The Book of Queer Saints Reviewed by Tania Chen
The Book of Queer Saints is a beautifully put-together horror anthology by Mae Murray that brings to the table a myriad of tales focused on the complexity of queer characters within the genre. Murray’s introduction shares that this book’s inception arose from the desire to challenge the expectations of how queer characters should be represented in media, and the importance of allowing queer writers the freedom to depict their characters without the invisible (but very real) boundaries imposed by a resurgence in online puritanism. The collection houses many unexpected rides from strong voices.
"The Neon Holocaust" by Eric LaRocca pulls no punches from the very first line. An abusive relationship is dissected in the most terrifying and upsetting of ways. By the time the deeper implications of what happened become apparent it is already too late, the beautiful prose has drawn the reader in and hurled them headfirst into a poignant, heartfelt end that lingers long after the story ends.
A take on the relationship between both humans and the environment, as well as mermaids and people, "We Frolic Within the Leviathan's Heart" by Hailey Piper is a wonderful read. The Children of Mayoude who visit the shore enter the human carnival and defy our expectations: gender, sexuality, and habits; they do not conform to traditional roles. They have enviable freedom to be who they wish to be while frolicking among people. Our narrator engages in an affair with a human in which both characters delve deep into complex relationships and acceptance as the night continues. Decisions are made and there is no bed of roses waiting for them and yet the ending is absolutely perfect. You never know who you might meet, who you might love and what path you'll walk with them.
"Macramé Flames" by Eric Raglin sees a biker gang who intended to summon Satan reuniting five years after a mistake makes the ritual go awry. The narrator has a captivating and humourous way of introducing the other members of the gang, as well as recounting the events that led to the summoning, the reason why it failed and what is to happen next. It has an unexpected take on a particular trope, that makes for a warm, delightful end.
None of the protagonists in these stories are moral upstanding citizens and they're all the more perfect for it. Having the freedom to simply be, alongside the good, the bad and everything in-between, is a powerful message that will resonate with readers of this collection.The Book of Queer Saints challenges the reader to stare straight at the abyss and as it smiles back, full of teeth and the promise of nightmares.
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Tania Chen is a Chinese-Mexican queer writer. Their work has been published in Unfettered Hexes by Neon Hemlock. They are also a first reader for Strange Horizons and Nightmare Magazine and a graduate of the Clarion West Novella Bootcamp workshop of January/Feb 2021. Their work is upcoming in Pleiades Magazine, Strange Horizon and Baffling.