These Bodies Ain't Broken

by Madeline Dyer

Overview

A monstrous transformation within your own body.
A sacrificial imprisonment.
A fight to the death against an ancient evil.

These stories showcase disabled characters winning against all odds.

Outsmarting deadly video games, hunting the predatory monster in the woods, rooting out evil within their community, finding love and revenge with their newly turned vampire friend—this anthology upends expectations of the roles disabled people can play in horror. With visibly and invisibly disabled characters whose illnesses include Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Crohn’s disease, diabetes, PTSD, and more, each entry also includes a short essay from the author about the conditions portrayed in their stories to further contextualize their characters’ perspectives. From breaking ancient curses to defying death itself, these 13 horror stories cast disabled characters as heroes we can all root for.

Contributors include bestselling and award-winning as well as emerging authors: Dana Mele, Lillie Lainoff, Anandi, Soumi Roy, Fin Leary, S.E. Anderson, K. Ancrum, Pintip Dunn, Lily Meade, Mo Netz, P.H. Low, and Carly Nugent.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798890033024
Publisher:	Page Street Publishing
Publication date:	10/07/2025
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Madeline Dyer is a novelist, poet, and anthologist. She is the editor of the Being Ace anthology and co-editor of the Unbound anthology. She is also the author of the Aces in Love series (written as Elin Annalise). She has a herd of Shetland ponies, loves anything ghostly, and can frequently be found exploring wild places. At least one notebook is known to follow her everywhere she goes.

Editorial Reviews

"Reimagining a genre that’s often known for representing characters with disabilities as villains, this horror anthology reveals the power held within disabled bodies. Authentic and broadly diverse representation enhances this uniformly strong collection."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"[A]n ambitious horror anthology with a mission [...] This is an easy recommendation for horror fans, especially those eager to finally feel seen in the genre beyond problematic stereotypes."
—Booklist

"[E]nough tropes to satisfy any horror-loving reader [...] It's a worthy read as a celebration of disabled people winning—because, as one of the authors writes, 'even though we have disabilities, our bodies ain’t broken.'"
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“A brilliant anthology of disabled and chronically ill kids fighting, surviving, and seeking vengeance with sharpened teeth.”
—Andrew Joseph White, award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Compound Fracture

“Bold, terrifying, and beautifully defiant—These Bodies Ain’t Broken proves that real strength comes from resilience.”
—Aiden Thomas, author of New York Times bestseller Cemetery Boys

“So proud this book exists!”
—Ellen Oh, founding member of WNDB and author of The Colliding Worlds of Mina Lee

“The stories in this anthology blend fear and resilience, featuring unforgettable characters who defy the idea of ‘brokenness’ and redefine what it means to be strong.”
—Brenda Drake, New York Times bestselling author of the Library Jumpers series

“A riveting look at the intersectionality between disability and horror.”
—Jessica Lewis, author of Bad Witch Burning

“These Bodies Ain’t Broken presents a widely fantastical and nuanced embrace of disability alongside darkness—where, often, the real horror is in how those with different needs are forcibly constrained.”
—Wen-yi Lee, award-winning author of The Dark We Know

“A visceral and emotionally satisfying anthology for all horror fans.”
—Catherine Yu, author of Direwood, Helga, and The Devil’s in the Dancers

From the Publisher

★ 2025-07-03
Reimagining a genre that’s often known for representing characters with disabilities as villains, this horror anthology reveals the power held within disabled bodies.

Encompassing a wide variety of subgenres, including dystopian, gothic, and body horror, this volume offers readers stories exclusively written by disabled authors. Some characters’ conditions are explicitly named, like Type 1 diabetes in “Ravenous” by Carly Nugent, the story of Linden, a white-presenting Australian 18-year-old who’s unhappy about her family’s move to Vancouver Island, Canada. There she’s greeted by a tree monster, who gives off the sweet scent of ketoacidosis. Some narratives reflect the experiences of nonwhite characters, like Thai American Monti from Pintip Dunn’s “What This Locket Holds,” who has fibromyalgia, and neurodivergent Maitreyi from “Us, of the Water” by Anandi, which has a historical South Asian setting. Other protagonists live with the ramifications of diagnoses that affect multiple body systems. In editor Dyer’s “The Weepers and Washerwomen of Loch Lomond,” Bianca, a Scottish girl who reads white, impersonates her twin. She’s been diagnosed with several diseases, including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, and mast cell activation syndrome, and plans to join a mysterious kickboxing tournament. Each entry closes with an informative author’s note that deepens readers’ understanding of the story, its creator, and the disabilities that appear. The contributors include popular authors, such as K. Ancrum and Lillie Lainoff, as well as newer voices whom readers will enjoy discovering.

Authentic and broadly diverse representation enhances this uniformly strong collection. (content warning, author bios)(Horror anthology. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews