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The Whites of Their Eyes: A Collection of Queer Horror
There are no happy endings here.
In the town of Inverse, Silvino and Scott Orellano discover the darkness in their deepest hearts. At the cusp of a new life, Kane Orwell learns terrible truths whispered by a black and eldritch mouth. Torn between one identity and another, Shania Logan struggles to hold on to the fragments of her self.
And standing on the threshold of the afterlife, a grieving wife balances between life and death on the flicker of a candle's flame.
Inverse.
Insurrection.
Mouth.
Flicker.
Four tales of horror, written from a queer perspective. In this collection of short stories and novellas, our heroes and heroines will explore the depths of terror both macabre and mundane--and live their darkest fears, reflected in the whites of their eyes.
In the town of Inverse, Silvino and Scott Orellano discover the darkness in their deepest hearts. At the cusp of a new life, Kane Orwell learns terrible truths whispered by a black and eldritch mouth. Torn between one identity and another, Shania Logan struggles to hold on to the fragments of her self.
And standing on the threshold of the afterlife, a grieving wife balances between life and death on the flicker of a candle's flame.
Inverse.
Insurrection.
Mouth.
Flicker.
Four tales of horror, written from a queer perspective. In this collection of short stories and novellas, our heroes and heroines will explore the depths of terror both macabre and mundane--and live their darkest fears, reflected in the whites of their eyes.
263 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2017
5 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
About the author
Xen.
11 books177 followersSlender. Angry. (Part) Asian.
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Xen. Cole. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: blackmagic@blackmagicblues.com
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
There's also my Cole McCade contemporary romerotica GR profile, at:
*https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can also get early access to cover reveals, blurbs, contests, and other exclusives by joining the McCade's Marauders street team at:
* www.facebook.com/groups/mccadesmaraud...
Yeah, that about sums me up.
Hi. I’m Xen. Cole. Whatever you want to call me; both are true, and both are lies. My pen names are multitudes, my nicknames legion. Tall, bi/queer, introverted author of a brown-ish persuasion made up of various flavors of Black, Asian, and Native American. I’m cuter than Hello Kitty, more bitter than the blackest coffee, and able to trip over cats in a single half-asleep lurch; I’m what happens when a Broody Antihero and a Manic Pixie Dream Boy fight to the death, and someone builds a person from the scraps left behind. Beardless, I look like the uke in every yaoi manga in existence; bearded or not, I sound like Barry White. About half my time is spent as a corporate writer, and the other half riding a train of WTFery that sometimes results in a finished book. Romance, erotica, sci-fi, horror, paranormal; LGBTQIA and cishet; diverse settings and diverse characters from a diverse author.
Sometimes I shout about things on the internet. Usually intersectional feminism and marginalized voices, and whomever’s punching down in those directions today. Sometimes human sociology, the psychology of sex and gender, and my own gender non-conforming arse (he/him, by the way). Sometimes I get really mad at Stephen Hawking and nerd out all over the place about hairy black holes, and believe it or not, that’s not a terrible pun or even worse innuendo.
That’s it. I’m a huge dork. My humor’s so dry it could empty oceans. I’m a native Southerner from the New Orleans area with zero Southern accent; I’m a mess of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual influences; I have two cats. I wake up at daft hours of the morning to go running. I crochet terrible, lumpy things that never really turn into anything. I’m older than you think I look. I’m much more shy than my fury makes me sound (signifying gods only know what, but probably nothing). Recently I decided, at 36, that I needed to restart my life and move cross-country, so I tossed 75% of my possessions in the trash and randomly trucked it to Seattle. I’m in love with books and music and technology, and they war with each other for dominance and sometimes come together in a beautiful confluence. Most of the physical books I own are strange, obscure, out of print, overseas imports, or any combination of the four. Most of the physical books I used to own were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and have been replaced with the infinite library on my Nook. My wallet has a dangerous attraction to anything with pages; it flirts and teases and gives its all, until there’s nothing left but emptiness and ruin.
There will always be things you don’t know, and I won’t tell.
But ask me late at night over live music in a seedy bar, and you might just get an honest answer.
...or you can poke me via:
* Email: blackmagic@blackmagicblues.com
* Twitter: @thisblackmagic
* Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/xen.cole
* Website & Blog: http://www.blackmagicblues.com
* Tumblr: http://thisblackmagic.tumblr.com/
There's also my Cole McCade contemporary romerotica GR profile, at:
*https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can also get early access to cover reveals, blurbs, contests, and other exclusives by joining the McCade's Marauders street team at:
* www.facebook.com/groups/mccadesmaraud...
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 4, 2020
Whew. DAMN. This collection was... SO GOOD?! I love Cole McCade's writing so much and absolutely consider him one of my favorite romance authors (or favorite authors in general), but I had NO CLUE his horror work was just as flawless. This was legitimately so unsettling and creepy and I think I may have actual bona fide nightmares about one of the scenes in one of these stories.
First, let's talk about the concept of queer horror to begin with — as a queer person who adores horror, I've always been a little disheartened by how rare it is to find horror stories centering people who look like me, so reading this collection and finding that each and every primary character was queer? *chef kiss* AMAZING. We have sapphic characters, gay characters, and a delightful ace couple in our final story.
That said, as is mentioned in the author's note in the beginning of the book, this is horror . These are not happy stories with guarantees of sunny endings, and if you're not comfortable reading depictions of queer folks going Through It™, be aware of that before heading into this one. I personally am a strong believer, much like Xen, that queer authors deserve the right to showcase all queer experiences — not just happy ones — so I was personally really pleased with the gritty nature of these stories and the way they never held back.
