This collection of indigenous dark stories definitely delivered. I really enjoyed the stories but I also learned so much though the chills and laughs. Thank you so much for this ARC

I love short stories, creepy supernatural stuff, and Native cultural history, so I expected to love this anthology. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

I did fully enjoy a few stories.

Many were fine, though I wouldn’t choose to read them again.

And quite a few were a total miss, some even a DNF, which I rarely do with a short story.

Because they’re all different authors, I can’t offer one solid reason. Broadly speaking, I didn’t connect with the stories or the storytelling styles.

*Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the eARC!*

the first book I got through for #ShortStorySeptember was a very good one! NEVER WHISTLE AT NIGHT is a collection of dark fiction by all indigenous authors, and it was a wonderful, compelling read, full of folklore, horror of pretty much every form you can think of, and a lot of really thoughtful and pointed commentary about the ties between colonialism, racism, and horror. it’s a great read perfect for Halloween season, and I’d definitely recommend it!

as with any multi-authored short story collection, there were some hits and some misses, but the hits outnumbered the misses by far; and even the stories that didn’t quite do it for me were, on the whole, well-crafted and enjoyable to read, even if I didn’t find them deeply compelling. I appreciated the wide variety of approaches each author took to “dark fiction” — some leaned more into horror, some went for dark with hopeful endings, some confronted the frightening with humor — which made for a really engaging reading experience (though I sometimes wished the varying moods had been a little differently distributed in terms of the order of the stories). I also loved the frequent incorporation of folklore, and the thoughtful reflections on colonialism and violence peppered throughout the anthology. it took me a long time to read, because I very often wanted to take a break after every story or two to really digest and think about it — it definitely felt like it was better suited to that than to a binge-read.

my favorite stories: “Hunger,” “The Ones Who Killed Us,” “Uncle Robert Rides the Lightning,” “Eulogy for a Brother, Resurrected,” “Capgras,” and “The Scientist’s Horror Story.”

this is out now, and I definitely recommend picking up a copy if you’re intrigued by the premise! thanks so very much to Vintage Anchor Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Boy this book is UNSETTLING and it's fantastic. If you're like me and can't just power through horror and dark fiction, this book might just be perfect for you. Some stories are inspired by Indigenous lore and legend and some are inspired by literal reality (and 100%, those are the most hard-hitting ones.) There are definitely content warnings, from blood and gore to the things that happened at Indian Boarding Schools (that story was the hardest to read for me.) But overall, this was a very entertaining and eerie read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House/Vintage Anchor for the e-ARC!

First time reading an anthology and first time reading indigenous dark fiction… loved every minute of it.

Never Whistle At Night is a “Dark Fiction Anthology” comprised of so many talented story tellers. I loved the different emotions that I felt reading this book. From compassion and better understanding to scared, disturbed and jumpiness from the horror. I loved every minute of it.

If you are looking for an unsettling, chilling read along with stories that have dark humor and poignant and reflective, look no further. If you enjoy diverse reads and own voices stories with these elements you won’t be disappointed.
I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC.

I’ve never rated an anthology five stars before, because they’ve all been really hit-or-miss for me. They usually end up being either three or four stars, because you’re always going to have some stories that just don’t hit the mark or maybe just find some stories that just read like “dud” to you. Never Whistle at Night has maybe two or three stories out of 27 that I didn’t gel with completely, but it wasn’t because they weren’t well-written; it was just because they weren’t my jam. When the stories in this collection work, they really, really work. This anthology, as a whole, is worth every page. The quality of the work done and the absolutely captivating stories collected for it speak not only to the talent of the authors, but to the editors who pulled this project together as well. It should be no surprise to anyone who knows me that I love that this is an #OwnVoices anthology as well, because no one could or should be writing these stories and profiting off of them but indigenous peoples.

I don’t want to go too deep into what each story means to me because I feel like that’s wrong, since I’m white and these stories aren’t meant for me. I do, however, want to point out the stories I liked best and maybe a few words about why I liked it.

