Body horror has been a staple of the horror genre starting as far back as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The fear of damage to one's body and the transformation or destruction of one's wholeness or identity are features of this subgenre, where the focus is the violation of the human body. It can range from beautiful and haunting to an absolute gore fest. Many contemporary titles incorporate aspects of body horror so readily that sometimes it is taken for granted, but these selections put those elements of the storytelling front and center. For a stunning sampler of the genre, try Body Shocks: Extreme Tales of Body Horror, edited by Ellen Datlow (Tachyon. Oct. 2021. ISBN 9781616963606). This collection includes some of the biggest names in horror fiction; it will be the perfect primer for newcomers to the subgenre, and a special delight for aficionados. Datlow's selections and pacing shine in this collection of weird and wonderful short stories that will blow readers' minds as they shiver and squirm. READ-ALIKE: Try the short story collection Trigger Warning: Body Horror, edited by Desiree Baltisberger, for a deeper look into the subgenre with some lesser-known authors.
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