Every time I pick up a new story from this author, I'm consistently blown away by how beautiful his writing is and how instantaneously I become attached to his characters (especially the beautiful elderly couple in 'Flicker', the final story). I think this is an incredible collection and I know I'll be recommending it for a long, long time to come.
✨ Representation: 'Inverse' features a Salvadoran gay man & his gay husband; 'Insurrection' features a butch bi woman; 'Mouth' features a Black gay MC & his Japanese queer husband; 'Flicker' features an asexual couple, both described with brown skin.
✨ Content warnings for:
First, let's talk about the concept of queer horror to begin with — as a queer person who adores horror, I've always been a little disheartened by how rare it is to find horror stories centering people who look like me, so reading this collection and finding that each and every primary character was queer? *chef kiss* AMAZING. We have sapphic characters, gay characters, and a delightful ace couple in our final story.
That said, as is mentioned in the author's note in the beginning of the book, this is horror . These are not happy stories with guarantees of sunny endings, and if you're not comfortable reading depictions of queer folks going Through It™, be aware of that before heading into this one. I personally am a strong believer, much like Xen, that queer authors deserve the right to showcase all queer experiences — not just happy ones — so I was personally really pleased with the gritty nature of these stories and the way they never held back.
Every time I pick up a new story from this author, I'm consistently blown away by how beautiful his writing is and how instantaneously I become attached to his characters (especially the beautiful elderly couple in 'Flicker', the final story). I think this is an incredible collection and I know I'll be recommending it for a long, long time to come.
✨ Representation: 'Inverse' features a Salvadoran gay man & his gay husband; 'Insurrection' features a butch bi woman; 'Mouth' features a Black gay MC & his Japanese queer husband; 'Flicker' features an asexual couple, both described with brown skin.
✨ Content warnings for:
October 29, 2017
Every now and again I’ll wander off the romantic path, and on this occasion I’ll happily admit to being rather proud of myself because The Whites of Their Eyes is horror. And me plus anything horror related equals:
Oh the things you’ll put yourself through when it’s a favourite author.
Xen is an author who writes diverse stories which, irrespective of genre, focusses on the real struggles marginalised people face. And his foray into the world of horror gave me chills: his writing voice has a hypnotic pull, creating an eerie atmosphere and situations where I broke out in goose-bumps. One story resulted in me literally shouting RUN, yet another had me reaching for the tissues, and that’s why I love his writing—he has a supreme capability of bringing out the feelings you’re least expecting.
”Why sometimes to survive, it was necessary to lie.”
The four stories told in The Whites of Their Eyes make for an all round gripping read representing several demographics and, thankfully, the horror didn’t leave me a quivering wreck, more unnerved and spooked, and at times hurting just the right amount. To quote the author “These are stories I almost didn’t write”.
I for one am so glad he did.
Copy generously provided by the author.
Oh the things you’ll put yourself through when it’s a favourite author.
Xen is an author who writes diverse stories which, irrespective of genre, focusses on the real struggles marginalised people face. And his foray into the world of horror gave me chills: his writing voice has a hypnotic pull, creating an eerie atmosphere and situations where I broke out in goose-bumps. One story resulted in me literally shouting RUN, yet another had me reaching for the tissues, and that’s why I love his writing—he has a supreme capability of bringing out the feelings you’re least expecting.
”Why sometimes to survive, it was necessary to lie.”
The four stories told in The Whites of Their Eyes make for an all round gripping read representing several demographics and, thankfully, the horror didn’t leave me a quivering wreck, more unnerved and spooked, and at times hurting just the right amount. To quote the author “These are stories I almost didn’t write”.
I for one am so glad he did.
Copy generously provided by the author.
November 3, 2017
4.5 stars. Full review to come after I collect myself, light some sage and say a few prayers.
My Review:
I don't remember the last time I read horror, but after getting an early glimpse of Inverse courtesy of the author, I was definitely excited for more. The Whites of Their Eyes (a total of four novellas and short stories) did not disappoint.
Inverse and Mouth were the lengthier of the four, which the author shamelessly used to his advantage to lure us into his characters' worlds and make us fall in love with them - right before he ruthlessly annihialated any chance of their happiness in this life or the next.
In Inverse, the tension between the two newlywerds was so palapable - and the point of contention so close to home for me personally - that I was as desperate as Silvino to make amends with Scott before it was too late.
And in Mouth, just like Kane when he laid eyes on Michio, I fell instantly and quietly in love - and promptly fell into despair knowing there would be no happy ending for the two young lovers. It nearly broke my heart but I could not for the life of me put the book down till I learned of their cruel fate.
Even though Kane and Michio stole my heart, the story that stole my breath (and the show for me) featured an unnamed elderly couple's desperately bargaining with Death before the final surrender. Flicker proved to be the perfect close to this dark collection - a gentle sigh in the cruel, cold night.
If you're in the mood for some queer and diverse horror, I highly recommend TWOTE.
My Review:
I don't remember the last time I read horror, but after getting an early glimpse of Inverse courtesy of the author, I was definitely excited for more. The Whites of Their Eyes (a total of four novellas and short stories) did not disappoint.
Inverse and Mouth were the lengthier of the four, which the author shamelessly used to his advantage to lure us into his characters' worlds and make us fall in love with them - right before he ruthlessly annihialated any chance of their happiness in this life or the next.
In Inverse, the tension between the two newlywerds was so palapable - and the point of contention so close to home for me personally - that I was as desperate as Silvino to make amends with Scott before it was too late.
