It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror, edited by Joe Vallese

 

Reviewed by Christy

            I love horror. Well, most horror. I'm generally not into body horror, extreme gore, or most slashers (though I do have a soft spot for the Scream franchise and the original Halloween). This kind of leaves me out of step with a lot of horror fans. But regardless, I still enjoy hearing differing viewpoints and experiences when it comes to horror, which is why I picked up It Came from the Closet.

            Although I'm not a member of the LGBT community myself, I think it's important to listen to perspectives from people different than me. And what a more interesting way than through scary movies! As with any collection of essays or short stories, there are hits and misses. The ones that stood out to me most were Carmen Maria Machado's "Both Ways" (Jennifer's Body), Jen Corrigan's "Three Men on a Boat" (Jaws), Sumiko Saulson's "Centered and Seen" (Candyman), and Tucker Lieberman's "The Trail of His Flames" (The Nightmare on Elm Street). I enjoyed quite a few others but these were particularly engrossing to me. The one that made the most impact, however, was Joe Vallese's "Imprint". Vallese details his and his husband's journey to parenthood through surrogacy. A close friend had such easy pregnancies with her own children that she was delighted to be a surrogate for her friends. Unfortunately, she would go on to have more than one miscarriage. Each time was devastating but the second one was particularly heart breaking. Amanda, the surrogate, got pretty far long in this pregnancy - well past the point that was considered tenuous. They knew it was a girl due around Easter, and everyone called her Chickie. But the baby didn't make it. To say this essay packs a punch would be an understatement; I had to take a break after listening to it. Surrogacy is a controversial topic but I think many people will feel deep sympathy as Vallese mourns a child that will never be. (Vallese and his husband are now proud parents to a little boy.)

            As with the essay mentioned above, a lot of these are emotionally heavy. But I do think they're worth checking out! The authors tell their personal stories while also giving readers a new way to think about their favorite scary movie. I feel like I learned a lot.

Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis

Reviewed by Meygan

The year is 1988 and Iran is being ruled by a highly conservative and religious government. Trouble starts when teenage Farrin is caught writing a story about demon hunters during class studies.  This is not acceptable behavior and she is forced to explain her actions. Farrin is fed up with constantly being told what to do. Pargol, a girl at Farrin’s school, is obsessive when it comes to ratting out Farrin, Farrin’s mother is persistently critiquing her and making her play the piano for gatherings, and while she has a good relationship with her father, she doesn’t like the way her mother talks to him. Something is incomplete in Farrin’s life and she realizes what it is the day she meets another teenage girl, Sadira.

Farrin and Sadira become best friends and they tell everything to one another. This is why when the right moment comes, Farrin feels comfortable telling Sadira that she has fallen in love with her. Yes, the girls have not only formed an unbreakable friendship, but they are madly in love with one another. In America, homosexuality is still a highly controversial topic. However, in Iran, being gay can result in execution. But Farrin and Sadira love one another and do not care who sees them in their heated moment until when Pargol busts them, leading Farrin and Sadira on a path to destruction. 

Moon at Nine is an emotionally powerful book.  Although it’s a novel for young adults, it’s based on true events. Perhaps this is why I wanted so badly to reach out and help Farrin and Sadira and try to save them. Otherwise, I had many different emotions. While I laughed and I cried, I felt anger most while reading Moon at Nine. I was happy for Farrin when she found love because I could feel how happy Sadira made her. Not trying to give away any spoilers, but keep a box of tissues close by—you’re going to need them. 

While I thought this was an amazing book, it’s not one I’m sure I’ll ever read again because it is so haunting.  Deborah Ellis did a wonderful job of approaching issues an LGBT person may experience. I liked the author’s writing style, but do keep in mind that the author takes on the voice of a teenage girl. While Farrin and Sadira are highly intelligent, they are smitten by one another’s company. I highly recommend Moon at Nine. This book has wonderful quotes and such a great insight to what it is like to not only be gay in Iran during 1988, but to be a woman. Moon at Nine will leave you wanting more of Farrin’s story, even if her ending may not be pleasant.