In this collection of stories of “unsavory women”, beautifully edited by Molly Llewellyn and Kristel Buckley, there is a wide range of subjects and writers, encapsulating just how tired women are of all this nonsense. These were my favorite stories:
Fuckboy Museum, by Deesha Philyaw – A great opener. A woman grows tired of the awful men on dating apps, and does her bit to protect other women from said individuals.
The Other You, by Maisy Card – A woman goes to Jamaica to spy on her husband’s ex-wife. Why would anyone think such a plan would end well?
A Scholarship Opportunity, by Megan Giddings – A teenage girl competes to be “the worst girl”. Of course, the behaviors she exhibits would be perfectly acceptable were she male.
Sick, by Alicia Elliott – A woman goes to care for her mother (who is clearly faking an injury) at the cost of her own sanity. Wonderful, satisfying ending.
Holes, by Alice Ash – This story was incredibly unsettling; I loved it. A young teenager gets a job at a high-end clothing store, begins to thrive on the attention she gets for her child-like figure.
Buffalo, by Alison Rumfitt – Incredibly creepy. A trans woman is subjected to abuse when girls begin to get violently attacked in her neighborhood. The narrator speaking directly to the real attacker is very unnerving.
Amaranth, by Lauren Groff – The last story in the collection is the most accomplished. Amaranth witnesses the murder of her father at a young age, and plays the long game in getting revenge on the killer, who happens to be her father’s business partner.
Peach Pit is a really strong collection, with so many great authors. I highly support this kind of anthology, and eagerly await a lot more.
California Reading 