And in Mouth, just like Kane when he laid eyes on Michio, I fell instantly and quietly in love - and promptly fell into despair knowing there would be no happy ending for the two young lovers. It nearly broke my heart but I could not for the life of me put the book down till I learned of their cruel fate.
Even though Kane and Michio stole my heart, the story that stole my breath (and the show for me) featured an unnamed elderly couple's desperately bargaining with Death before the final surrender. Flicker proved to be the perfect close to this dark collection - a gentle sigh in the cruel, cold night.
If you're in the mood for some queer and diverse horror, I highly recommend TWOTE.
March 27, 2020
actual rating: 3.5
I love me some queer horror stories! There are four stories in this book. Two of them are very short, probably taking up about 10% of the page space, and the other two are both longer and about the same length so I would say about 45% of the page space each for those. The reason this gets a 3.5 rounded up is because I would have liked to see a more uniform story length. The two shorter stories were definitely not as rounded out as the longer ones, although I did appreciate that we got asexual protagonists in one of them! The two longer stories were very good and I think really showed what this author can do. Definitely a good read if you like horror and want more queer protagonists.
I love me some queer horror stories! There are four stories in this book. Two of them are very short, probably taking up about 10% of the page space, and the other two are both longer and about the same length so I would say about 45% of the page space each for those. The reason this gets a 3.5 rounded up is because I would have liked to see a more uniform story length. The two shorter stories were definitely not as rounded out as the longer ones, although I did appreciate that we got asexual protagonists in one of them! The two longer stories were very good and I think really showed what this author can do. Definitely a good read if you like horror and want more queer protagonists.
January 16, 2023
Cole McCade does it again. The first short story had me immediately invested in the characters and dreaded their gory fate. The second one had me captivated and I found it quite clever. The third, I fell in love with the two characters and call bullshit on that ending :( and the fourth was the perfect bittersweet ending to this queer horror collection.
*Buddy Read with my Cole crew*
*Buddy Read with my Cole crew*
July 23, 2020
It looks like it took me forever to read this book but it really didn’t. Well it did sort of.
I did actually have an ARC but it wasn’t on my kindle and because it was outside of my normal reading mode, I forgot it. Then I felt crazy bad for not finishing it and thought that the author had fallen out with me because I didn’t finish it and review it in time. And then I got neurotic about it, thinking that if I finished it after all that time he would think ill of me and never be my friend again.
Then someone in a book group was looking for MM horror stories and I recommend this, although I had only read 2 out of the four short stories. Anyway I told my inner voice to take a chill pill and finish it.
The book is made up of four short stories, Inverse is about two newlyweds Scott and Silvino who find themselves in the very, very, very strange town of Inverse where the people are not exactly normal. It really was like the old Tales of the Unexpected. Weird and a bit scary.
“Inverse is just where childhood dreams go when you forget about them, and they just fade out of the world.”
Insurrection is an FF story. Shania is messed up in her head and living in filth. She starts hearing voices in her head. The ending is wow.
Mouth - was another Tales of the Unexpected type story. Kane Orwell and his partner Michio move to Chicago. New job and an escape from small town homophobia. It’s the feelings behind the story that pack a punch. Anxiety is the monster that looms. I’ve always loved robins, they are Christmas card cute, but robins with teeth? Scary little dudes.
The final story Flicker is the shortest one but it tugged my heart. Deep, deep love is beautiful.
Xen did Tales of the Unexpected so well, I bet Roald Dahl would be suitability impressed.
I did actually have an ARC but it wasn’t on my kindle and because it was outside of my normal reading mode, I forgot it. Then I felt crazy bad for not finishing it and thought that the author had fallen out with me because I didn’t finish it and review it in time. And then I got neurotic about it, thinking that if I finished it after all that time he would think ill of me and never be my friend again.
Then someone in a book group was looking for MM horror stories and I recommend this, although I had only read 2 out of the four short stories. Anyway I told my inner voice to take a chill pill and finish it.
The book is made up of four short stories, Inverse is about two newlyweds Scott and Silvino who find themselves in the very, very, very strange town of Inverse where the people are not exactly normal. It really was like the old Tales of the Unexpected. Weird and a bit scary.
“Inverse is just where childhood dreams go when you forget about them, and they just fade out of the world.”
Insurrection is an FF story. Shania is messed up in her head and living in filth. She starts hearing voices in her head. The ending is wow.
Mouth - was another Tales of the Unexpected type story. Kane Orwell and his partner Michio move to Chicago. New job and an escape from small town homophobia. It’s the feelings behind the story that pack a punch. Anxiety is the monster that looms. I’ve always loved robins, they are Christmas card cute, but robins with teeth? Scary little dudes.
The final story Flicker is the shortest one but it tugged my heart. Deep, deep love is beautiful.
Xen did Tales of the Unexpected so well, I bet Roald Dahl would be suitability impressed.
January 16, 2023
➸ first of all, horror is not a genre i usually read but I trusted Xen (Cole McCade) to give me something carefully crafted with nuance instead of shock value and cheap scares. and i was right.
i didn't exactly enjoy my reading experience, but it wasn't the goal of this collection. i was worried, anxious, disgusted, surprised, touched and affected by what is explored.
and the author has a very thoughtful foreword about queer horror that i really appreciated.
Inverse
CW: body horror, physical and emotional abuse by a parent, suicide ideation
Insurrection
CW : alcoolism, vomit, decaying body
Mouth
CW : death of a wild animal, disection of said animal, anxiety, panic attack.
Flicker
CW : death of a terminally ill partner
i didn't exactly enjoy my reading experience, but it wasn't the goal of this collection. i was worried, anxious, disgusted, surprised, touched and affected by what is explored.
and the author has a very thoughtful foreword about queer horror that i really appreciated.
