Review - Diet Riot (a Fatterpunk anthology) by Sonora Taylor, etc.
I've gone a bit leftfield with my reading this month. Normal service will soon resume but I've taken a chance on some interesting-looking books and I'm so glad I did. Horror is NOT my go to genre but this one tickled me. So here goes...
I was first drawn to this horror anthology by the cheeky cover, and the fact that one of my favourite people, K.C. Loesener, was featured (Corpulence) This collection of twelve gruesome tales was a fun read, with fat people saving the day, beating the bad monsters and generally being awesome. There is great representation of LGBTQ+ folk, people of colour, and a dark humor which weaves throughout each story. Some of them are really gory, but there are trigger warnings, so I never had an bad surprises.
As with all anthologies, there are some stories I liked more than others, and the quality varies too, but all were very readable. I read my copy whilst in hospital, and it was a welcome distraction! If I had to choose a favourite it was Cinderella and Her Demon Godmother by Stephanie Rabig. I mean, who doesn't want a Godmother like that?
But honestly, it was hard to choose. There is a tone of gleeful joie de vivre running throughout the book, as our young heroines cut and slash and garrotte their way through myriads of monsters. Not my usual read, to be sure, but I'm so glad I took a chance on this one. Recommended.
Blurb
Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology features twelve fat-positive horror tales of people who come into their own, celebrate their curves, and save the day. There are babysitters and bakers, thieves and roller derby stars. Young women unsure about their bodies meet demons and water spirits who offer assistance–in their own way, of course. Danger lurks in hospitals, in the mysterious occult shop in the local mall, and in a house filled with cats. Campers, trash collectors, and house flippers alike uncover nasty secrets underground. A myriad of horrors await you–none of which comes at the expense of fat bodies. It’s time to reclaim the "f" word.
Cinderella and Her Demon Godmother by Stephanie Rabig
A Curious Garden by E.E.W. Christman
Blue Hair by Marsheila Rockwell
The Lake House by Nico Bell
Neon Afterglow by Roxie Voorhees
Waterfall by Christie Nogel
The Red Dots in the Window by Judith Barron
Fluffers by Die Booth
Like A Thief in the Night by Kay Hanifen
Corpulence by K.C. Loesener
The Floor is Lava by Nikki R. Leigh
Easy Bake by Sonora Taylor