Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

A Woman Built by Man

Rate this book
A Woman Built by Man is a collage of 21 horror tales that seek to crawl under the skin and deconstruct the many ways women are built up and broken down by a patriarchal society. And the many ways they're finally saying, "Enough."

237 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2022

Loading interface...
Loading interface...

About the author

S.H. Cooper

17 books119 followers
S.H. Cooper is a Florida based, multi-genre author with a focus on horror and fantasy. Her titles include the Victorian gothic novella, INHERITING HER GHOSTS, the cosmic horror novella, THE FESTERING ONES, and the YA fantasy novel, THE KNIGHT'S DAUGHTER, in addition to three short story collections and the horror comedy podcast, Calling Darkness. She is also a regular contributor to the award winning anthology series, The NoSleep Podcast. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband, pets, and a cup of Earl Grey.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
34 (45%)
4 stars
32 (42%)
3 stars
9 (12%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Laurie  (barksbooks).
1,797 reviews716 followers
December 1, 2023
I was going to do a write-up on each story but decided to focus on the ones that I liked best instead. Call it laziness or call it not wanting to sit with the content of some of them for too long. Probably a bit of both. I read every one but I had to take a bit of a break after some of the heavier ones so it took longer to finish this collection than usual. Read the content warnings at the end of the book if you need them.

So here are my personal favorites with some very brief thoughts. Yours will probably be different. Give it a read and let me know!

Every Woman Knows This by Laurel Hightower
Ugh, some men and their entitlement to a smile, ffs. What is the deal with that shit? Anyhow this is a vicious and perfectly told tale of an entitled man and his casual harassment that takes a turn he didn’t expect. It captures the fear of a woman just trying to live her life and dealing with harassment for simply existing.

She Sings of Pain and Sorrow by Holley Cornetto
A story of mythical creatures and greedy, selfish, stupid men, of imprisonment and unending torment and a despair so deep there’s no fixing it. I loved this story but it’s incredibly dark.

These stories aren’t playing around and may need to be read in small doses. This cannot be stressed enough.

The Thing with Feathers by Tonya Walter
Hatred, rebirth, and revenge fuel this harrowing tale of domestic abuse.

Youngblood by Lindz McLeod
A young woman takes drastic measures to rid herself of a pesky ex when the people who could do something downplay her fear. This was so unique.

New Lines from Which to Shape Her Body by Nikki R. Leigh
This story was SO chilling. If they could do it, they would. 😩 Quite horrifying. I can’t think about this one anymore.

Last Night I Was Having A Drink At The Slippery Nipple by Amanda Michele
This was a nice break from all the gloom and seriousness and it made me laugh. Was it supposed to? I don’t know but it did and I love it for that.

Maddy Long Legs by Olivia White
Omg 😱 I loved this. It was horrific.

M.E. And Her by Lea Storry
In a not-too-distant future, the wealthy can preserve themselves forever. This was my face when I realized how old the teller of the story actually was 😳. It's a stark look at ageism.

Bambolina, Bambolina by G.G. Silverman
This was melancholy, bitter, and sweet and all those things rolled up into a terrific little gut punch of a story.

The Cooper Girl by S.H.Cooper
The final entry is a slow, sinister rollout and a quiet creep of horror that won’t leave you feeling gutted when you finish like so many of the previous stories do. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but I prefer not to sit in that space for too long and I’m glad things ended on a not entirely bleak note. The Cooper Girl was the perfect story to end this collection.
Profile Image for Heather Horror Hellion .
215 reviews62 followers
February 13, 2022
First thing first, this is an excellent novel to read the content warnings for. There are some stories that I feel could be super triggering to people who have experienced the things in this book.

This group of stories absolutely blew me away. I'm sitting here wanting to give you a top 5 favorite stories out of the 21 included in this book, but I can't. I loved all of them!

There are so many amazing authors included some I have read before like the amazing Hailey Piper, Laurel Hightower, and S.H Cooper to authors I read for the first time.

