London, Serpent’s Tail, 2019 god should have made girls lethal when he made monsters of men. – ELISABETH HEWER This is one of the quotes that you will find when you open Carmen Maria Machado’s short story collection, right after the dedication. There was another one on the same page but I chose this one because it stood out to me and it gives you a pretty good idea of what this book is about. So, if you think feminists are crazy and believe gender equality exists, Her Body & Other Stories probably isn’t for you. This book is about what it’s like to live as a woman in a patriarchal society – it’s not pretty and neither are those stories. They’re raw, hurtful, sad, and unsettling. They are harrowing, eerie, provocative, and sensual. They are full of insatiable hunger and burning desire, as well as a longing to be heard, seen, and believed. You will find folk tales, legends, and ghost stories mixed with the everyday reality of 21 st century women. And here is a question for you: