The Sex Lives of Monsters

by Helen Marshall

In The Sex Lives of Monsters, award-winning poet Helen Marshall weaves together ancient myths and urban legends in this poignant exploration of what it means to be monstrous. These poems are peopled with gods, murderers and marvels, with Bigfoot and Billy the Kid. Gorgeous and disturbing, comically sly and coloured with sadness, Marshall revels in our animal selves and their angel traces, in gum wrappers, subway ads, love letters and the crooked children left behind to sift through them.

Genres: Poetry

54 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 2013

About the author

Helen Marshall (manuscriptgal.com) is an award-winning author, editor, and bibliophile.

Her poetry and short fiction have been published in The Chiaroscuro, Paper Crow, Abyss & Apex, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet and Tor.com. In 2011, she released a collection of poems entitled Skeleton Leaves from Kelp Queen Press and her collection of short stories Hair Side, Flesh Side was released from ChiZine Publications in 2012. This collection won the 2013 British Fantasy Sydney J. Bounds Award and was short-listed for a 2013 Aurora Award for Best Related Work. It was named one of the top ten F/SF books of 2012 by January Magazine. Her second fiction collection Gifts for the One Who Comes After launched in September 2014.

Reviews

[John Pollock]

The last time I read poetry was back in high school (take it from me, that's a long time ago). I was fortunate enough to have won this signed book in a Goodreads giveaway. I didn't know what to expect but the title intrigued me from the moment I saw it. I must say that this is not a typical read (for me) and I've just finished reading it a second time. The visions that Helen Marshall conjure up are often familiar but unnerving at the same time. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it has encouraged me to seek out similar works. I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you!

[DivaDiane SM]

This book won the Elgin Award for a collection of poetry awarded by the Science Fiction Poetry Association. And deservedly so. Each poem is beautifully wrought and stays with you.
I have reviewed this collection in full on Amazing Stories Mag: http://amazingstoriesmag.com/2015/02/...

[Linda Addison]

This book goes to the heart of myth and shows us beautiful, mournful monsters, aching to be loved. Weaved from familiar fairy tales, biblical and historical images into the magic of the surreal, like a waking dream brushing against our mind. The reader will discover the beautiful monster within, from ‘The Stairwell’: We cannot be other than we are. Marshall made me long to be monstrously beautiful.

[Tameica Muir]

I think this book sounds exciting by how intense the plot is. Also by the actions being told in the previews by the author.