Following various branches of a Cherokee family from 1839 through to 2039, Andrea L. Rogers‘ collection of ghosts, ghouls, and generational horror is an engrossing read.

Each tale is strong enough to stand alone, but when placed side by side, Man Made Monsters tells a larger story of family, systemic racism, and what truly makes a monster.

Hitting all the key classic monster tropes, there’s plenty here for the regular horror fan, as well as those who love a subversion or two. Rogers also explores Cherokee mythology, balancing her creatures – both good and evil – with horrors altogether man made. Genocide, dispossession, domestic violence, school shootings; these tales are as heartrending as they are horrifying, as likely to have you close to anger or tears as to fear. For me, that’s horror gold.

Andrea L. Rogers’ Man Made Monsters is out now through Levine Querido.
ARC supplied through NetGalley for review purposes.