Inverse
CW: body horror, physical and emotional abuse by a parent, suicide ideation
Insurrection
CW : alcoolism, vomit, decaying body
Mouth
CW : death of a wild animal, disection of said animal, anxiety, panic attack.
Flicker
CW : death of a terminally ill partner
January 11, 2018
Disclaimer: I don't DO horror. Generally, and on principle. Im a scaredy cat and a wuss, and I have to be in a very special mood to even think about picking up a book in this genre.
And then along came The Whites of Their Eyes. It's by Xen Sanders, soooo of course I had to read it. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of his words.
And y'all. These stories. These stories. They flayed me alive and had me weeping while shitting my pants. Metaphorically speaking - let's not get too gross. My point is, I loved and hated each and every one of these stories amdly and deeply. INVERSE was my downfall. It not only scared me to death and made me shiver and shudder, it touched me so deeply and hurt so bad, I couldn't stop reading for a second. It's where still open wounds from the past clash with the new cuts of the present and create this feeling of desperation, vulnerablilty and terror that was at once heart-breaking and heart-stopping. Few people on this planet can make me weep in agony and fear but with a sigh of 'OH GOD SO MANY FEELINGS' like X can.
INSURRECTION was the story I was most looking forward to, mostly because I knew a thing or two about it before starting to read. My excitement was absolutley justified and I LOVED it. While it had my skin crawl with doubts about who exactly is living in my body and if I'm alone in my brain, I also absolutely love-hated Shania. She was such a flawed, broken, HUMAN main character and she killed me in ways I didn't expect. And got me thinking a lot about vulnerability, priorities in life and perceptions vs. reality.
I might never recover from MOUTH. I have to be honest, I absolutely adored the two boys. I wanted them to have their HEA so, so bad and I'm still not sure I'll ever get over the cruelty of them not getting what I wanted them to get so desperately. And I swear to God, if you have a problem with creepy mouths and creepy dead birds and if you're scared of what exactly is lurking in the shadows of your own mind? You might want to MOVE RIGHT ALONG.
Last but definitely not least, FLICKER was incredibly beautiful. In a way it was the saddest of the four, but then... not. While I cried and cried and CRIED while reading in the bathtub, I also just sighed... contentedly? Maybe that's not the right word, but it fits. When two people spend a lifetime together and you can still feel their love and devotion in every stuttering breath and ever flicker of a candle? That is so special. It gives hope and a kind of warmth hard to describe. It just... is. And it's good.
All the flailing summed up coherently: I loved this book. I loved these stories, so much more than I ever expected and I admittedly go back to them now and again, just to get sucked back into that torrent of raw and pure emotions.
And then along came The Whites of Their Eyes. It's by Xen Sanders, soooo of course I had to read it. It's no secret I'm a huge fan of his words.
And y'all. These stories. These stories. They flayed me alive and had me weeping while shitting my pants. Metaphorically speaking - let's not get too gross. My point is, I loved and hated each and every one of these stories amdly and deeply. INVERSE was my downfall. It not only scared me to death and made me shiver and shudder, it touched me so deeply and hurt so bad, I couldn't stop reading for a second. It's where still open wounds from the past clash with the new cuts of the present and create this feeling of desperation, vulnerablilty and terror that was at once heart-breaking and heart-stopping. Few people on this planet can make me weep in agony and fear but with a sigh of 'OH GOD SO MANY FEELINGS' like X can.
INSURRECTION was the story I was most looking forward to, mostly because I knew a thing or two about it before starting to read. My excitement was absolutley justified and I LOVED it. While it had my skin crawl with doubts about who exactly is living in my body and if I'm alone in my brain, I also absolutely love-hated Shania. She was such a flawed, broken, HUMAN main character and she killed me in ways I didn't expect. And got me thinking a lot about vulnerability, priorities in life and perceptions vs. reality.
I might never recover from MOUTH. I have to be honest, I absolutely adored the two boys. I wanted them to have their HEA so, so bad and I'm still not sure I'll ever get over the cruelty of them not getting what I wanted them to get so desperately. And I swear to God, if you have a problem with creepy mouths and creepy dead birds and if you're scared of what exactly is lurking in the shadows of your own mind? You might want to MOVE RIGHT ALONG.
Last but definitely not least, FLICKER was incredibly beautiful. In a way it was the saddest of the four, but then... not. While I cried and cried and CRIED while reading in the bathtub, I also just sighed... contentedly? Maybe that's not the right word, but it fits. When two people spend a lifetime together and you can still feel their love and devotion in every stuttering breath and ever flicker of a candle? That is so special. It gives hope and a kind of warmth hard to describe. It just... is. And it's good.
All the flailing summed up coherently: I loved this book. I loved these stories, so much more than I ever expected and I admittedly go back to them now and again, just to get sucked back into that torrent of raw and pure emotions.
January 15, 2023
buddy reading Cole McCade >>> reading him on your own
-
No one is surprised that I enjoyed this horror collection. It's smart, it's emotional, it interrogates the psyches of each character to create their personal hell.
Something you can always count on with him is that while his stories focus on characters with multiple marginalizations, those are never used as an easy gotcha or to villainize them;they are equally allowed to be imperfect people.
Inverse | ★★★★★
My favourite and a slow burn.
It starts with an interracial couple who are traveling across the country and spending the night in a town in the middle of nowhere. Things are a little tense between them because Silvino was not fully transparent with is past and will only become tenser from then on.
All about complicated relationships.
