Unfortunately this collection fell a little flat for me. There were some stories I enjoyed, but most of them failed to hook me.

I loved Agustina Bazterrica's novel Tender Is The Flesh. But these short stories just didn't do it for me. I found myself bored almost immediately and had no interest in continuing with this one.

This was one of my most anticipated releases, after reading Agustina Bazterrica's novel Tender is the Flesh, and I was not disappointed! While I did enjoy some of the short stories more than others, the ones that I didn't LOVE were still really good. The only thing that I didn't enjoy is that I wanted some of the stories to be longer, but that's not a bad thing! I kept getting sucked in to the stories and didn't want them to end. I'll always read anything Bazterrica publishes and I'm sure I'll love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Even though I usually don’t enjoy short story collections, I didn’t mind this one as a whole. There were some really dark and interesting stories included in this collection, including Unamuno’s Boxes (where a passenger imagines her taxi driver as a serial killer), Anita and Happiness (where a guy believes his girlfriend is an alien), and The Continuous Equality of the Circumference (where a woman’s ultimate goal is to become a circle).
A few of the stories I didn’t enjoy, mostly because I think they just went over my head in either the writing style or that it was too philosophical or metaphorical for me to fully understand the meaning or what was happening.
It was a super quick read at 176 pages and was recently released in June of this year. I’m very excited to read Tender is the Flesh by Augustina, as I’ve heard SUCH great things about it!

⭕️👽🍳

Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird is a collection of nineteen very strange stories from the author of the book Tender Is the Flesh. I read Tender Is the Flesh and thought it was very unique. But this short story collection was a little too weird for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

“Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird” share several stories that get under your skin. However, in comparison to “Tender is the Flesh,” this one barely scratches the surface.

I was anxiously anticipating this read and it just went a little under my expectations. However, I cannot wait to read whatever this author creates next!

I have heard such good things about Tender is the Flesh, that I was so excited to pick up this collection of stories. The prose was excellent and gripping. While I enjoyed the stories and the though provoking concepts, I did not find them very memorable. I would still recommend this.

This is a hard one to rate as a whole because it's a COLLECTION of short stories.

Some I really enjoyed and others I was not a fan of.

I absolutely LOVED "Tender is the Flesh" by this author, so as soon as I saw this book coming out I KNEW I had to read it. Though I didn't love every story in here and I did enjoy most of them.

Overall it is a good book and worth the read.

Usually I shy away from short stories but this cover grabbed me and most of the stories inside. Pain, horror, grief and fears of all kind. Sign me up. This is for everyone not just true horror fans. I even found authors I had never read before.

Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A LIGHT, SWIFT, AND MONSTROUS SOUND
Interesting opener written in second person, about a woman whose neighbor has jumped to his death and landed on her patio. The question of why he chose her patio is one she ponders as the remaining tenants swarm around her.

ROBERTO
Unexpectedly dark story here... with a not subtle metaphor. Glad it ended the way it did. Really not sure I can -- or want -- to say more than that.

UNAMUNO'S BOXES
A woman jumps to pretty wild conclusions based on her taxi driver's perfectly manicured nails. Loved the relatability factor; I'm sure most women (if not all) can cop to anxiously sorting through "what if?" scenarios when they're in vulnerable positions.

CANDY PINK
Well, that was brutal. Definitely make sure you check the trigger warnings on these before reading.

This one's told in second person POV again, though this time the speaker is a woman post-breakup lamenting her former relationship. She very quickly starts downward spiraling, landing in a pretty upsetting place. And yet, despite the upsetting nature, there are some darkly humorous moments laced in throughout.

ANITA AND HAPPINESS
Pablo is convinced his girlfriend, Anita, is an alien sent to Earth on a specific mission. However, what seems more likely is that he invented this narrative to explain the things he didn't understand - that frustrated him - about her. Either way, good for Anita and the postman. She deserves someone who's not torn between loving and hating her differences!

DISHWASHER
A woman seems to be experiencing a mental breakdown and no one in her life seems to notice (or care).

