INSTANT INDIE BESTSELLER
A Most Anticipated Book (Good Morning America, BookPage, Goodreads, Latinx in Publishing, School Library Journal, and more!)
An IndieNext Pick
Featured on NPR's "All Things Considered"
“Some anthologies are more than the sum of their parts. The Black Girl Survives in This One is one of them. A wonderful young adult collection of uncanny tales, this anthology makes a statement: Black women belong in horror…Projects like this — brave, necessary — celebrate Black women, and will hopefully inspire the future of the genre.” —The New York Times Book Review
“This book is going to make you feel things—namely, fear. You might also feel hopeful, considering this horror anthology features Black girls in stories that don’t end poorly (for them). You'll see them fighting demons, witches, and generational curses, showing Black girls always know how to save themselves (and this world too). If that isn’t enough to persuade you, they got the queen of horror herself, Tananarive Due, to pen the foreword.” —Good Morning America
“The Black Girl Survives in This One is changing the literary horror canon…defying the old tropes that would box Black people in as support characters or victims…These are the kind of stories that stick with you long after you’ve read them…Each protagonist is totally unique and the overall cast of both characters and writers diverse… And even though we know the Black girl survives, the end is still a shock, because the real question is how.” —Associated Press
“Horror has not traditionally been kind to characters of color. Evans and Fennell’s anthology is sure to become a key text in the Black horror renaissance working to correct that injustice…A sprawling survey of horror’s various subsections, every one refreshed by the Black female gaze…The best of [the stories] pose a question that underlies the entire anthology: Is surviving the same thing as having a happy ending?” —Esquire (Best Horror Books of 2024)
“Modern horror audiences are lucky to witness all the fresh, exciting ways in which the genre continues to evolve, and The Black Girl Survives in This One promises to push the Final Girl trope toward new horizons that will thrill and terrify readers.” —BookPage
“A long overdue YA anthology that puts the formulaic roles of Black characters in the horror realm to rest…Each short story speaks to the strength, courage, and resilience of Black girls, showcasing their ability to navigate shadowy macabre, and transcends mere representation, emphatically commanding space in a genre for characters who have historically been omitted or expendable.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Bucking old and tired tropes, here is an anthology of short horror stories for young adults all starring Black girls, and spoiler alert, they all survive! But just because we know that they live to see the next day doesn’t mean there is any lack of suspense or terror.” —BookRiot.com
“A love letter to the horror genre…The Black Girl Survives in This One ensnared me almost immediately.” —Culturess
“Defying the genre’s preference for centering white heroines, this collection features Black girls who are fighters and survivors, breakers of generational curses and slayers of evil. . . .This collection provides much-needed representation of Black girls who refuse to be martyrs, sassy sidekicks, or casualties on the path to a white character’s inevitable triumph. An engaging volume that breathes necessary life into the horror genre, showcasing the best of what goes bump in the night.” —Kirkus (starred review)
“Unforgettable…Using authentic voices to detail Black experiences through a horror lens, debut creator Evans and Fennell (Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed) aim to ensure that Black girls survive their gruesome respective situations via a stellar lineup of 15 Black writers… Through vivid dialogue and descriptions of ancestral practices like hoodoo, Black culture remains at the forefront of each story.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Creepy space suits, revolutionary werewolves, dance parties you should NOT have in a cemetery, and fox hunts gone very wrong—this book serves up fifteen different flavors of horror in fresh, spine-tingling, frightful tales. But the best part? No matter how harrowing and creepy, through her own genius, wit, the ancestors, proper moisturizer, and whole lotta ‘Nope!’—THE BLACK GIRL SURVIVES IN THIS ONE. Each and every time. And I’m here for it.” —P. Djèlí Clark, author of Ring Shout
“Full of brilliant and bone-chilling stories that kept my eyes glued to the pages. The Black Girl Survives In This One is the anthology I’ve been waiting for.” —Alexis Henderson, author of The Year of the Witching
★ 2024-01-05
A well-crafted horror anthology containing 15 stories that cleverly reimagine familiar tropes and cliches.
In their dedication, editors and contributors Evans and Fennell address “all the Black girls who have been aching to…come out on top as the Final Girl.” Defying the genre’s preference for centering white heroines, this collection features Black girls who are fighters and survivors, breakers of generational curses and slayers of evil. The stories contain deft social commentary, and many investigate the monstrosities of the human condition. Cinematic standouts include Justina Ireland’s “Black Pride,” a radical take on werewolves set during the era of the Black Panther Party; Brittney Morris’ “Queeniums for Greenium!,” about a reluctant newcomer to a cult disguised as a multilevel marketing group; and Charlotte Nicole Davis’ “Foxhunt,” starring a high schooler who becomes the intended prey for a fatal game based on the brutality of chattel slavery. Other authors delve into paranormal frights shaped by cultural folklore, such as Evans’ “The Brides of Devil’s Bayou,” which follows a college student from rural Louisiana who returns home to confront a maternal inheritance involving a terrifying deal with a demon. This collection provides much-needed representation of Black girls who refuse to be martyrs, sassy sidekicks, or casualties on the path to a white character’s inevitable triumph.
An engaging volume that breathes necessary life into the horror genre, showcasing the best of what goes bump in the night. (contributor biographies) (Horror anthology. 13-18)
