I received a physical arc from Flatiron Books via publisher. All reviews are my own.
I'm slowly getting into anthologies. My first one was Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola, and my most recent one was Reclaim the Stars, edited by Zoraida Cordova. I still may be a novice in the genre, but I at least know that most of the time, short stories are either a hit or miss. But behold, I found something worth the hype, AND it was made and dedicated to kinfolk like me! I now have a reason to root for Black people in horror situations because The Black Girl Survives in This One, edited by Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell, gives me hope that few movie franchises have ever done.
I had a chance to check out the novel via audio, featuring Shayna Small's voice. It would have been nice to hear multiple people telling the different stories, but that's the audio snob in me. Small did well navigating 15 stories; I appreciate her relaxed mannerisms more than other audios I've heard her perform.
What I liked the most about this book is that it's Blackity Black. Of course, Black people wrote and edited it, but it was more than that. It was the tone of the book. The mannerisms. The knowing. Something that didn't have to be explained because it's a part of our being. Dialogs didn't sound forced or out of place. Pop culture isn't heavily ridden in the text, so others can feel included or know what we discuss. This book was truly meant for us and all the horror geeks who want to see Black people survive in any situation. I also liked that each story wasn't a typical horror story. It wasn't drowned in anything political, slave-like, or have a racist agenda. Here, we get to enjoy what others find horrifying: Zombies, cults, ancient dwellings, ghosts, etc.
Now, we all have our favorite horror monster, but here are some of my newfound favorites:
Queeniums for Greenium! – Brittney Morris (It was a slow start for this story, but by the time we got to the end, I was in awe of what kind of horror we were dealing with)
The Brides of Devil's Bayou – Desiree S. Evans (I am a sucker for backwater ghost stories)
TMI – Zakiya Dalila Harris (I couldn't imagine a more practical horror)
The Screamers – Daka Hermon (This reminded me so much of Sinister)
Overall, I rated this book 4-stars. TBGSITO is pure FUBU, and I love it. Go ahead and spend that money on this title. It deserves to be on your shelves. Thank you to the Queens Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell for giving our girls a shot at living in these horrifying times.
The Black Girl Survives in This One debuts April 2, 2024.