At this point, I'm not feeling entirely connected to Bazterrica's writing. Reading this was tedious and boring. Probably more of a "me" problem than anything, since so many people seem to really love her style!

EARTH
This one was less boring and tedious, but far more disturbing! It's told from the perspective of a child (though we don't necessarily know her age), whose complicated relationship with her mother stems from the abuse and tragedy they've concealed in their home.

For those triggered by certain subjects, this might be one to skip. Though it's not graphic, the implications are unpleasant.

PERFECT SYMMETRY
A man has been targeted by an enemy in prison (?) and spends his last moments making crepes and considering how he'll retaliate.

Again, these stories aren't really doing it for me. I saw someone else write something along the lines of "I didn't see the end coming!"...which was funny, given that we're told on the second page what the outcome will be.

THE WOLF'S BREATH
I'm reading another short story collection that has some extremely brief stories sprinkled in. And in that instance? The author pulls it off.

Not the case here. This was one page and the big takeaway was "people are vicious animals."

TEICHER VS. NIETZSCHE
Man vs. Cat would be a more appropriate title, but... you know, the reference is more attention-getting.

A man's ex-wife's cat ruins the sporting event he's trying to watch... and then some. Can't say I have a lot of additional thoughts or feelings here other than... this collection has fallen off.

THE DEAD
This is told from the perspective of a young child who has semi-recently lost her mother. She's grieving her mother's death alongside her father, who has found another woman to try and move forward with.

This is a premise that should ordinarily work for me, but there's something about Bazterrica's style/approach that I'm not a fan of. If I had to try and pinpoint what that something is, I'd say that it feels a little convoluted most of the time.

ELENA MARIE SANDOZ
Yeah, no. These aren't working for me at all.

DNF 56% - If you want to read a collection of horror stories, Bora Chung's Cursed Bunny is superior in every way.

Agustina Bazterrica is an auto buy author for me. The tone she's able to carry throughout a story is mesmerizing, painting pictures in my mind that stick long after I've put the book down.
19 Claws contains 19 unique short stories that range thematically, but remain tied together by Bazterrica's sharp prose. There's an urgency that flows throughout the anthology that made it hard for me to put down, contrasting the thematic elements that made me want to slow my pace and take it all in. While most all of the stories are memorable in their own rite, my favorites are Candy Pink, Hell, The Continuous Equality of a Circumference, Teicher vs.
Nietzsche, and Mary Carminum.
I read this prior to women in translation month but, if you're looking for bizarre short fiction you'll be thinking about later to read in August, I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read. After Tender is the Flesh, I knew I had to request this one and try it out. I enjoyed this collection and recommend checking this one out.

A collection of short stories. Some were really good and individually five stars but most of them were subpar and repetitive.

This collection of short stories from the author of Tender is the Flesh is just as creepy and disconcerting as the novel that preceded it. I really enjoyed how many of the stories were in second person, but some of the stories did feel disturbing just for disturbing's sake.

4⭐️

This book of short stories is dark, twisted, and weird. Some of the stories had me wanting to turn away and made me want to jump out of my skin, and others kept me interested and desperate to see what happens next. This book does contain multiple references and depictions of suicide, so proceed with caution. Overall, this is a great collection of horror short stories.

Thank you to netgalley and publisher for an arc. I think this book is perfect for spooky season! I'll admit some short stories I did not care for and others I enjoyed. A solid 4/5 stars.

Mixed feelings. Some stories are great and some fell flat for me. It's worth checking out if you love the author's writing, but maybe skip if the overview isn't your thing.

Perfect for spooky season. I have been eagerly anticipating Bazterrica's follow up after reading Tender is the Flesh years ago, and it did not disappoint! The first half of the collection was my favorite; brutal and dynamic stories that reward multiple reads.

What a wild ride this one was. Some stories stick out more than others, but as whole it's a great collection.

I didn't know what to expect going into this short story collection, but I was not disappointed. I think there is a story for all horror lovers. I wish some of the stories were longer, so I could get into them more. I cannot wait to read more by this author in the future.