The stories range from men being horrible to men being horrible but with spiders. I definitely suggest you pick this one up on 2/17/22.
Profile Image for Norman Miller.
Author 34 books12 followers
February 22, 2022
This was a fantastic collection of stories with some truly fabulous and powerful short stories. It saddens me to think of the world these authors and other women go through that would inspire some of these stories.
Profile Image for Kayla Martin-Gant.
63 reviews7 followers
April 13, 2022
Y'all ever read an anthology and, upon finishing, think to yourself, "Damn, not a bad one in the bunch."?

Yeah, I hadn't either until this.

Seriously, every one of the stories in here is solid at the *very* least, and almost all of them are absolute bangers. I love that the authors all take so many different interpretations of the theme, and even the ones that take it literally do so with such skill that I could feel myself squirming a bit in my seat. Some of the stories in here are soul-crushingly sad, but those are offset by others that are triumphant both in the narrative and in the writing itself, and all of them will stick with you.

My personal favorites, though it was extraordinarily difficult to pick: "Better" by Alexis DuBon, "Youngblood" by Lindz McLeod, "What Doesn't Kill You," by Elle Turpitt, "Underground" by Regi Caldart, "Last Night I Was Having a Drink at the Slippery Nipple" by Amanda Michele, "The Eyes of Vaz'lul" by Jill Palmer, "The Canary" by Joanne Askew, and "The Cooper Girl" by S.H. Cooper.
1 review
March 21, 2022
The back-cover blurb fittingly describes “A Woman Built By a Man” as a “collage” of tales that “deconstruct the many ways women are built up and broken down by a patriarchal society.” Indeed, much of the power of its stories comes from how well they complement one another, with each of the 21 female and femme-identifying writers taking a distinct approach to this theme that enriches the whole experience. Anger, even rage, often characterizes the collage that emerges, but its impact carries a cathartic dimension, like the feeling of relief that can accompany shouting out a long-buried frustration.

To begin with, this anthology gets all the basics right. The superb cover art captures the tumultuous feel of the writers’ varied perspectives, while also hinting at the fantastical and sci-fi settings in which some of the writers set their stories. It ends with helpful lists of content warnings and information about each writer. The stories are well-edited, making their points concisely with no words wasted. Best of all, there isn’t a single weak entry in the whole collection, a remarkable achievement of its own.

Opener “Every Woman Knows This” has a striking first line and plays out with a sense of urgency. It, and the stories that follow, aren’t always immune to tropes that have grown in prominence in recent years, particularly brutal karmic punishment meted out to a sexist male aggressor. But, here, the writers invariably find fresh ways to present these ideas, such as an extended sea life metaphor for predators and prey, an inversion of slasher tropes where a sex doll hunts a group of raucous male college students, or a meta structure exploring the relationship between the reader, the writer, and characters the writer creates.

The endings that could be construed as ‘positive’ feel earned, often at great cost, and just as many stories conclude with life or hope snuffed out. Here, too, the diversity of voices benefits the whole, adding tension and unpredictability to each story. One tale may convey an empowering message with

The collection feels carefully organized. With exceptions, the stories grow steadily less grounded as the book progresses, with the latter half steadily expanding its scope more consistently towards science fiction and fantasy. It ends, satisfying, with two of its strongest tales, “Bambolina, Bambolina” by G.G. Silverman and “The Cooper Girl” by, fittingly, co-editor S.H. Cooper, the latter of which perfectly encapsulates the writer’s more wholesome approach to horror. My personal favorite of them all is “Youngblood” by Lindz McLeod, in which the narrator

Start-to-finish, “A Woman Built By a Man” is a compelling read. On the surface, it works as a collection of imaginative feminist horror, with no notable lapse in quality across its 21 stories, but it also leaves you shaken on a deeper level due to the strength of its many messages that demand to be heard.
Profile Image for Lilyn George.
Author 3 books2 followers
February 25, 2022
Disclaimer: I have a story in this...but if that was really going affect my review, I'd have given it 5 stars, wouldn't have I?

A Woman Built by Man is a well-put together read acknowledging the many ways men have shaped women's lives in the worst of ways but also showcasing the strength of women who have found ways to break away and be free.

