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Desperate Bodies
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Expected 15 Sep 26From a ferocious new talent, a debut story collection excavating the desire, humor, and horror in the everyday lives of Black women and girls—for readers of Deesha Philyaw and Kelly Link
With a voice that vibrates on the page, Lydia Mathis’ debut collection is set in the American South and her sharply drawn, authentic characters shine a light on what we’re willing to do to ourselves and to others in service of our desires. The madness in the ordinary rules an overworked college safety officer is confronted by a bloody figure who walks into her office; a sex worker runs into a client en route to a parent-teacher conference; a teacher is plagued by a ghost determined to tidy her apartment.
Desperate Bodies depicts the fragility, strength, and unruliness of Black women and girls’ bodies and the power in being honest about their desires. In unflinching prose, Mathis takes a frank and determined look at what it means to be subjected to imbalances of power through the perspectives of young girls and adult women. With surprising turns and a touch of the supernatural, these stories refuse to look away from the most honest, raw moments of womanhood.
Visceral and unyielding, Desperate Bodies is a thrillingly dark ride that introduces Lydia Mathis as a major new writer.
With a voice that vibrates on the page, Lydia Mathis’ debut collection is set in the American South and her sharply drawn, authentic characters shine a light on what we’re willing to do to ourselves and to others in service of our desires. The madness in the ordinary rules an overworked college safety officer is confronted by a bloody figure who walks into her office; a sex worker runs into a client en route to a parent-teacher conference; a teacher is plagued by a ghost determined to tidy her apartment.
Desperate Bodies depicts the fragility, strength, and unruliness of Black women and girls’ bodies and the power in being honest about their desires. In unflinching prose, Mathis takes a frank and determined look at what it means to be subjected to imbalances of power through the perspectives of young girls and adult women. With surprising turns and a touch of the supernatural, these stories refuse to look away from the most honest, raw moments of womanhood.
Visceral and unyielding, Desperate Bodies is a thrillingly dark ride that introduces Lydia Mathis as a major new writer.
- GenresShort Stories
288 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Couldn't put this down. Every single story was immersive, interesting, heartbreaking, relatable.
"Girlhood Lessons", "Push", "The Long sleep", "The Growing Oak Tree", and "Precious" were clear favorites for me.
Some themes that stuck out to me was the idea of safety and how as a woman/girl, we're never allowed the grace and comfort of it. Not with your grandmother, not with your commanding father, not with the guy you agree to go on a date with, not even with other girls. Many of these stories perfectly captured the perpetual cycle of women and girls never being safe but also never being allowed to be victims, to be vulnerable, to be fully realized humans.
These stories will stick with me.
Can't wait to read more from this author.
"Girlhood Lessons", "Push", "The Long sleep", "The Growing Oak Tree", and "Precious" were clear favorites for me.
Some themes that stuck out to me was the idea of safety and how as a woman/girl, we're never allowed the grace and comfort of it. Not with your grandmother, not with your commanding father, not with the guy you agree to go on a date with, not even with other girls. Many of these stories perfectly captured the perpetual cycle of women and girls never being safe but also never being allowed to be victims, to be vulnerable, to be fully realized humans.
These stories will stick with me.
Can't wait to read more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley for free.
A perfect short story collection. I really enjoyed how many themes were tackled in these stories; religious trauma, black womanhood, misogyny, medical bias etc. I really enjoyed how horror adjacent a lot of the stories were and the rawness of the author's writing style.
Will definitely be keeping my eye open for the author’s upcoming work as well.
A perfect short story collection. I really enjoyed how many themes were tackled in these stories; religious trauma, black womanhood, misogyny, medical bias etc. I really enjoyed how horror adjacent a lot of the stories were and the rawness of the author's writing style.
Will definitely be keeping my eye open for the author’s upcoming work as well.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Net Galley for the advance reader copy of this book!
As someone who often struggles to get into and enjoy short stories this collection really stood out to me. It truly examines many of the struggles women grapple with a throughout their lives including lack of safety, autonomy, and self expression. My only complaint is that many of the short stories left me wanting more when I finished them. I will definitely read more from this author!
As someone who often struggles to get into and enjoy short stories this collection really stood out to me. It truly examines many of the struggles women grapple with a throughout their lives including lack of safety, autonomy, and self expression. My only complaint is that many of the short stories left me wanting more when I finished them. I will definitely read more from this author!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews