flesh now as I have had a taste of this author's work and find it to be equal parts fascinating, appalling, and mesmerizing at the same time. These stories were definitely something different and offered something so different than the standard short story book. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Crazy and delightfully dark. Highly recommended, even to those who'd previously disliked Tender is the Flesh. In my opinion, this was better and more compelling.

I LOVEDDDD TENDER IS THE FLESH, so I was really looking forward to this one! I still think Bazterrica is such a force, but struggled to really root into any of these because of their length. Fewer, more fully drawn stories I think would have worked better for me. Still going to read whatever she puts out next, though!

These stories genuinely horrified me. Specifically the two that have stuck with me are the story about the young woman at her father's grave and the man visiting a 'concert hall' to see a group making music about Mary (as in Jesus; mom). The collection is an excellent mix of social horror and the more spooky out-there horror.

this book is absolute perfection. I wasn’t a huge fan of the authors first book, tender is the flesh, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but it far exceeded my expectations. the authors has such a way with words and is the queen of descriptions. I felt like I was being pulled into each story. I highly highly highly recommend checking this book out! thank you netgalley for the arc!

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird is a collection of translated short stories by Agustina Bazterrica who is most known for the very polarizing novel, Tender is the Flesh.

Much like Tender is the Flesh, this collection is both captivating and disturbing with beautiful prose. I really took my time going through each story despite some only being a few paragraphs long to really appreciate what Bazterrica was trying to say. I don’t want to go into any details about the stories themselves because a lot of them a very short but there is a very broad range of topics and styles covered in this book. Mostly horror, some have a few sci-fi elements as well.

While not every story was a winner for me, I think this was a really solid collection of stories. I feel like short story collections by a single author are a little harder to pull off because it’s easy to get tired of the same writing style being repeated several times but this one has enough unique stories that I didn’t even notice that.

I would recommend this to anyone who really loves horror short stories. I don’t think anyone who dislikes short stories would find this particularly compelling. I look forward to buying a physical copy of this upon release so I can go back and read some of the standout stories.

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird is an enticing collection of 20 short stories with an impressive range of theme.

One thing I always adore with Agustina’s work is that every word choice is intentional. There are no filler paragraphs or statements in between that seem to drag and lose your attention. The way she writes and flows with every page keeps a tight, engaging grip on you.

There were a few short stories in here that I thought really stood out and enjoyed the most, which include Unamuno’s Boxes, Candy Pink, Elena-Marie Sandoz, and No Tears. I thought these were exceptional and really left you thinking about the underlying messages within the stories. Close seconds following these short stories are Anita and Happiness, and Perfect Symmetry.

Following ‘Tender is the Flesh,’ I had REALLY high expectations. In hindsight, that isn’t always fair because this is a collection of short stories, ranging in page length from 3-20 pages per short story. So, some stories didn’t really grab me with as much force or interest. Nevertheless, Agustina’s signature dystopian themes are ever-present in this collection. She has such an incredible way of leaving you with so many questions, thoughts, and feelings after finishing a story.

Also, to note, I really love the cover and title of this! Agustina always comes out with very polarizing and engaging cover and title combinations that I think make readers really gravitate towards.

A big thanks to NetGalley for providing me this advanced reader’s copy!

A very compelling collection of short stories: weird, wonderful and whacked. A dip into the surreal situations and the dark minds of seemingly “normal “ characters that challenge our perception of life. Could we be as brave, twisted, or haunted in our regular lives?

NINETEEN CLAWS AND A BLACKBIRD was an extremely tight and tense story collection, reminiscent of HURRICANE SEASON and CURSED BUNNY, both of which I loved. I also thoroughly enjoyed this. In stories no more than 5 pages each, Bazterrica dives into many themes, but none more so that death and all the pieces that comprise the climactic and final moment in a person’s life. And for Bazterrica, those pieces are extremely unsettling.

I think the originality of this collection is really what catapults it into a stratospheric tier. Discerning those unspeakable desires, re-framing and presenting back to the reader in a way that feels so binding to reality because it really is our reality, at least at our core.

One story in particular, “Earth”, I will genuinely never forget. “Roberto”, “Perfect Symmetry”, and “Hell” were also standouts.