My favorite stories:
Every Woman Knows This by Laurel Hightower - one of the strongest voices in emotional horror fiction out there.
Youngblood by Lindz McCleod -I'll be reading more by Lindz asap, this was a fantastic story with imagery that stayed with me for hours after I'd finished reading it.
The Eyes of Vaz'Lul by Jill Palmer - My favorite of the more science fiction oriented stories. By the end of it I was mentally cheering for the main character.
The Cooper Girl - SH Cooper is the queen of feel-good horror, and this was the perfect story to end the anthology on.
Profile Image for Olivia.
26 reviews11 followers
March 17, 2022
"A Woman Built by Man is a collage of 21 horror tales that seek to crawl under the skin and deconstruct the many ways women are built up and broken down by a patriarchal society."

Almost every single review posted prior to me purchasing this anthology said, “The first sentence of the first story is all that need be said.” Not only did this peak my interest further in this amazing collection of stories from women around the world, it was 100% true.

This collection is a triumph of truths that women have long been shouting from rooftops. Throughout the centuries there have been facts of womanhood that have been branded into the collective consciousness of us all. Half the population of this Earth lives by different rules than the other half. Rules that have “protected” us, and rules that have demoralized, subjugated, abused and otherwise belittled women. In this anthology, a spotlight is shone onto all of those rules, and the ladies behind this collection have bared their teeth and screamed, “Enough.”

This is not a myopic collection of general grievances and sufferings. Each story resonates with the power and drive of the mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers that came before us all. It is a deep-dive into the psyche of those who’ve taken a torch to illuminate a reality in our world—dare I say, society—that few want to confront head-on. From politicians mincing words, to the tongue-in-cheek language of reporters, lawyers, religious members and police, all that way through the arrogance of medical professionals refusing to listen to the “fairer” sex. These authors dare you to call them “fair” for they will show you the true meaning of the word.

“A Woman Built by Man” is a recommended read for all who’d like a taste of the fear of: walking down the street, being in a relationship, or even just existing. The true terrors are all around and more than likely don’t need a spotlight to be seen.

Many thanks to all the woman who have lit their own torch to shine a light on the darkness, and for their courage to stand between it and us.
Profile Image for L.P. Hernandez.
Author 23 books85 followers
April 18, 2022
A Woman Built by Man is an anthology of horror stories exploring how the lives of women are affected by men. Although themed, the territory explored is vast. There are human monsters and inhuman monsters, and towers of stomach-churning good intentions. As a man, I understand I am not necessarily the target audience for these works. The book is all the better for it. These stories are unflinching. I, thankfully, never felt a twinge of commiseration with any of the vile men profiled, however I did feel discomfort.

A few times I put the book down and stared at the wall, or the sky, and wondered how near to the border of unacceptable behavior had I come? How had my preferences molded the daily routines of the women in my life, like Alexis DuBon's "Better"? Had my attempts to revive a dead relationship felt as heavy and unwanted as Lindz McLeod's "Youngblood"?

As with every anthology, some stories will resonate more than others. A couple of stories felt conceptually too big for the format, the ideas needing a few extra pages to balance necessary exposition. However, there are moments in each story that makes the journey worth it.

Is it entertaining? Yes. Squirm in your seat body horror. I'm smiling but I don't know why WTF moments. There is excellent writing here. Excellent stories. Joanne Askew's "The Canary" achieves in six pages what some novels fail to in six hundred.

Highly recommended.

*Note - I have a few friends in this collection and did not mention their stories to preserve neutrality.
Profile Image for Sam McGlasson.
49 reviews1 follower
March 20, 2022
This was phenomenal. I have never read a short story collection before and I will always be glad that this is the one I read first - A Woman Built By Man, a horror anthology collection of 21 tales written by female and femme-identifying authors.

This collection was simply amazing. Each story was so unique and powerful in its narrative, using various elements of horror as commentary for the ways in which we, as women, are shaped by the men around us. I truly enjoyed all of the stories in this collection, though there were a few standouts that I abolsutely need to highlight.