Insurrection | ★★★★✩
Bleak from start to finish and some of the most disgusting descriptions.
Mouth | ★★★✩✩
This one was still good but I found the horror parts a little too random - the ending did not come together for me and not as deliberate as in the other ones. But the relationship? Fully invested, no questions asked.
Flicker | ★★★★✩
Almost sweet but heartbreaking.
-
No one is surprised that I enjoyed this horror collection. It's smart, it's emotional, it interrogates the psyches of each character to create their personal hell.
Something you can always count on with him is that while his stories focus on characters with multiple marginalizations, those are never used as an easy gotcha or to villainize them;they are equally allowed to be imperfect people.
Inverse | ★★★★★
My favourite and a slow burn.
It starts with an interracial couple who are traveling across the country and spending the night in a town in the middle of nowhere. Things are a little tense between them because Silvino was not fully transparent with is past and will only become tenser from then on.
All about complicated relationships.
Insurrection | ★★★★✩
Bleak from start to finish and some of the most disgusting descriptions.
Mouth | ★★★✩✩
This one was still good but I found the horror parts a little too random - the ending did not come together for me and not as deliberate as in the other ones. But the relationship? Fully invested, no questions asked.
Flicker | ★★★★✩
Almost sweet but heartbreaking.
January 9, 2018
The writing is beautiful and made me linger over images - but the stories are so terrifying I had to keep putting it down and giving myself space in between the scenes (not just stories) to breath. No skimming with this book, I had to slowly read and take in every single horrifying moment (though the last story is more bittersweet and piercing than terrifying). I'm not a usual fan of reading horror but after this I may attempt more. And am working my way through his whole catalog.
September 3, 2020
Anthologies are tricky. Tricky to write, and certainly tricky to review. Anthologies are crossroads; a dozen or more paths. Lives. Voices. Not a dozen in The Whites of Their Eyes, but poignant enough. Potent. I'm a horror fan. That almost seems too tame; it doesn't adequately describe how much I love horror. I cut my teeth on horror film references from the early 80's before I was too young to really get them, courtesy of having an older brother. Like many, my first introduction into horror was Stephen King. So The Whites Of Their Eyes should have been right up my alley. On the surface, it ticked several of my boxes: psychological horror, Lovecraftian extensional dread, LGBT+ representation.
I had high hopes for this anthology. Unfortunately, while Xen's writing is vivid and lush, it never quite managed to tip the scale from 'uncomfortable' to 'unsettling.' Originally, I was willing to chalk it up to being desensitized; I watch horror films for fun, after all. Ultimately, though, I was disappointed.
None of the stories particularly gripped me. In part, that's because I felt as if Xen kept his readers at arms length; there's a distinctly remote feel to the stories; the best way to describe it is like watching the characters through grainy, outdated CCTV footage. You can see what they're doing, and you may even be able to hear them, but it feels wooden and performative. We never get to know the characters well enough to connect with them on an emotional level.
The stories didn't stick with me, and while I can recall certain details from each, I don't feel particularly strongly about any of the characters or stories contained in this anthology. I was also disappointed to see that we are unable to escape the common "Bury your gays" trope, even inside our own community. While Xen attempts to explain/justify his reasoning for this, it lacks the overall impact he was striving for. It's a tired trope. Let it die.
I can't say that I was overly impressed with the at times stereotypical depiction of same sex relationships, either.
While I don't regret reading The Whites of Their Eyes, it wasn't my cup of tea, and doesn't inspire much interest in future works by Xen.
I had high hopes for this anthology. Unfortunately, while Xen's writing is vivid and lush, it never quite managed to tip the scale from 'uncomfortable' to 'unsettling.' Originally, I was willing to chalk it up to being desensitized; I watch horror films for fun, after all. Ultimately, though, I was disappointed.
None of the stories particularly gripped me. In part, that's because I felt as if Xen kept his readers at arms length; there's a distinctly remote feel to the stories; the best way to describe it is like watching the characters through grainy, outdated CCTV footage. You can see what they're doing, and you may even be able to hear them, but it feels wooden and performative. We never get to know the characters well enough to connect with them on an emotional level.
The stories didn't stick with me, and while I can recall certain details from each, I don't feel particularly strongly about any of the characters or stories contained in this anthology. I was also disappointed to see that we are unable to escape the common "Bury your gays" trope, even inside our own community. While Xen attempts to explain/justify his reasoning for this, it lacks the overall impact he was striving for. It's a tired trope. Let it die.
I can't say that I was overly impressed with the at times stereotypical depiction of same sex relationships, either.
While I don't regret reading The Whites of Their Eyes, it wasn't my cup of tea, and doesn't inspire much interest in future works by Xen.
July 20, 2023
Like I said before, this was truly fantastic. Leave it to Xen to give me exactly what I'm looking for. I love the way he has with words. I don't even care about the typos - which, admittedly, there are (and are usually) quite a few. Always so engrossing and I would have loved more. I really hope that more like these come out. They're so heart wrenching and we get so many reps here: bisexual, homosexual, ace, POC to name some. I was pleasantly surprised by that. I didn't look into anything further than horror and queer and Xen when I first picked it up cuz... 'nuff said!
These stories had moments of terror, creepiness, heartbreak, sadness, joy, relief... just an array of emotions. They also have underlying take-aways that mean so much. And some just punch you in the gut. Hard.
One of the 'problems' I have with Xen's works is that I always want to quote the fuck out of it. Had to really cut this down. Thought about leaving a bunch at the end but... (Just few sprinkled. >>)
Inverse - 4 stars
I thought I would leave my notes here from after I first read this one to help me remember: creepy, sad, very well done. brought to tears. Silvino's hx. ending.