Kushtuka by Mathilda Zeller: Stolen artifacts + objectification of Native American women = Eff around and find out.

White Hills by Rebecca Roanhorse: Eugenics!

Quantum by Nick Medina: Is the worth of being Native American found entirely in DNA?

Hunger by Phoenix Boudreau: Buffy the Vampire Slayer but with a scary possession monster inside of a frat boy.

Snakes Are Born in the Dark by D. H. Trujillo: Deface sacred artifacts and see what happens.

Heart-Shaped Clock by Kelli Jo Ford: Sad story about drug addiction in indigenous communities.

Dead Owls by Mona Susan Power: A ghost story about how there can be layers of tragedies on the same land.

The Prepper by Morgan Talty: Horribly sad story about the mistreatment of mental illness in indigenous communities.

Collections by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala: What kind of bargain would you make for a foot in the door or a leg up in your industry?

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the editors. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Anthology/Horror/Short Stories/Own Voices

I love short stories and anthologies. Even the best author must flex their writing skills to deliver quality short stories. In less than a usual chapter length, they must introduce us to the characters and their communities/ back stories, commit to an "event" and then solve it, all while keeping the reader engrossed and flipping pages. I often find that an author will switch genres in an anthology, which gives me an even better appreciation for their talent. This is an all star cast of talented writers, many of whom are on my TBR list as a permenant fixture.
Many have a similar theme with the writers giving their story an unusual “spin” to meet the theme’s intent without copying each other. This one is indigenous folklore and beliefs.....such as never whistle at night for fear of who you will call to you. It is not unusual to find a true gem mixed in with the overall excellent stories, making anthologies a triple threat/ treat. This set of tales should be enjoyed by any and everyone who enjoys sitting around a campfire trying to scare their fellow campers.

From “wendigos” to “Indian burial grounds,” the folklore and tragic history of North America’s indigenous populations has frequently been mined for inspiration and twisted to suit the purposes of horror authors writing outside of their own cultures. In recent years, however, we’ve seen a real rise in the number of indigenous voices within the horror scene telling their own stories. A new collection of short horror stories celebrates this surge of Native American writers: Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. This anthology, which contains twenty-six stories plus a foreword by Stephen Graham Jones, came out just last week, in plenty of time for spooky season.

The title of this anthology, Never Whistle at Night, refers to a belief common to many indigenous cultures that whistling at night can draw malevolent entities to you. Though this particular action is barely featured in any of the stories contained in the collection, it is a fitting and evocative title that encapsulates both the unsettling atmosphere these stories create and their distinctly Native nature. Stephen Graham Jones also does an excellent job of tying the many disparate stories of this collection together with his foreword. Jones is one of the most prominent voices in indigenous horror right now (you may recognize him from The Only Good Indians and My Heart is a Chainsaw), and I couldn’t possibly think of a better choice to introduce this collection. Jones uses his foreword to discuss the particularities of indigenous storytelling, speculating about why many Native writers and storytellers resonate with stories that are inconclusive and open-ended. Ultimately, Jones finds hope in this sort of horror, which creates the feeling that the world is bigger than what we can currently see or understand. What follows this introduction are twenty-six stories that differ significantly in subject and style, written by authors that range from big names in genre fiction like Rebecca Roanhorse and Darcie Little Badger to much lesser known writers who may have only published a few short stories before. Most of the stories are quite short, with some almost feeling more like sketches or vignettes, but together they demonstrate the impressive breadth and depth of indigenous horror.

