Disclaimer: Hellbound Books provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Before beginning, I feel like the expectation will be for the reviewer to reveal the worst 'date from hell' they've ever been on. However, I've never been on a truly disastrous date. Probably the worst was the time the waiter brought me a meal I hadn't ordered, and, not wanting to make a fuss, I just started eating – only for the waiter to return with my actual order and to try to reclaim the meal for the customer it was actually for. More than a decade on, that memory still makes me red with embarrassment, but it isn't a very entertaining story - unlike many in this volume.
Enough about me, now to the actual book. Dates From Hell is a short story collection from Hellbound Publishing, who specialise in two things: new voices in horror writing, and themed anthologies. The theme of this particular collection, as you've probably guessed, is dates. The focus on up-and-coming writers, combined with the truly short nature of most of these stories, makes this book feel appropriately like a speed-dating event, a brief introduction to an unknown writer that hopefully gives you just enough of an impression of them before you're whisked on to the next table. Just like a speed-dating event, the reader never knows what the next encounter is going to be like – the stories aren't grouped thematically or tonally. To be clear, this is a strength – one of the appeals of a short story collection, at least to me, is the assortment of different ideas and voices, the surprise of turning the page and finding something completely different to what came before, and the structure of Dates From Hell, along with the brevity and volume of stories contained within, certainly gave me that.
The stories themselves are varied enough that not a lot can be said about them in general before we move on to the specifics. Broadly they skew schlockier than I usually read, but good schlock can be great fun. And, while some of the writers here may seem a little less confident than more established voices, they almost all seem to be having fun with the premise and their material, which really comes through and makes the collection more enjoyable for the reader. However, if I can keep stretching the metaphor, not every speed-date is going to lead to a match, and that's equally the case here. Others, though, introduce you to someone you're raring to meet again, and I'll discuss those too. There are a few that just don't really stand out, unfortunately, and of course you can't know if that's just because of the few minutes that person had to showcase themselves – you can only go on your experience. All of this is a self-indulgent way of saying that these stories are a bit of a mixed bag.
Some, such as the opening story, just didn't seem to do much with the premise. Others are victims of the length of these stories – Sergio 'ente per ente' Palumbo's The Lighthouse of Southerness Point begins with an intriguing setup, seeming to be an original spin on the classic horror setup of an isolated lighthouse, but then rushes to the end in a way that feels jarring. Gerardo Serrano R.'s A Tiny Dribble of Blood is effectively written but has a little too much story crammed into the word-count. Quality Meat, by Fulvio Gatti, opens with a great concept – a banking professional who, for both career and family reasons, is obliged to pander to his nerdy boss's fandom obsessions – but the main plot has little to do with that. Then there are the dates which are fun, and you're glad you went, but probably aren't going to lead anywhere further. Out Of Town Strange, Carlton Herzog's story about a mortician on a wild night out with one of his subjects, is a fun whirl, for all its crassness. In zombie-dating tale She Has My Heart, Sonny Zae shows a dedication to the pun that is truly admirable, as well as great inventiveness. Bloody Good Times, Serena Daniels' story of two people both trying to use a dating app for nefarious purposes, feels forced at times but is elevated by the dialogue, and particularly the combination of the two characters' viewpoints juxtaposing what their date is hearing (or reading) with what they actually intend.
And then, of course, there are those dates when you can really see something special. For all my issues above, this collection certainly has those special moments too. They Wrapped His Bones by Marco Angelo is the standout of the collection, combining eloquent evocation of grief with disturbing imagery to create a tale that will linger in your mind. Alexandria Baker's The Tart is a deliciously poisonous story of a less-than-friendly rivalry that's a joy to read. Wears Her Heart On A Rope, by Eddie Generous and Theresa Braun, is weird, unsettling, and painfully effective. One story that uses its length to great effect is Wayne Faust's 'What Are The Odds', which deftly conjures the brief yet shocking intrusion of the grisly and disturbing into everyday life, the title reflecting the way in which both the protagonist and the audience are left wondering about one night's events long after they happened. I've tried not to discuss each and every one of the stories – as mentioned, I love the fun of discovery that comes with a short story collection – but hopefully this gives a good overview.
There is, however, another thing I feel I have to mention. Given the subject matter, it may not be a surprise that some of these stories discuss sexual violence and violence against women, but the reader should know to be prepared for that subject matter. In particular, the story The Mean Girl by Michael J. Moore is a revenge story that to me, at least, came off as exploitative rather than empowering. I understand that horror is supposed to cause discomfort but I didn't particularly enjoy it. Conversely, A Greenthorn Bride Comes Home by Anna Haddad deals with a broadly similar situation – a woman alone with a man starting to wonder if she's safe – in a much more sensitive and compelling way.
When the tables are being cleared away and I'm considering my matches, I'd definitely say I have enough to make the night (and the potential embarrassment) well worth it. With such a scattershot approach, any reader is going to find something that makes them groan or want to count down the seconds until switching chairs, but I'd be surprised if you didn't find some gems here too. Certainly I hope to see more from Angelo, Baker, Generous & Braun, and Faust soon. If you find yourself waiting for the buzzer to go, don't worry - there are plenty more fish in the sea, and the next date could very well be the start of something special.
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