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.

Honestly, I can’t fault this collection of short stories. Some of my favourite authors are in here so I was expecting a good set of stories, with the expected couple of “duds”, surprisingly, there are no “duds” in this book. Every story is excellent- creepy, very creepy, really really creepy and rather frightening…

This has opened my eyes to a few more authors that I need to investigate a bit further too.

Overall, an excellent safe choice for spooky season!

My thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A great selection of stories from many of the authors I know and love. A real mixed bag of stories from the slightly unsettling to the type that keep you awake at night. I will buy this as a stocking filler for some of my horror loving friends.

Wonderfully gruesome from some wonderful authors. So visceral and disturbing in the best way! Hope to see more of these works in this anthologies

What sets this anthology apart is its ability to transcend traditional horror boundaries. Each story provides a unique perspective, exploring a wide range of themes—from psychological terrors that probe the mind to visceral encounters with the supernatural that send shivers down the spine. The diverse narrative styles challenge readers to confront their deepest fears and unearth the uncomfortable truths that often lie hidden beneath the surface of everyday life.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

While overall I found this to be a decent short story collection, I found a lot of the stories quite triggering for me personally, with themes of child abuse, domestic violence etc. In addition a number of the stories are written by authors I do not, and will not, promote due to their personal views which was immediately apparent until I started the collection. As such I don't think I can fairly review this content. Of those stories I did read and enjoy however, I will say that Apples by Emilia Hart was, in my opinion, the best written and most intriguing.

If you are looking for creepy, unsettling and gruesome horror tales, read this book. I liked all the stories but I loved these stories; Daisies, The Fruiting Body, Shade, Apples and Carcinisation. Sketchy was a bit different but I liked it,

Thanks to Authors and Publisher.

"Of the Flesh" is a gripping exploration of identity, body autonomy, and the complexities of human relationships. Set in a world where physical appearance can be manipulated at will, the story follows a young protagonist grappling with societal pressures and the quest for authenticity.

The writing is sharp and evocative, immersing readers in a vividly imagined world while addressing timely themes. The characters are well-developed, with relatable struggles that resonate deeply, making their journeys both compelling and thought-provoking.

The narrative challenges readers to reflect on the nature of beauty and self-worth, sparking conversations about the impact of societal expectations. Overall, "Of the Flesh" is a thought-provoking read that blends speculative fiction with poignant commentary, leaving a lasting impression.

Oh this collection of stories felt fresh and exciting. Sometimes when there are a collection of horror stories they can come across as trite and formulaic, but all of the stories were engaging and spine tingling!

I'd like to call out some of my favourites - The Fruiting Body - ultra creepy, The Broccoli Eel - Eek, this is not a story I will be telling my daughter! Apples - my worst nightmare and Going Large.

I was gripped and it kept me up at night as I just wanted to read one more story. Of the flesh is perfect for the spooky season.

First, I want to thank the Publishing House and Netgalley for sending me this ARC.

A lot of this short stories dealt with similar topics, mainly feminity, motherhood, hunger, food highlighted by body horror which maked the all really coherent. Some of them kept me invested thanks to evocation of senses linked to womanhood.
The stories written by women (really liked The fruiting body, Apples & fairies) have aroused my empathy because of the pain evoked.
I've got mixed opinion on some ones which seemed ended too quickly.
Unfortunately I am very disappointed by Lionel Shriver's story. It was trash because dealing with ED's embodied by a woman, written by a man. After thinking, he maybe wanted to to represent the maxim' "don't judge a book by its cover" be he drowned into glossophobia in my opinion.

Of the Flesh is a solid collection of horror short stories.

Alongside the classic motifs of creepy kids and vengeful women are some wonderfully unique horror concepts, exploring and challenging ideas of race, vulnerability and power. Standouts include Lionel Shriver’s Going Large and Carcinisation by Lucy Rose.

Many of the stories follow the same rhythm and structure, which does get a bit repetitive and means that together they maybe have less impact than they would standing alone. I’d recommend dipping in and out of this anthology if you can.

Authors include: 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.

There are some authors I have heard of, some I have read, and some I haven't heard of, but that's what I like about books like this as you get to experience some new writers.

I'm going to start this review by saying I am 100% a complete wuss. I hate horror, horror films, horror stories, horror books - anything scary is not for me! So why am I reading this book? Well firstly, the cover grabbed my attention. Then I couldn't stop reading about it online. And then I realised it's got some of my favourite authors in it. And it's made up of short stories, so I only really need to read one before having a break. So I'm hoping it won't be as scary as if I was immersing myself in a 400-page horror movie.

I dipped in and out between work, reading one story and then working, then reading a chapter of something else, and then pop back in, which worked for me.

Some stories are more creepy, some eerie, some gruesome, some a bit more genteel, some thrillers, psychological, some horror and terror, some disgusting, some macabre. Something for everyone, even a horror-wuss like me.

Ideally I'd like to have reviewed each story but we'd be here till Christmas and so I've picked out some of my favourites - well, not favourites, because I don't think I can have a favourite horror story...the most interesting, then.

Fight, Flight, Freeze by Susan Barker: I didn't think this would be horror to begin with, more of a psychological what-if kind of thing, but nope, I was wrong. Definitely creepy and frightening and scary.

The Fruiting Body by Bridget Collins: This is more of a horror inside us, horror of people, of not being in control, of losing control, of emotions. It's that capability we have to become monsters ourselves, and the main male character was absolutely vile.

Apples by Emilia Hart: Not a horror in my view, but suitably thrilling. I love Emilia's writing and so I knew I'd probably find this one interesting. I actually would have liked this one to be longer, maybe made into a novella.

Waffle Thomas by Ainslie Hogarth: Okay so this was the first real horror story for me, and it definitely felt that way. I'm not sure I could have read a longer one to be honest as it really had the hair on the back of my neck standing up.

Carcinisation by Lucy Rose: Oh this one. It made me feel sick. That's not an insult. It is really quite icky, but not in a violent way. It's this feeling that your body isn't all yours anymore, and about the merging of two species. It made me very uncomfortable. This is probably my favourite in the sense that it's the one that gave me the heebie-jeebies the most.

Going Large by Lionel Shriver: This was interesting. Nothing horror about it. I was angry to begin with because it's very...fat-ist, shall we say, and as a bigger woman I instantly get my defences up. But actually it turned out to be quite a nice story in the end. Does that make me weird? Not scary, but thought provoking, exactly what I'm used to with Lionel's work.

BobAJob by James Smythe: This was creepiness in a different way. It's like an amalgamation of the old - work camps - and the new - online dating. It's very unnerving. I mean there is more to it than just work camps and dating. It's very eery and creepy but overall this felt more like the horror of human nature, of debts, catfishing, distrust, too much trust, power, more than anything else.

Reviewing short story collections written by one author is tricky, but there isn’t really an internal conflict. Multiple authors though, is different, because there will be some that are perceived to be better than others. In this particular collection, there are eighteen, purportedly “Modern Horror”, stories. I say ‘purportedly’ because, although they are all Modern, I don’t think any of them are actually Horror; my standard being Clive Barker, James Herbert, Steven King. Happy to call them Macabre, Fantastic, Speculative, but not Chilling, not Hair Raising, not Disquieting, not Nightmarish.
However, as stories they are all quite well written with interesting ideas. Many of them read like opening chapters for longer works, which some might find frustrating. As for star ratings, I don’t think any are a 5, and most are probably 3, averaging 3.3, so a 3 overall, which is a bit unfair on some of the authors.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.