This is a really easy book to read. 18 short stories and one of them is a comic style story at the end.
It was a really mixed bag of stories. There were some stories that I found I couldn't connect with (Apples, Waffle Thomas) and then some stories really had me hooked (The fruiting body, flight 2212) and some were just super bizarre (The Broccoli eel)
I'm really glad I got the opportunity to read this as now I would like to venture out and explore some of the authors I've discovered.
Really enjoyed this

I should probably have realised from the title that this was going to be a collection of body horror, but I didn't. First story about a woman dying of cancer, second story full of disgusting imagery and concluding with an unpretty vomiting scene. No thanks. For me, horror is supposed to be spooky, creepy, deliciously spine-chilling, not nauseating. I won't be reading the rest. I'd rather not rate it, since I don't feel I've read enough, but NetGalley insists. I will not be leaving a review on social media outlets.

Of the Flesh is a good mix of classic and modern stories of varying horror, some are tame and make you think and others are more gory, but they are all enjoyable if you like a scare.

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | The Borough Press and the various authors for the eArc of, Of The Flesh.
Authors include, Featuring stories by: Susan Barker, J K Chukwu, Bridget Collins, Mariana Enriquez, Michel Faber, Lewis Hancox, Emilia Hart, Ainslie Hogarth, Robert Lautner, Adorah Nworah, Irenosen Okojie, Lucy Rose, Lionel Shriver, James Smythe, Lavie Tidhar, Francine Toon, Evie Wyld and Louisa Young

Seeing its spooky season, this is a book Id definitely recommend reading. Not only it suits the season ( and any time of the year!) within these short stories, you are exposed to all sorts of sub-genre of horror fiction. Each of the 17 stories are well written and engaging, giving the right amount of character development to entice you and a great mixture of horror which can leave you wanting more.

4 stars

A great mix of short horror stories all to do with bodily functions and flesh. Some stories I personally wouldn’t call horror for me, however to some they would be. I do enjoy extreme gorey horror, which most of the stories do have.

3.5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital ARC! Really enjoyed this short story collection overall, although a couple I did skip.

Although a few of them didn’t provide the creepy, gross ick I wanted from a body horror collection, most of them were successful in making me squeamish in one way or another! Some of my favourites were Apples where a woman is suddenly imbued with the awful gift of hearing men’s thoughts, Bob-a-Job, which honestly I’m not sure what was going on but it was dystopian, gross as hell and great, and Ghost Kitchen by Francine Toon, where a woman is followed by a watery curse.

I also really enjoyed The Smiling African Uncle, where Black and brown immigrants are subjected to microaggressions x 10000, and any who crack are deported. Only those who remain the good, grateful immigrant can stay. But as much as I enjoyed it, it didn’t seem to fit with the others - though racism is a horror unto itself.

I was a bit disappointed by the Mariana Enríquez story, since short horror is right in her wheelhouse, but Daisies was underwhelming. This was also the only translated story in the collection - there could have been a few more to get more worldly horror involved.

Of the Flesh by Susan Barker, Lucy Rose, James Smythe, J.K. Chukwu, Mariana Enríque, Bridget Collins, Michel Faber, Lewis Hancox, Emilia Hart, Ainslie Hogarth, Robert Lautner, Adora Nworah, renosen Okojie, Lionel Shriver, Lavie Tidhar, Francine Toon, Evie Wyld, and Louisa Young

WoW! WoW this book was so good one of the best books I have read for short stories especially as it is written by all different authors. Everyone story was excellent and I loved it from the very first short story till the last story.
A great book for Halloween that is just around the corner. A great collection of stories packed on one book..

I loved the cover - very clever and an eye catcher.

Fear never dies…
These stories from eighteen masters of the craft will curdle your blood, haunt your dreams and redefine terror.