As you might expect to find in a collection like this one, there are several stories that feature creatures from indigenous folklore. The very first story in the book introduced me to one such creature I’d never heard of before and wound up being one of my favorite tales in the collection. In “Kushtuka” by Mathilda Zeller, a young woman named Tapeesa tells the wealthy white man in her remote Alaskan village about the legend of the kushtuka—a creature that takes on the appearance of loved ones to try to lure you into following. However, the kushtuka that ultimately appears in this story doesn’t follow the traditional formula. Instead, the lines between the creature and the young woman blur as the kushtuka takes vengeance on the outsiders preying upon the Native community. Two other stories in this collection play with the best-known (but often misrepresented) creature from Indigenous folklore, the wendigo. Legends of this creature appear in the folklore of many different Algonquian-speaking tribes, and the specifics can vary as widely as the spelling and pronunciation of its name. Sometimes the wendigo is an evil spirit that haunts the frozen wilderness, sometimes it is a creature that was once human but became corrupted, perhaps by engaging in cannibalism. But the undercurrent of all these different legends is an insatiable hunger that drives the wendigo to prey upon the living. This aspect is examined in depth in Phoenix Boudreaux’s fittingly titled tale “Hunger,” which is told from the perspective of an invisible, formless entity that experiences the world through an intense, all-consuming hunger. The entity possesses a young man at a frat party, feeding off of his equally destructive appetites. The wendigo is referenced more abstractly in “Collections” by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala, which also takes place in a college setting. In this story, a scholarship student named Megis is alarmed to discover that one of her professors has decorated her home with human heads of all different ethnicities and backgrounds. None of the white students are bothered by the collection, but Megis sees it for what it is—an expression of Professor Smith’s destructive hunger for ownership over the lives of others. In each of these stories, the wendigo is not some antlered, man-eating monster as it is typically depicted in popular culture, but rather a vehicle through which to explore the unhealthy appetites that people give into when they crave ownership over or the destruction of others.

But indigenous authors aren’t just limited to writing about creatures from their own cultures. Quite a few of the stories in this collection put a new indigenous spin on classic monsters from the horror genre. “Night Moves” by Andrea L. Rogers, for example, is a fairly straightforward story of a werewolf encounter experienced by a Native soldier stationed in Germany. Morgan Talty’s “The Prepper” uses zombie apocalypse narratives to explore mental illness. And Darcie Little Badger uses the classic format of friends gathering to tell ghost stories in “The Scientist’s Horror Story” to examine the frightened, helpless feelings we may face when confronting climate change and systemic discrimination. Though these three tales feature classic monsters in some sense, the true monster that haunts this whole collection is the history of colonization and its lasting legacy that continues to impact how indigenous communities live today.

If you’re interested in the increased representation of marginalized voices in horror fiction—or if you just want an excellent collection of varied tales that run the gamut from vengeful to wistful to hopeful—I highly recommend checking out Never Whistle at Night.

Indigenous people have the best stories, especially scary stories. Never Whistle at Night is a wonderful collection of tales that celebrate a diverse range of tribes and regions.

This collection of short horror stories written by indigenous authors is easily one of my top books of the year. I immediately pre-ordered a copy at my local Barnes & Noble when I finished the e-copy because I want it on my shelf.

These stories explore questions of culture, identity, sexuality, and race across a wide array of Native American experiences by authors who deftly address these themes in the context of horror. They pack a lot into such short pieces and it's done incredibly effectively--curating spooky and unsettling atmosphere, establishing connections to characters, and executing a tight plot in such a short format is hard, and these authors knock it out of the park.

If you read one short story collection this year, make it this one!

This book was so special to me—I was so excited to read an entire anthology of Indigenous dark fiction and the writers in this collection did NOT hold back. I stretched this reading over a few weeks because I wanted to give each story my full attention and let me tell you they are all so creepy, inventive and unsettling in so many different ways. There’s not a moment that feels repetitive and I was introduced to a bunch of writers I hadn’t known about and am now impatiently awaiting their next offering.

I’m glad they called this an anthology of dark fiction not horror because that really opens writers up to explore every corner of darkness, and the different kinds of monsters and experiences that exist there.

I think there was only one story that I didn’t like and that was more about the style of writing than anything.

