4/5 stars
Terrors from the Toy Box is a collection of stories centered around creepy things happening with toys, and boy do they deliver on the creep factor!
My favourite story from the anthology was Scotty Milder’s Lilybet Lollipop! All through high school, I pretty much lived and breathed Creepypasta, and there were so many cursed video game stories that used to scare the pants off me. Scotty’s story was both a rush of nostalgia and a nice helping of anxiety, but I loved it!
Another thing that always used to give me the creeps, and still does, is the Uncanny Valley. This refers to things that aren’t human but are extremely human-like (think FNAF, Chuckie Cheese, etc.). Mia Dalia’s Uncanny is a great example of why I hate dolls and why I will never own one that looks more human than I do. I don’t care if it calls for me and dances a jig….not happening.
Enid’s Dollhouse by Harriet Phoenix is absolutely terrifying to think about. For anyone, especially a kid, to have the power to turn anyone or anything into a doll at will gives me the heebies and the jeebies. I can’t even fathom going about my day then suddenly being a doll; that’s just beyond imagining. And the sheer lack of empathy Enid felt for these people….horrifying.
I could honestly go on and on about the stories in this anthology. Tim J. Finn and M.J. McClymont’s stories were both relatable in ways that added another depth to the characters, Shashi Kadapa’s story brought back the feelings I had when I first read the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales…there’s not one bad story in this lot! If this is the level that I can expect from Phobica, then I can’t wait to read what else they put out!
Alpha's Court 