As with all story collections, there were some here that I enjoyed more than others, but overall, I felt that the first few stories were the strongest and those in the latter half were a bit too experimental for my taste. I would definitely read from this author again and would be interested to see what she could do in a full length novel format.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a very mixed collection of short stories for me. Whilst they were some I enjoyed, there were others that were a little too surreal for my tastes.

In particular, I struggled with the writing and imagery in some places and couldn't follow what was supposed to be happening. However, I expect this was mostly a matter of taste / not connecting with the writing style of certain stories (and Fowley does write in a variety of different styles throughout the book).

And there were several stories I really enjoyed including Flowers, Such a Pretty Face, The Summoning and Big Round Ball of Light and Water.

Overall, if you enjoy surrealist horror you could enjoy this, but it was very hit-and-miss for me.

I loved the title of this book and it immediately caught my attention. I loved the stories and is a new favourite collection of mine. They were creepy, queer, engaging, and tense. Love it!

A searing and brilliant collection of macabre, gothic short stories. Beautifully queer, wonderfully eerie. These grip you by the throat and don't let go until you're done reading.

EYES GUTS THROAT BONEST is a superb collection of adult horror short stories. Moïra Fowley-Doyle has created an immersive collection of imaginative short stories, incorporating a wide range of genres so I would say these would appeal to lots of different types of readers. It was also so beautifully written and it's very queer & very sapphic. Some of my favourites were:
- Nature Morte
- Only Corpses Stay
- Rath
- Big Round ball of Light and the Water

I'd say there are lots of trigger warnings, for example; self-harm, graphic bodily horror, violence, and eating disorder behavior, loss of a loved one, grief -- amongst others..so I would go into this lightly.

Story collections are difficult to rate because each story has a different impact (or lack of impact) on the reader. For me they are also difficult to read because I struggle with picking the book up again after reading one or two stories. This has nothing to do with Moira Fowley's writing, more to do with me as a reader.

Absolutely enchanting this was. Honestly, it was probably less disgusting than I thought it would be - maybe I am just desensitised. Started it for the horror and the unease, but what kept me was the prose, humour, and variation in style, all handled gracefully. And of course the content itself, which often reminded me of… almost folk tales. Certainly felt like I was reading the work of an Irish author, which is nothing but a positive here.

Some stories were better than others, but even the absolute baseline was just incredibly solid. The horror elements were never overwhelming, and they felt almost guttural, deep and primal, and beautifully woven. The fact each and every one of these stories was queer resonated with me deeply, there is something about body horror and sapphic love that mixes so terribly well.

Bordered on poetry, used humour and so many different stylistic elements each story felt very distinct. Not much more to say, it was just very good.

4.25/5

Fowley is an absolute genius!

What a book, I don’t think I’ll ever stop recommending this. Such an amazing Irish author.

Thank you so much to @netgalleyuk for my digital copy of this. I immediately purchased a hard copy on publication.

"Years ago I'd have been called a changeling, but in the year of our Lord 1995 I was just a mess of a girl."

A collection of fifteen queer (mostly sapphic) modern horror stories featuring nods to pop culture and fairytales.

I ADORED this. It's so dark, it was so different to anything I've read recently, and it was so gorgeous. The writing is a treat - every little individual story is like a delicious dessert, even the ones I didn't really understand (in my notes beside one, I have written "I DON'T GET IT BUT I LOVED THE FEEL OF IT").

The collection opens with a tale about two women navigating the end of the world together as their entire party turn into various objects. From there, it ploughs through stories of identity, love, loss, grief, obsession, forgiveness, power, motherhood, feminism, hope, sexuality - the writing is second to none, and there's a thread of warmth throughout. Even when reading about a woman who literally peels the faces off her exes, or a girl who conjures a demon girlfriend to wreak havoc on her college campus

There is some body horror and gore scattered throughout, and some of the stories are genuinely quite unnerving and uncomfortable, but for a short story collection I felt that every story was done well. There were, as I mentioned, a couple that just went completely over my head, but I think it's the kind of writing where you can take different things from it depending on how you read it and the headspace you're in at the time.

I think if you like weird, dark, queer little books you'll adore it too - how could any weird-little-book fan dislike a collection that features a story called "Break-Up Poem Recited Knee-Deep in Bogwater"?

LOVED this.

