The Jewish Book of Horror edited by Josh Schlossberg
The Jewish Book of Horror is a collection of horror short stories edited by author Josh Schlossberg. It was published by Denver Horror Collective and weighs in at 358 pages.
I was given an ARC of The Jewish Book of Horror to read and review. I must admit, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I did a little research on it before I agreed, and I was intrigued. This blurb from the Amazon listing hooked me!
Whether it's pirate rabbis or demon-slaying Bible queens, concentration camp vampires or beloved, fearless bubbies, THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR offers you twenty-two dark tales about the culture, history, and folklore of the Jewish people.
I am so glad I got a copy of this collection of short stories. I have mentioned before in other reviews that I really enjoy being immersed in another culture’s storytelling, and this book hit the spot. I was fascinated by things I never knew about Judaism. In the beginning of the book, Josh Schlossberg recounts a story about a manuscript of twenty-two Jewish stories that he had other authors read, interpret, and in turn create their own horror short stories. I loved that stories of the Jewish faith, cautionary tales to a community of faithful people, became this collection of creative works. Once I read that, I was even more excited to continue.
One of the unique nuances in this book is the foreword by Rabbi John Carrier. It was fascinating to read his words as well as the informative introduction by Molly Adams. Their words, along with Schlossberg’s, set the tone for the stories that would follow. That being said, it does take a minute to get through these before the short stories begin. Be patient if learning the how and why isn’t your cup of tea. It is helpful to have the background information of the three introductory pieces, but a reader can still enjoy every one of the twenty-two stories without them.
I do want to list some of the stories that resonated with me the most. Of course, it’s all subjective to what we as readers enjoy, but I find I can’t help myself and must list my favorites when I read a collection.
“On Seas of Blood and Salt” by Richard Dansky: This story starts the collection off with a bang! I absolutely loved it!
“The Horse Leech Has Two Maws” by Michael Picco: I loved how this story started out with such a creepy atmosphere. The prose was lyrical and poetic. The imagery and writing held my attention.
“Eighth Night” by John Baltisberger: This story captivated me. I loved the progression and the way the main character develops throughout the tale.
“Bread and Salt” by Elana Gomel: Such a well written story filled with emotion and revenge. It touched me, and I loved the strong female main character.
“In the Red” by Mike Marcus: This has a taste of sweet revenge, which is one of my favorite things in a story. This was another I could not put down. I also loved the music mentioned. Of all the stories, this is one that really piqued my interest regarding the original tale.
“Forty Days Before Birth” by Colleen Halupa: I loved how time is marked throughout this story. It was very well written, and I enjoyed how it came full circle. This one actually made me feel a little emotional toward the end.
This is not to say that all of the stories in the collection aren’t great reads. These are just the ones most suited to my tastes. There is a great variety in this collection, and I am certain readers will latch on to quite a few favorites.
After I finished reading The Book of Jewish Horror, it made me wonder what the original twenty-two tales were in the manuscript Schlossberg referenced. There were so many real life horrors mentioned in many of the stories in the collection, which added another layer of emotion for me. “The Last Plague,” “The Horse Leech Has Two Maws,” and “Bread and Salt” are three great examples of this. There were moments when I knew I was reading a fictional horror collection, but it was hard to differentiate the fine line between the truth of the past and the creative fiction of the authors.
I love that each story has its own unique flavor, thanks in part to the original manuscript of stories. I felt like I was learning as I was reading, since I was unfamiliar with a good amount of the Jewish vocabulary. I’m not sure if there is one in the official publication since I had an ARC, but a glossary or even a handful of footnotes would have been quite helpful. I could infer what most of the words meant from reading the story, but it might have been nice to get a little more information. I will say, though, that it didn’t stop me in the least from enjoying each story. I just tend to be a little bit nerdy and enjoy the immersion of knowledge if it’s provided.
I would definitely recommend this book. Not only does it have great horror elements, the fact that it’s based on stories from Jewish culture makes it even more compelling. Thank you to Josh Schlossberg for allowing me to read and review this exciting collection.
