Hayley Reviews: Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

I recently read Carmen Maria Machado’s ‘In the Dream House’ and I loved it, so I was really excited to start her short story collection ‘Her Body and Other Parties’. The collection is a strange and experimental blend of magical realism, horror and the supernatural, combining classic fairy tales with contemporary urban legends. I don’t often read fantasy but I love stories that tie in fantastical elements with more realist stories, especially when they create a more unsettling feeling as Machado’s stories do. As evidenced from the title, many of the stories explore the relationship between a woman and her body, from a wife who refuses to reveal to her husband why she has a ribbon tied around her neck, to a woman whose recent weight-loss surgery welcomes in an unwanted house-guest. I really enjoyed the way Machado used fantasy to explore and dissect issues such as femininity, sexuality and body autonomy. Machado also plays with form throughout the collection, in one story including stage directions for how the story should be read aloud. Machado’s writing is very atmospheric and this builds a great deal of tension through each tale. I read most of this book while I was on holiday and only had time to read in the evenings, which was perfect for these stories. I didn’t want to read them right before bed but also I couldn’t put them down! I would recommend this book to any fans of Angela Carter and Ottessa Moshfegh, and to anyone who wants to be set a little on edge this Halloween.