This book was irresistibly grotesque and gorgeous. I was lucky enough to go to the launch of this book a couple of months ago and hearing the words straight from the writer's mouth was an experience I wouldn't exchange for anything. I'm a real sucker for books set in my home country so when I heard Moira was releasing a horror collection I knew I had to devour it immediately.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. This is a wonderful collection of brilliantly well written short stories. Highly recommend

This is a gorgeously written collection of short stories. I loved how queer all of the stories were, and that they spanned locations and times. Some of the stories did feel a little insubstantial, and could have benefited from a little more fleshing out - some even could have afforded to be a touch longer - but even these stories contained unique and bizarre gems of ideas - I loved how creative each story was. Fowley incorporates humour, gore, horror and magical realism skillfully, and all the stories (even the ones I didn't love) felt fresh and creative. Fowley has a skill for description, and delving into visceral, 'in the body' writing whilst still maintaining beautifully written prose. Would highly recommend!

A fascinating, riveting, lyrical, witty and well written anthology of short stories. There's horror, there's great representations of LGBTQA characters, and an excellent storytelling.
Loved it.

Eyes Guts Throat Bones is one of the most astonishing short story collections I have ever read. Fowley so accurately portrays young queer passion and obsession, and it's ever present link with horror and gore. I haven't got much interest in YA fiction but I'm so desperate to read more of Moira Fowley's work that I'm going to have to buy all of her teen novels now!

Is it strange to say that a horror book was delightful? Because Moira Fowley-Doyle's Eye Guts Throat Bones is somehow exactly that. The sheer reveling in queerness, the luxuriant metaphor and sexuality and description creates such a fascinating and wonderful collection of short stories. None of them were a miss, even if some of them were particularly strange.

Fowley-Doyle plays effortlessly with form, tone, and narrative voice. I was particularly drawn in by 'Rath' and its time-bending and repetitive narrative, 'Only Corpses Stay''s compelling and dreadful story, and 'The Summoning''s hilarious tone and writing style.

I am instantly compelled to go read everything this author has written.

Just finished Eyes, Guts, Throat, Bones by Moira Fowley. Dark, visceral short stories: birth/death/fragility/regeneration/fecundity with a hint of 90s body horror. If you’re a fan of Emily St John Mandel or Kirsty Logan I think you’ll love these!

Highly likely to stock this title in our shop. It will fit well with our mixed collection. Great addition to the Irish section

eyes guts throat bone by moïra fowley | 🌟🌟🌟🌟

a wonderful short story collection of sapphic horror at the end of the world. first of all, look at that cover!! these stories were poetic, gothic, haunting & tender. like all short story collections, some were wonderful (flowers & rath were my faves) and some were less so, like a short horror story about a doll which was told in two truths and a lie format, which I thought was going to be a new fave because it was super eerie and interesting but ended flatly. but this collection scratched my need for more brilliant sapphic horror <3

Each of Moira Fowley's (in the author's words), "horror adjacent' short stories is a visceral plunge into a complete world. Sometimes dystopian, always at least a little queer (and usually very), each one has a compelling narrative and a power beyond its length, with an unsettling atmosphere that resonates long after reading. Eyes, Guts, Throat Bones is beautifully written, deeply imaginative and perfectly titled.

Thanks to the publisher & netgalley for my e-ARC!

This year I’m taking part in @aishathebibliophile’s 23 Short Story Collections in 2023 challenge, and I just finished up my 10th! Eyes Guts Throat Bones is a beautiful, sapphic, horror-adjacent collection that I simply devoured. I thought about lots of these stories for a long time after I finished them, their gorgeous haunting imagery lingering. The stories range from magical realism to post apocalyptic to straight up horror, with only one or two that were underwhelming. They explore sapphic love in lots of different forms, queer joy in the face of small-mindedness, resilience & endurance when the world is falling apart around you, and then some of them are just gory fun!
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One of my favourites, Such a Pretty Face, was one that falls into the latter category - a lesbian roams the world, collecting lovers and taking a ~unique~ souvenir from each of them before moving on to her next victi- er, lover 😏 Another favourite was the first story, What Would You Give for a Treat Like Me, where two women ponder their decision to have children even though an eerie apocalypse has arrived and put an early end to anything of the sort. Then Rath, a gorgeous tale weaving the story of two ancient queens with two childhood friends who drift apart but always meet up for the summer solstice. I usually can’t abide infidelity plotlines, but this one enraptured me regardless. My final favourite was Two Truths and a Lie, a disturbing coming-of-age tale featuring a doll that is more sentient than anyone would like told in a fun format.
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I’ve read one of Fowley-Doyle’s young adult novels in the past, but I’m so glad she’s made the foray into adult fiction. I remember The Accident Season having such an atmospheric vibe, and that same vibe has been applied to all of these stories only more lush, more vivid, much darker and more intense. The sense of place (usually Ireland) is amazing and I think elevates these stories.
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Definitely one to look out for if you like unsettling, atmospheric reads and of course, sapphic-focused