An exploited child worker in the silver mines of Bolivia finds an ally – but at what cost? A young woman's workplace affair has terrifying repercussions when her lover's wife dies. A sailor's wife takes her communion with Nature a little too far…

From a hungry young woman who is not what she seems, to a boy who has taken his mother's advice a touch too seriously; from disfigured girls willing to pay any price to fit in, to an immigrant who cannot escape his tormentor; from a new home with a sinister secret, to the discovery that a long-dead parent’s corpse is perfectly preserved decades later; this collection plumbs the depths of the psyche and dredges up some very modern horrors.

Featuring stories by: Susan Barker, J K Chukwu, Bridget Collins, Mariana Enríquez, Michel Faber, Lewis Hancox, Emilia Hart, Ainslie Hogarth, Robert Lautner, Adorah Nworah, Irenosen Okojie, Lucy Rose, Lionel Shriver, James Smythe, Lavie Tidhar, Francine Toon, Evie Wyld and Louisa Young.

I loved this collection. It's the perfect Halloween read.

Of the Flesh is one of those horror anthologies that has a cover that makes you want to pick it up and see what delights are hiding within, but do the contents live up to the cover's promise? Sadly not. Oh, some of its contents are well worth a read, Bridget Collins's The Fruiting Body, Lionel Shriver's Going Large, James Smythe's Bob-a-Job & Lewis Hancox's Sketchy are personal favourites, but most are disappointingly average. That's just me though, anthologies can be hit and miss, and I'm sure every short hidden within Of the Flesh will find its audience.

Thanks to NetGalley, The Borough Press and all involved for an advance copy.

Of The Flesh: 18 Stories of Modern Horror
⭐⭐⭐ 3.75 stars
Publication date: 10 October 2024
Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

These stories from eighteen master storytellers will curdle your blood, haunt your dreams and redefine terror. This collection plumbs the depths of the psyche and dredges up some very modern horrors.

This was a really solid collection with quite a few known-to-me authors, and several I want to read more of. Not all the stories landed for me, which often tends to be the case, but there was some really good body horror in this book, and some of the stories were creepy, icky and uncomfortable.
As someone living in a house that suffers from damp, The Fruiting Body by Bridget Collins had me eyeing my walls with growing suspicion 👀
The Smiling African Uncle by Adorah Nworah was by no means scary, though it was stressful, and was such an amazing and clever take on the “good immigrant” rhetoric.
Going Large by Lionel Shriver left me feeling ambivalent. When I reviewed Mania by this author, some fatphobic undertones had made me feel quite uncomfortable. The same goes for this story, although I did appreciate the twist at the end.
BobaJob by James Smythe and Fairies by Lavie Tidhar were probably my two favourite stories; the first one because it was gross and gruesome, and the second because it was tense and creepy.
And shout-out to Sketchy by Lewis Hancox. It was the first collection I read that contained a story in the form of a comic strip; it was good and gory, and unexpectedly heartbreaking.

A collection of horror short stories which revolve around body horror. It was a bit of mixed bag with one or two standouts amongst the majority which were ok.
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Fight, Flight, Freeze by Susan Barker - to be honest the MC doesn't get what she deserved. TW: infidelity, terminal illness. Rating: 3 out of 5.

Flight 2212 by JK Chukwu - very strange story. TW: vomiting. Rating: 2 out of 5.

The Fruiting Body by Bridget Collins - one of the better stories. TW: toxic relationship. Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Daisies by Mariana Enriquez - OK. Rating: 3 out of 5.

The Broccoli Eel by Michel Faber - poignant. TW: domestic abuse. Rating: 3 out of 5.

Sketchy by Lewis Hancox - not for me. Rating: 2 out of 5.

Apples by Emilia Hart - the best story in the collection. TWs: ageism, misogyny. Rating: 4 out of 5.

Waffle Thomas by Ainslie Hogarth - decidedly odd. TW: animal cruelty. Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Shade by Robert Lautner. OK. Rating: 3 out of 5.

The Smiling African Uncle by Adorah Nworah. Interesting take on racism. Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Rosheen by Irenosen Okojie. OK. Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Carcinisation by Lucy Rose. TWs: animal cruelty & blood. Rating: 3 out of 5.

Going Large by Lionel Shriver. TW: fatphobia, dieting. Rating: 3 out of 5.

BobaJob by James Smythe. Intriguing. Rating: 4 out of 5.