Whether or not you “enjoyed” Agustina Bazterrica’s novel, Tender is the Flesh, you cannot deny the author’s talent. Personally, I thought it was a riveting book, and I think about it at least once a week, despite reading it almost three years ago. So I was excited to get my hands on Bazterrica’s collection of short stories, Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird.

While I enjoyed pretty much every story in this collection, some of them left me wanting more. One of the things I appreciated about Tender is the Flesh is how the plot unraveled into that killer ending. I connected more with the longer stories, such as strong opener, A Light, Swift, and Monstrous Sound, and the incredibly creepy Mary Carminum.

Those who enjoyed the more visceral nature of Tender is the Flesh will enjoy The Continuous Equality of the Circumference, where a woman attempts to turn herself into a circle. Bazterrica adroitly captures the everyday terror females often feel in Roberto (now THIS had a satisfying ending!), The Solitary Ones, and The Wolf’s Breath.

There is also some light relief in Teicher vs. Nietzsche, where the abused character of Nietzsche gets some incredibly sweet revenge.

All of these stories have a foot in grim reality, and most contain a heavy sense of unease. It’s a strong collection, and I hope readers who loved Tender is the Flesh will give it a chance.

Thank you Scribner and NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed these short stories. Bazterrica is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers, because of her weird characters, morbid and sometimes kind of gross stories. I went in expecting quite a bit, after Tender Is The Flesh, and while this one was different (it wasn’t a continuous story, but a few) you could tell it was a Bazterrica book.

Prepare to be consumed. Bazterrica’s horrifyingly seductive words threaten you with body gripping terror. Each story will leave you questioning if you trust yourself enough to be broken by the next page. Bazterrica’s ability to walk you into each lyrical nightmare with ease only to be left gutted and in tatters reminds us that literature is meant to make us feel. This is unwavering horror art.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories!
A must read!

I just reviewed Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica. #NetGalley

Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird is must-read for fans of “Tender is the Flesh” and “Her Body & Other Parties” (by Carmen Maria Machado).

A mix of whimsy and horror, the novel is made up of nineteen extremely short stories that catalogue different aspects of the human experience.

The novel has a propulsive nature that makes it impossible to stop flipping the pages. Every few minutes, readers are met with a new cast of characters and a new surprise.

This book is fantastical and satirical in the best way. I loved this book even more than its predecessor! 4/5 ⭐️

My first experience with Agustina Bazterrica’s writing was with Tender is the Flesh which was dark, unsettling and provocative. It left a really strong impression on me so I was super excited to receive an advance reader copy for Nineteen Claws and a Blackbird and for a chance to experience her writing in short story format. Her dark humor really shines in this anthology as does her skill for making the reader feeling deeply unsettled. The stories are at times also darkly beautiful and reflective. Some of my favorites in this collection being Candy Pink, Perfect Symmetry, Teicher and Nietzsche, The Slowness of Pleasure, Mary Carminum, and The Solitary Ones. This is a must read for fans of her work and for people curious about her writing it’s a great chance to check out what everyone’s talking about.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was terrifying. Some of the stories weren’t as unsettling, which was a nice reprieve. But the reason they weren’t so unsettling was because the story was probably an allegory that was over my head and would have been horrifying if I understood. This author is incredible with words, and it’s evident in her other novel, Tender is the Flesh. Loved the short horror stories.

I was so excited to read this collection of short stories by Agustina Bazterrica! I loved Tender is the Flesh. It's been almost a year since I read it and its a book that I think about constantly.

This anthology has Bazterrica's gruesome way of writing. Some of these stories were very dark. There were some where I just couldn't stop laughing, but there were a couple that I had no idea what I was reading.

The highlights for me were:
A Light Swift and Monstrous Sound
Roberto
Unamuno's Boxes
The Dead
The Solitary Ones

If you're a fan of Tender is the Flesh, I recommend this book. I would also recommend to readers that want to read her books but don't know where to start. It's a great way to be introduced to her style of writing.

Thanks @Netgalley and the publisher for the DRC.

I just reviewed Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird by Agustina Bazterrica. #NetGalley
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I loved this book!!!! Short stories are my new favorite things to read!