Mother: Tales of Love and Terror Edited by Christi Nogle and Willow Becker

 

Mothers protect, nurture, love, and adore...but what if they are more than just their title? In these 33 stories and poems, we examine what motherhood is and explore mothers of all kinds. With over 300 pages of horror, dark fantasy, science fiction, and poetry, we introduce the motivations and compulsions that make up a mother—both good and evil. Whether they are robot mothers, evil stepmothers, or sociopathic mothers-to-be, these stories will illuminate what's really going on inside of that woman we think we know so well...Mother.

 Has there ever been such a paradox as a mother? A woman who gives of herself until she has nothing left, and then gives some more.

Unfortunately, not everyone is cut out for motherhood, and some you will meet in this book have nothing to give but ugliness, evil and violence.

Powerful stories, poems and illustrations with the theme of motherhood fill these pages. Motherless children and childless mothers abound. But you won't find any Carol Brady or June Cleavers here. Mothers in these stories give life, take life, and ruin lives. There is ugliness and violence in these stories of the bonds of motherhood and of severing those ties. Fathers don't play much of a role in these tales, but occasionally an unusual father results in an exceptionally special child or even a litter of them. Some of my favorite stories involved very strange children.

If you are a fan of dark and weird fiction this anthology is for you. 

4 out of 5 stars

My thanks to Weird Little Worlds

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Contents

“The Sire,” by Steven Rasnic Tem
“Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree,” by Hailey Piper
“Of a Thousand Arms and More,” by Ai Jiang
“Passed,” by Elizabeth R. McClellan
“Mother Made Cake,” by Nicoletta Giuseffi
“Puerperium,” by Donyae Coles
“Pelican,” by Gemma Files
“Fracture,” by Mercedes M. Yardley
“When Auntie’s Due,” by Sarah Read
“Vé’otsé’e (Warpath Woman),” by Shane Hawk
“Stone’s Blood,” by Nick Bouchard
“Shields,” by Christina Sng
“The Bone Child,” by Ryan Cole
“The Wives of Tromisle,” by Dan Coxon
“Duties Terrible and Dear,” by John Langan
“Worry Dolly,” by Nadia Bulkin
“(sub)Maternal Instincts,” by K.M. Veohongs
“720º,” by Steve Toase“Number ONE,” by Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito
“Here in the Cellar,” by R. Leigh Hennig
“She’s Untouchable,” by Renee Cronley
“Lida’s Beach,” by Stephanie Nelson
“Instruments of Bone and the Flesh Songs They Create,” by Nikki R. Leigh
“Transformative Love,” by Tehnuka
“The Withering Depths,” by Todd Powell
“Waiting for Mother,” by Brian Evenson
“Unchild,” by Jonathan Louis Duckworth
“Take Care,” by S.P. Miskowski
“Mother Trucker,” by Wailana Kalama
“The Last Sin,” by Gabino Iglesias
“Jacob’s Mother,” by Katie McIvor