I truly loved almost every single one of these stories, but some standouts that I’m still thinking about are: Amber Blaeser-Wardzala’s “Collections” which shows the dark underbelly of white prof ‘allies’ in academia; Of course my fav Morgan Talty’s “The Prepper” that sees a young man’s preparations for a possible zombie apocalypse go horribly wrong; Conley Lyons’ “Navajos Don’t Wear Elk Teeth” is a toxic queer summer romance that turns abusive and violent in the creepiest way; Cherie Dimaline’s “Tick Talk” about a tick that never stops growing is still giving me flashbacks; D.H. Trujillo’s “Snakes are Born in the Dark” is a grotesque administering of deserved retribution on the type of low-key racist asshole a cousin might date that you’re just expected to put up with; David Heska Wanbli Weiden’s “Sundays” is a whole different kind of devastating focussing on abuse at residential schools that made me weep; and Waubgeshig Rice’s absolutely brutal “Limbs” ends the collection on a completely bloody and heartbreaking note.

This is just such a perfect anthology, there’s not a miss in the bunch. I’m just so happy that this was made and I hope it gets all the hype it deserves! In the running for fav read of 2023 for sure.

Thanks to @penguinrandomca for the review copy.

#bookstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookreviewer #5starread #bestbooksof2023

A Tapestry of Dark Tales: 5 Stars
"Never Whistle at Night" is an anthology that serves as a masterclass in the art of dark fiction. Inspired by Indigenous storytelling traditions, this collection offers a rich tapestry of tales that are as varied as they are compelling.

A Diverse Range of Stories
One of the anthology's greatest strengths is its diversity in storytelling. From nightmarish landscapes to unsettling psychological dramas, each story brings its own unique flavor to the table. This variety ensures that there's something for every horror aficionado to sink their teeth into.

Top-Notch Authors
The caliber of writing in this collection is exceptional. Each author brings a distinct voice and perspective, yet they all share a common thread of skillful storytelling and a deep understanding of the genre. The result is a cohesive and engaging anthology that stands out in the crowded field of horror literature.

Exploration of Indigenous Lore
What sets this anthology apart is its rootedness in Indigenous culture and fears. The stories do not merely pay lip service to these traditions; they delve deep, offering readers a glimpse into a world that is both fascinating and terrifying.

Final Thoughts
"Never Whistle at Night" is a must-read for anyone interested in horror or Indigenous storytelling. Its varied tales and top-notch writing make it a standout anthology that deserves a place on every horror lover's bookshelf. A well-deserved 5 stars.

I loved this collection of short stories. There are only winners, but for me the standout was the penultimate story, "Collections" by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala, which looks at the commodification and exploitation so often present in academia, even, or especially spaces that purport to value diversity. The other stories are also amazing, blending Indigenous folklore with painful metaphor (and outright depiction) of colonizer violence. I will definitely be looking for more from all of the authors included in this collection.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House, Vintage for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Never Whistle at Night is an indigenous story collection. Almost every native has a story of why you should not whistle at night time - and this just puts them all in one place for you.

As you would expect with an anthology, it's a varying mixed bag of writing styles and genres but they all fit so well together as an enjoyable read. There was a few moments where I questioned how a group of stories made it together as it got really heavy, but then moved on to something completely unexpected.

I have to give special mention to The Scientist's Horror Story, Limbs and Sundays. They were all amazing in their own way and I loved every second of them.

This would be a perfect addition to your Spooky Season TBR! Thank you to NetGalley & Penguin Random House for an advanced copy for review. This one is available now.

This is a brilliant collection of stories from Indigenous writers (and absolute literary powerhouses, at that). While they all have a distinct voice and flavor, Stephen Graham Jones does a great job of contextualizing them in his forward.

The stories span the full range of horror, so there’s a little something for everyone. Some have stronger triggers than others, however, so keep that in mind going in.

It’s really hard to rate an anthology because each story stands on its own. That being said, I think this is a really strong collection, and I’ve been introduced to many new writers.