Fairies by Lavie Tidhar. OK. Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Ghost Kitchen by Francine Toon. Average. Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

The Old Lion by Evie Wyld. Started off interesting but stalled. TW: animal death. Rating: 2 out of 5.

Mouse by Louisa Young. OK. TW: animal death. Rating: 3 out of 5.
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There are quite a few different trigger warnings for the stories & I've tried not to include spoilers. For me, Apples is the best story - it has an intriguing premise & plays on societal attitudes towards women. Overall though, I would say the collection for me is just OK as there were some stories that felt unfinished or I just wasn't sure where the author was going with it. 3 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, HarperCollins UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

A hugely anticipated read for 2024, I love my dark and disturbing reads so to see so many of my fav authors in this one I could not wait to read! I do love a short story but the only thing is sometimes I feel like I need more time to bond with the characters/allow the story to properly shock me. Not that any of these were bad I have to say I enjoyed them all but I feel like some hit the mark more than others for me. I have to say a shoutout to Lucy Rose because again (THE LAMB IS AMAZING) her story made me scream WTF!!

Stories I marked as 5 stars (and authors I would definitely read again) were:

- Flight 2212 by J K Chukwu
- The Broccoli Eel by Michel Faber
- Apples by Emilia Hart
- Carcinisation by Lucy Rose
- Bob-a-Job by James Smythe
- Sketchy by Lewis Hancox

A lot of body and psychological horror within this one I would say, which I of course absolutely loved.

A perfect read to pick up for the spooky season!!!

This collection included so many amazing authors, it had so many different types of horror which made it more enjoyable to read, great collection overall.

Any short story collection will typically be a mix of the good and the disappointing, and this is no exception. Unfortunately the balance is a bit off for me, with more on the disappointing side of the scales.

There are some top quality stories in here though - the Fruiting Body by Bridget Collins is a queasy delight, and Francine Toon’s Ghost Kitchen is a lovely folk horror. In the other hand Lionel Shriver’s Going Large did nothing for me and was definitely the worst of the book.

With a good range of styles - including graphic novel - I’d recommend this as there will be plenty for most people, but you do need to accept it’s a hit and miss attempt.

Susan Barker's The Flesh is a gripping exploration of identity, desire, and the human condition. Set against the backdrop of a dystopian future, the novel delves into the lives of characters struggling with their sense of self in a world where bodies are commodities. Barker’s prose is haunting and visceral, making the novel both unsettling and thought-provoking. The narrative is layered with complex themes of power, morality, and control, while the characters grapple with both physical and psychological conflicts. Barker’s ability to balance speculative fiction with deeply human stories makes The Flesh an intense and unforgettable read.

The stories are well written, but the kindle formatting needs a little work I think - it was a bit scattered and didn’t have a very distinct break up of stories.
Intriguing stories that pull you in and give you that deep dread spooky feeling. Perfect for October and the spooky season.
Once the book is published and I am able to leave an Amazon review, I will be doing so!

This was okay; like many collections there were some stand-out hits and some underwhelming stories. Worth reading if there is an author you enjoy featured.

<em>Of The Flesh</em> is a brilliant line-up of authors and a perfect way to introduce horror readers to new authors.

However, for me, it's the same as any other anthology I've come across - some brilliant stories, but mostly a lot of average ones.

One thing I will say is that they are definitely all horror stories! They are odd, often full of gruesome details, chilling, occasionally messed up, sometimes gory, and mostly engaging. Again, some I really liked, some I wanted more of, but many of them left me feeling quite underwhelmed.

Definitely a mixed bag, but worth a read if you like this genre!

With the spooky season upon us, this collection of short horror stories has something for everyone.
All of these stories were beautifully written however some didn't hit for me which is the only reason I'm giving it 3/5 stars. I would definitely recommend to others.
I think this collection is an amazing way to introduce new authors and I already have a few I'm keeping my eye on.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC in return for an honest review.

I've come to the conclusion anthologies just aren't for me.
I've found I struggle to stay interested when the story constantly changes and each one has little build.