Gender, Supernatural Beings, and the Liminality of Death

This collection edited by Gibson and VanderVeen has a highly specialized appeal. The book is composed of 13 chapters, each written by an accomplished academic from the social sciences, media studies, or dramatic arts, and each possessing keen interest in supernatural studies. Recommended.

This is an engaging, accessible, and thought-provoking investigation of monstrosity in literature, film, and TV. Ranging from Frankenstein to Star Trek, this collection brings narrative anthropology into conversation with a broad range of gothic and science fiction texts, exploring the gendered aspects of the dead, the undead, haunted spaces, and human-machine hybridity. Admirably showcasing the work of early-career researchers in the growing field of supernatural studies, this book is a rich resource for anyone seeking to delve into the macabre world of zombies, vampires, and cyborgs.

-- Essaka Joshua, University of Notre Dame

In an age where science and religion seem to butt heads constantly, the supernatural weaves a curious thread through our cultural and personal practices, narratives, and experiences. This collection hinges on the eternally engaging theme of transformation: what does it mean for a human to become something more, something else? Are the monsters of our deepest nightmares still human? What does this mean for us? And as the introduction reminds us, these transformations are not always planned, permanent, or positive. This book knits these threads together and asks us to consider anew the tropes and figures that we know well. It is an engaging, well-structured collection that offers further insights into a narrative world that, more than ever, speaks to our contemporary experiences and cultural fears.

-- Harriet Earle, Sheffield Hallam Univer