In particular, my favorite stories were:

Kushtuka
Navajos Don’t Wear Elk Teeth
Quantum
Snakes Are Born in the Dark
Before I Go
Behind Colin’s Eyes
Dead Owls

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @vintageanchorbooks @prhaudio partner, for my gifted copy. ⁣
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Horror Fans - If you do not have this on your TBR, add it immediately. It’s a star freaking studded cast of authors ready to bring the dark fiction and indigenous stories in one place. I will admit I had a few nightmares and this book will stay with me for a while. SGJ has an amazing foreword on what makes it horror or fantasy and how there’s more there in the story than we thought originally. This anthology is so well done. As always, gotta nightlight a few gems:⁣
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Kushtuka - This is how you start an anthology with a bang. I mean my god. I was driving when listening to this and when they were also driving.. let’s just say I finished listening when I was out of the car. It was everything I needed. Gore, horror, an unclear grip on what is really happening. I loved this one. ⁣
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White Hills - It’s Rebecca Roanhorse. Y’all know that meme where she’s like, “get up!” That’s how I felt about this excuse of a man. I audibly gasped at this story. I loved it. ⁣
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Quantum - If you could only see me grocery shopping during this one. I was yelling to my headphones, “don’t do it. Don’t do it” and I’m sure I got a few stares. This definitely warranted a few stares. I think this was my favorite because of how the story was set up, the shock factor, and the lore. So we’ll done. ⁣
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Also, let’s talk about how the audio had each story have their own individual reader! There was so no overlapping or confusion because a new reader was introduced each time. This is how you do it. Amazing audio cast as well. Overall, a solid hit for real! I can’t stop gushing over this one.⁣
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Predict text: Never whistle at night because …

An anthology of horror and dark stories, this was a pretty compatible collection of short stories by Indigenous authors. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark quick tales or watches anything from the likes of Tales of the Crypt.

Overall, I enjoyed most of the stories- I can’t get the second one out of my head- but please check your trigger warning. One in particular got very blunt with trauma so this may not be comfortable for everyone.

Never Whistle at Night
Edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
Horror | Anthology | Indigenous Dark Literature

🫀 Body Horror
🧟‍♀️ Flesh Pedestrians
👻 Paranormal
🦉 Animal Horror

Darkness Level | 🖤🖤** to 🖤🖤🖤🖤
Ending | Varies
POV | Varies

Ratings:
Overall | 🥀 🥀 🥀 🥀.5
Gore | 🩸to🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
Scare Factor | 👻 to 👻👻👻👻👻

Review:
Read as an ARC on my Kindle.
This collection of Indigenous Dark Fictions combines a series of spooky tales ranging from ghosts and monsters to complex family trauma and acts of revenge. It’s a perfect read for both spooky season and Indigenous History Month. I ended up reading this book a lot slower than I thought because of just how unnerving some of these tales were. The dread seemed to grow more prominent with each story, so don’t expect any relief between tales.

NO ONE writes body horror like Indigenous writers and Stephen Graham Jones explains that beautifully in the forward. Go into this book with an open mind to a new perspective and to experience emotions not always touched on in this genre.

Overall, the curation of stories is well done. While I had to take breaks due to the nature of the stories, I still believe the pacing is well done to increase the overall feel and effectiveness of the messages in these stories. Each and every story felt intentional and consumed me with every turn of the page.

Favorite Stories:
White Hills by Rebecca Roanhorse
Quantum by Nick Medina
Before I Go by Norris Black
Behind Colin’s Eyes by Shane Hawk
Longest Street in the World by Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
Dead Owls by Mona Susan Power
Night Moves by Andrea L. Rogers
Collections by Amber Blaeser-Wardzala

I really enjoyed this anthology. I'm never more creeped out than reading Indigenous creepy stories. There's just something about them. I've read a few of these authors and am glad to be introduced to new ones. Definitely be recommending this one.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book before it expired due to some unforeseen life events. However, what I was able to read I LOVED. Every short story was incredibly unique and I look forward to finishing all of them in the future. I will definitely be looking for each writers’ individual works as well.