To expand: I teared up a bit from the get-go when Silvino . Just fuckin' heartbreaking, and so raw. Made worse by the whole husband situation which was understandable. Some things should never be said, though, and can never be taken back. I really loved them here, regardless. They have some really sweet moments that are so indicative of a loving couple.
Silvino said nothing. He didn't know what to say, when Scott had laid him out with a one-two punch and ripped away that little bit of faith he'd had that the one person he trusted not to do that to him, not to treat him that way, like another greasy immigrant, wouldn't when Scott just had. He breathed slow and deep, curling his hands against the steering wheel to hold himself calm. The nasty part of his brain said he'd deserved that. That this was his punishment for lying.
The aching fissures in his heart said no one deserved that, especially from the man they loved.
"Come here," Scott said and enfolded his hand, drawing him down. Scott settled on the bed, stretching out on his side and guiding Silvino into his arms. Guiding him to lie down so Scott could wrap around him, curling against his back and cradling him in his head and making him feel safe and small and for once, the one in need of shelter. "Right here, baby. Right here. I've got you."
Silvino turned his face into the crisp, cool pillow and tried to just breathe, tried to loosen the cramp that had hold of his heart and lungs. "What happened to the little spoon?"
Scott's chuckle rumbled against his back. "Hey. Shut up. I have two nurturing bones in my body. Don't waste them."
Insurrection - 3 stars (2.5 rounded up)
Wasn't a huge fan of this one honestly. Not exactly sure why. I think it was just the MC overall. She's an addict that needs a fix in one way or another (from what we see here it seems either alcohol or sex) but... I dunno. Maybe I just needed a bit more expanded. Shania's apartment... yikes. (Reminded me of my grandpa's before we got it all cleaned up - he was a hoarder.) No wonder... This whole scenario would be absolutely terrifying, though. No doubt about that!
This scene, especially at the end with picture it paints...
Mouth - 3 stars
Ugh, it's so awful this kind of stuff still happens. Could really feel the social conditioning and self-loathing that came from it through Kane. Just awful. Also, what he sees would be insane. The way he describes previous situations would have anyone hesitant about... well everything, but especially when doctors come into question.
That all being said, I really liked how the doctor bit was done; he also had a great story with his daughter that was very fitting and was a really great touch. I loved Kane and Michio's relationship and their backstory. They're so wonderful together.
Flicker - 4 stars
Absolutely loved the ace rep here! Was super surprised, and all about it! All the feels. This is a whole different type of horror. One of agony and sorrow and not letting go. This had a bit of added something that made it even more sad, and more heartfelt at the same time. This was very touching and I loved the intimacy here. I am going to leave a couple quotes for this one because they're fantastic, and don't give anything away.
And yet time had not been unkind; time had given them so many stolen moments, stolen hours, stolen days in which they lost themselves in each other. In the simplicity of hand to hand touch. In endless conversations that turned and twisted down many and unexpected paths. In trials, too, that they could not have borne if not for each other. In fights and short, snappish words that gave way to apologies and tears. In soft, slow kisses that ended before they became anything else; they might never have consummated their marriage in the more physical sense, never had a need or a desire, btu that made it no less real, no less true., no less a love that ached inside her as the piece of her heart that belonged to him began to fray about the edges, the threads coming loose at the seams and threatening to rip right out.
This especially!:
But she'd smile and read off the index cards, say The last words he spoke to me were 'I'm goddamned sick of all this dry toast,' and everyone would laugh with shared fondness, shared pain, and remember that was just like him as if their loss was as great as hers, as if they wouldn't go home and get on with their lives while she stood alone in an empty house and wondered what it was all for.
See destiny ♡ howling's review. Very succinct and great review!
These stories had moments of terror, creepiness, heartbreak, sadness, joy, relief... just an array of emotions. They also have underlying take-aways that mean so much. And some just punch you in the gut. Hard.
One of the 'problems' I have with Xen's works is that I always want to quote the fuck out of it. Had to really cut this down. Thought about leaving a bunch at the end but... (Just few sprinkled. >>)
Inverse - 4 stars
"If I don't laugh we'll both be crying, babe."
I thought I would leave my notes here from after I first read this one to help me remember: creepy, sad, very well done. brought to tears. Silvino's hx. ending.
To expand: I teared up a bit from the get-go when Silvino . Just fuckin' heartbreaking, and so raw. Made worse by the whole husband situation which was understandable. Some things should never be said, though, and can never be taken back. I really loved them here, regardless. They have some really sweet moments that are so indicative of a loving couple.
Silvino said nothing. He didn't know what to say, when Scott had laid him out with a one-two punch and ripped away that little bit of faith he'd had that the one person he trusted not to do that to him, not to treat him that way, like another greasy immigrant, wouldn't when Scott just had. He breathed slow and deep, curling his hands against the steering wheel to hold himself calm. The nasty part of his brain said he'd deserved that. That this was his punishment for lying.
The aching fissures in his heart said no one deserved that, especially from the man they loved.
"Come here," Scott said and enfolded his hand, drawing him down. Scott settled on the bed, stretching out on his side and guiding Silvino into his arms. Guiding him to lie down so Scott could wrap around him, curling against his back and cradling him in his head and making him feel safe and small and for once, the one in need of shelter. "Right here, baby. Right here. I've got you."
Silvino turned his face into the crisp, cool pillow and tried to just breathe, tried to loosen the cramp that had hold of his heart and lungs. "What happened to the little spoon?"
Scott's chuckle rumbled against his back. "Hey. Shut up. I have two nurturing bones in my body. Don't waste them."