- Every Woman Knows This by Laurel Hightower.
- The Thing With Feathers by Tonya Walter (this was my absolute favourite of the collection).
- She Asked For It by Lilyn George
- Genesis 2:22 by Denarose Fukushima.
- What Doesn't Kill You by Ellie Turpitt.
- Maddy Long Legs by Olivia White.

These stories alone deal with themes of domestic abuse, sexual assault, religion, imprisonment... the list goes on and on. The thing that disturbed me the most in reading these tales was how easy it was for me to relate to most of the female characters. What does that say about the world we live in?

I truly hope this book and these authors, get the recognition they deserve. This is probably my favourite book of the year so far, and I will be recommending it to everyone. Though, if you are so inclined, I would suggest reading the content warnings for each story first.
Profile Image for Chris.
92 reviews
April 14, 2022
A collection of mostly *excellent* horror short stories - very feminist and thought provoking! This is a quick read, however I chose to read a story or two, and then pause and reflect, so I actually took over a week to finish them. The violence and trauma is very high, so perhaps the accompanying trigger list per short story would help some readers.
Profile Image for Kevin Buck.
76 reviews3 followers
March 12, 2022
Every story in this was fantastic. Most of them made me squirm and feel uncomfortable.
Profile Image for Marsha.
Author 2 books34 followers
February 14, 2024
This is a deeply affecting, sometimes horrifying, look at how women are framed by men. Sometimes they are victims, sometimes victors, sometimes survivors. But each of the women in this anthology is impacted by men's desires or viewed through their lens. From a rape so graphically described, you cringe in reflexive horror to a story that seems to borrow from Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven to another Bride of Frankenstein who remembers who she was before she was transformed to a woman who succumbs entirely to her boyfriend's demands that she change--these are females who are altered by men's expectations, usually with disastrous results.

When the women triumph, it's often with gore, tears and screams...not always hers. If it seems that these stories revolve around women solely in relations to men, that is true. If that doesn't satisfy, then these tales aren't for you. However, if you want to know what happens when a drunk woman gives her boyfriend the rib he sneeringly says she "owes" him, open these pages, reader--if you dare.
Profile Image for Madeleine.
765 reviews40 followers
July 1, 2023
"People think Hate is a bad thing, a thing to be plucked from their hearts like an unwanted hair or a hangnail. They don’t understand that it is alive, and its roots run through them. It has a smell, you know, and a taste, too. Its scent is rotted flowers and it tastes of black pepper and tin."

I started this book last December, so I'm glad I finally finished it. It was a struggle to get through, because even though I liked the ideas in the stories and all of the social commentary, most of the stories fell flat for me. There are some very talented writers in this collection, and my two favorite stories are probably "Every Woman Knows This" by Laurel Hightower and "M.E. And Her" by Lea Storry. The latter is, sadly, an accurate representation of how women's aging bodies are perceived by men and society, but put in a sci-fi/futuristic world.
185 reviews
April 4, 2023
A Woman Built by Man is a genuinely impressive collection of feminist-themed short stories, all of them by little-known authors. As with any anthology, there are some stories that are better than others (my personal favorite was Genesis 2:22), but overall the selection is very good. My one quibble is the book features a list of trigger warnings, which in my opinion should not be necessary in a horror collection, as it is by its nature a transgressive genre that seeks to shock and disturb. This is only a minor complaint, though.
148 reviews4 followers
July 2, 2023
A fine collection. Some of the standouts were, "She Asked For It", "Blame, Pain, and Selfishness", "Last Night I was Having a Drink at the Slippery Nipple" and the fantastic closer, "The Cooper Girl".
Profile Image for Rachel.
288 reviews32 followers
December 21, 2023
Every story in this anthology had a huge impact on me. They are all thoughtfully written and the topics that are examined are handled with care. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.
Profile Image for Charlene (Char).
303 reviews14 followers
March 22, 2023
Women Know This

This was a book selected for the monthly read and it was good! This book talked about it all from abuse to death !
My top stories are:
The cooper girl
What doesn’t kill you
Marry long legs
I recommend this book to anyone who likes variety with their reading.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.