Shadows in the Stacks Reviewed by Logan Lynch

Shadows in the Stacks (Shortwave Publishing), edited by Vincent V. Cava, James Sabata, and Jared Sage, celebrates the capacity for vulnerable self-expression within the horror genre. As Laurel Hightower explains in her introduction to the collection, “horror gives us the greatest opportunity to open our hearts to one another,” something that becomes even more precious when separation becomes weaponized with book bans on the rise. Full of brilliantly crafted and complex stories with layered social critiques from Douglas Ford, Rebecca Cuthbert, Alexis DuBon, and more, this anthology drags readers through fantastical social hellscapes with abandon.

“Moira” by Jamie Flanagan is a heartbreakingly beautiful story that follows young Moira after she receives a diary filled with entries that correspond to each day of her life for her birthday. When the diary is lost, Moira is thrown into a collage of her life, feeling the steep cost of stolen time. In deft prose, Flanagan balances layered scenes with flash-like fragments. Flanagan’s masterful control of emotion punches the reader with the horror of not being fully present in life.

Kel Byron’s “Long, White, and Wriggling” is a bloody, horrifying tale that will absolutely make readers’ skin crawl. The unnamed transmasculine protagonist starts having dreams of parasites crawling under their skin. When the parasites appear in their waking life, they become desperate to remove them. Byron’s writing style is surgically precise and disturbingly vivid, drawing the reader into the feeling of having a body that is no longer their own.

“Box Full of Strange” by Evelyn Freeling follows a dead woman who possesses a sex doll and uses it to torment her ex-boyfriend. When he realizes the true nature of the sex doll, it is far too late. Freeling’s sharp prose and flawless characterization enhance the story’s authenticity while maintaining its dark humor. In this sardonic story of revenge against violent men, Freeling gives readers a much needed catharsis.

With barely any misses, Shadows in the Stacks is a nearly flawless reflection on the capacities of horror. Including tales with timely takes on race, gender, sexuality, and capitalism, this collection presents a perfect mix of social critique, self-expression, and true horror. From grotesque body horror to haunting emotional spirals, these stories will take readers on an emotional rollercoaster and leave them begging for more.

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Logan Lynch is studying English Language and Literature at Stevenson University and a Baffling Magazine Associate Editor for Neon Hemlock. They are also the Editor in Chief at The Greenspring Review, Stevenson’s literary and media magazine, where you can find some of their writing. They live in Maryland.