Insurrection - 3 stars (2.5 rounded up)
Wasn't a huge fan of this one honestly. Not exactly sure why. I think it was just the MC overall. She's an addict that needs a fix in one way or another (from what we see here it seems either alcohol or sex) but... I dunno. Maybe I just needed a bit more expanded. Shania's apartment... yikes. (Reminded me of my grandpa's before we got it all cleaned up - he was a hoarder.) No wonder... This whole scenario would be absolutely terrifying, though. No doubt about that!
This scene, especially at the end with picture it paints...
Mouth - 3 stars
Ugh, it's so awful this kind of stuff still happens. Could really feel the social conditioning and self-loathing that came from it through Kane. Just awful. Also, what he sees would be insane. The way he describes previous situations would have anyone hesitant about... well everything, but especially when doctors come into question.
He needed to give off confidence; confidence that he was ready for management. That he was a good fit for the corporate culture, when sometimes he felt like he couldn't fit anywhere with people who never quite seemed to know what to do with him, didn't understand that they didn't have to do anything other than not care about the questions he could see burning behind their eyes, the questions they knew they shouldn't ask but they'd been so deeply ingrained in heteronormativity that it was killing them not to know. Killing them trying to accept that they didn't need to know.
They must needed to leave it be, and let it be ordinary.
That all being said, I really liked how the doctor bit was done; he also had a great story with his daughter that was very fitting and was a really great touch. I loved Kane and Michio's relationship and their backstory. They're so wonderful together.
Flicker - 4 stars
Absolutely loved the ace rep here! Was super surprised, and all about it! All the feels. This is a whole different type of horror. One of agony and sorrow and not letting go. This had a bit of added something that made it even more sad, and more heartfelt at the same time. This was very touching and I loved the intimacy here. I am going to leave a couple quotes for this one because they're fantastic, and don't give anything away.
And yet time had not been unkind; time had given them so many stolen moments, stolen hours, stolen days in which they lost themselves in each other. In the simplicity of hand to hand touch. In endless conversations that turned and twisted down many and unexpected paths. In trials, too, that they could not have borne if not for each other. In fights and short, snappish words that gave way to apologies and tears. In soft, slow kisses that ended before they became anything else; they might never have consummated their marriage in the more physical sense, never had a need or a desire, btu that made it no less real, no less true., no less a love that ached inside her as the piece of her heart that belonged to him began to fray about the edges, the threads coming loose at the seams and threatening to rip right out.
This especially!:
But she'd smile and read off the index cards, say The last words he spoke to me were 'I'm goddamned sick of all this dry toast,' and everyone would laugh with shared fondness, shared pain, and remember that was just like him as if their loss was as great as hers, as if they wouldn't go home and get on with their lives while she stood alone in an empty house and wondered what it was all for.
See destiny ♡ howling's review. Very succinct and great review!
November 5, 2017
This was some strong stuff, most of it quite intense, packing a powerfully visceral and psychological punch. Seriously, it was the stuff of nightmares.
But it was also just incredibly good, very moving and so well written.
It's hard to pick a favorite, but I guess one was Mouth, because I loved the relationship between Kane and Michio, even though that made the horror aspects of the story even harder to take.
Mouth also contains these words, which so struck me with their feeling of familiarity; it's one of the best descriptions of toxic shame and it's causes, that I've ever read in a work of fiction.
"He'd spent so long being told he had no right to exist, that he should apologize for being in this space or that, for taking up room, for breathing air.
It was like some deep harsh part of him demanded he apologize for his success, too, as if the entirety of the world was leaning in and saying how dare you.
How dare you, someone like you, want anything for yourself.
The other one I was especially drawn to was Flicker, because it was so full of love. Even though I cried all the way through, because it was still very beautiful.
But it was also just incredibly good, very moving and so well written.
It's hard to pick a favorite, but I guess one was Mouth, because I loved the relationship between Kane and Michio, even though that made the horror aspects of the story even harder to take.
Mouth also contains these words, which so struck me with their feeling of familiarity; it's one of the best descriptions of toxic shame and it's causes, that I've ever read in a work of fiction.
"He'd spent so long being told he had no right to exist, that he should apologize for being in this space or that, for taking up room, for breathing air.
It was like some deep harsh part of him demanded he apologize for his success, too, as if the entirety of the world was leaning in and saying how dare you.
How dare you, someone like you, want anything for yourself.
The other one I was especially drawn to was Flicker, because it was so full of love. Even though I cried all the way through, because it was still very beautiful.
July 11, 2018
There's so much I could say about this. I loved the writing style, and felt it carried the narrative flow smoothly. There were definitely some creepy moments, which is always the goal with horror. And, to be honest, I loved the fresh feel that having queer protagonists brought to the table.
There's a certain tension that we experience in our daily lives that cis het people don't, which grows or dims depending on certain environments and situations. This book captured that, wove it into the horror of the stories (except the last tale, which was more bittersweet than horror). Race also served as a contributing factor in some of the stories, again depicting a layer we don't typically get to see in a sadly still predominantly white genre (in the US, at least).
I highly recommend this if you're a fan of horror. Some parts will feel familiar, some parts will feel fresh, and all of it will be enjoyable.
There's a certain tension that we experience in our daily lives that cis het people don't, which grows or dims depending on certain environments and situations. This book captured that, wove it into the horror of the stories (except the last tale, which was more bittersweet than horror). Race also served as a contributing factor in some of the stories, again depicting a layer we don't typically get to see in a sadly still predominantly white genre (in the US, at least).
I highly recommend this if you're a fan of horror. Some parts will feel familiar, some parts will feel fresh, and all of it will be enjoyable.
October 22, 2020
4.5 stars👻
THE WHITES OF THEIR EYES is a stunning collection. this is a collection of four novellas and short stories that tell a very real tale of psychological horror.
what makes this collection stand out so much is the beautiful writing and how well developed the characters are. it's rare for me to care so much for characters in such a short amount of time but Xen definitely succeeded in doing that here.
INVERSE - the first story - was my favourite. everything about it just worked for me and I've found myself constantly thinking about it ever since I finished.
the other three are also fantastic though, shout out to MOUTH for being the most anxiety inducing story I've ever read and FLICKER, which was just beautiful and so much more heartbreaking than I'd expected.
overall, such a brilliant collection that I found to be unsettling and creepy throughout. it was also great to read a collection where queer people, and POC, are at the front and centre!!
THE WHITES OF THEIR EYES is a stunning collection. this is a collection of four novellas and short stories that tell a very real tale of psychological horror.
what makes this collection stand out so much is the beautiful writing and how well developed the characters are. it's rare for me to care so much for characters in such a short amount of time but Xen definitely succeeded in doing that here.
INVERSE - the first story - was my favourite. everything about it just worked for me and I've found myself constantly thinking about it ever since I finished.
the other three are also fantastic though, shout out to MOUTH for being the most anxiety inducing story I've ever read and FLICKER, which was just beautiful and so much more heartbreaking than I'd expected.
overall, such a brilliant collection that I found to be unsettling and creepy throughout. it was also great to read a collection where queer people, and POC, are at the front and centre!!
June 10, 2018
This is the first time I've ever read anything by Xen Sanders, and I can't say I feel any disappointment. There were certainly a number of moments that gave me a chill through these 4 very different short stories of horror. I don't want to give away too much, but I do favor 'Inverse' the most. That has given me visuals that'll take me days to rid myself of. 'Insurrection' I wish could've been a little longer, but when I set back to look at it, it just works. 'Mouth' was probably my least favorite, maybe I'm just not that bright? Maybe I'll read it again sometime to fully understand it. 'Flicker' was a different kind of horror. Whereas the other 3 seemed to teeter towards the supernatural in some sense, 'Flicker' took me to a place I hope I never get to.
All in all, I found this entire book thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to reading more from this author in near future.
All in all, I found this entire book thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to reading more from this author in near future.
November 7, 2017
It's been awhile, years, since I ventured into horror short stories. I'm acquainted with Sanders's work, which you'd think would be encouraging. And it is! Technically. Just, he writes on a visceral level. His romances dig deep into characters and reveal what many authors gloss over, and that challenges me, sometimes in unexpected ways. I like that. (Right after I stop cursing and using up tissues.)
So, take that ability to challenge, remove the HEA, and crank the 'oh crap' knob to 11, and there you go. (People who know me won't be surprised that the last story, "flicker," is my favorite of these three tales.)
So, take that ability to challenge, remove the HEA, and crank the 'oh crap' knob to 11, and there you go. (People who know me won't be surprised that the last story, "flicker," is my favorite of these three tales.)
September 20, 2024
Comprei esse livro aleatoriamente depois de pesquisar "queer horror" na amazon e o resultado foi um favorito.
O autor tem uma das escritas mais lindas que eu já li, descrevendo o romântico, o erótico e o terror de forma sensacional. Geralmente não me apego tanto a contos, mas eu consegui me conectar com os personagens de todas as histórias, até as mais curtinhas.
A última considero uma inovação no gênero do horror, além de uma representação ace lindíssima.
O autor tem uma das escritas mais lindas que eu já li, descrevendo o romântico, o erótico e o terror de forma sensacional. Geralmente não me apego tanto a contos, mas eu consegui me conectar com os personagens de todas as histórias, até as mais curtinhas.
A última considero uma inovação no gênero do horror, além de uma representação ace lindíssima.
June 21, 2020
For horror, I usually think the shorter and less-explained the better, but the opposite is true here. The two shorter stories didn't do much for me, but the longer two I really liked: creepy and atmospheric with believable characters and great settings. I'd like to read more (and longer) stories from Xen.
November 15, 2017
So good! Oh how I loved the characters in all the stories, and how varied and interesting they were. Excellent horror, just the right amount of creepy (I'm super hard to scare, so it rates at creepy for me, but I also write/dream/perform/live horror too lol) with diverse characters.
June 18, 2020
This collection is packed with addictive writing, this isn't one of those “oh, I'll just dip in and out” books, you need to grab it in both hands and devour it.
December 8, 2020
A terrific collection of horror stories. Each one sucked me in and had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened. I couldn’t stop reading. Can’t wait to read more from this author!
February 2, 2021
We are finally getting some quality queer horror. Normally when I think about queer representation in horror, I cringe - hard. It tends to be more on the stereotypical, if not downright homophobic side. Thankfully, we have some great queer authors coming into horror - not usually mainstream but self-published/indie published. It's still a step in the right direction.
This book is worth getting - the stories are nuts. I had no clue where the first one was going and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
This book is worth getting - the stories are nuts. I had no clue where the first one was going and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
December 20, 2018
Fantastically suspenseful short stories. Inverse in particular stayed with me long after I read it. If you're looking for queer-inclusive stories that will keep rattling around in your head, this is the collection for you.
July 24, 2018
It didn’t really take me that long to read it. I think I opened it accidentally on my Kindle and it marked it as currently reading.
It’s more psychological horror than zombies and vampire horror.
It’s more psychological horror than zombies and vampire horror.
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