Indigenous, dark fiction anthology. | Photo from @shane.hawk on Instagram
May 13,2026 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
Nearly every Native American and Indigenous person knows that there’s one major rule they should follow: never whistle at night. This rule exists to ensure spirits and creatures cannot cross over into this world or follow anyone home. “Never Whistle at Night,” a dark fiction anthology compiled and edited by Shane Hawk, is named after this belief.
The book comprises 26 short stories written by Indigenous authors from across North America. Each story explores and blends traditional beliefs, folklore, colonial trauma and other contemporary issues that Indigenous communities face. Through each story, readers are introduced to the authors’ unique writing styles and backgrounds that shape their stories.
I’ve never been one for anthologies. To me, short stories were never satisfying because of how quickly their plot occurs, and they often left me unsatisfied with their endings. However, “Never Whistle at Night” is the first anthology I have found that delivers with every story. While some stories are shorter than others, each one leaves a lasting impression on me.
When the book was first released in 2023, Indigenous communities hailed it as a representation of the modern issues that Natives face today. After all, the topics of abuse, trauma and substance abuse plague Indigenous communities globally.
Although more Indigenous authors have entered mainstream publishing, their work often centers on traditional folklore placed in modern settings rather than contemporary issues. One of my favorite novels by Stephen Graham Jones follows four friends haunted by the spirit of an elk they killed as teenagers on their reservation. While the story deals with modern times, it focuses on more traditional values. In contrast, “Never Whistle at Night” grounds its horror in the realities many Indigenous people face today, using supernatural elements to explore generational trauma, addiction, violence and the lasting effects of colonization.
However, readers outside of Indigenous communities were disappointed by the anthology’s contents after expecting Indigenous folklore and traditional stories.
“I thought this book was going to have more of a fairytale, old ghost story feel. It’s really mostly about portraying white people as the enemy. It’s propaganda. No thanks,” one anonymous reader posted to Goodreads, along with a one-star review. However, many Indigenous readers were quick to respond, stating that this book “clearly wasn’t meant” for this reader.
These polarizing responses from two communities have me wondering whether non-Indigenous readers expected Native horror to entertain them with folklore rather than confront them with the realities Indigenous people continue to face. Much of the criticism aimed at the anthology seems rooted in discomfort with its themes rather than the quality of the stories themselves. “Never Whistle at Night” refuses to separate horror from the real experiences of Indigenous communities, and that is precisely what makes the anthology so impactful.
Personally, I loved every story within the anthology. Seeing these modern issues portrayed, with Native characters represented in both positive and negative ways, felt like a rare form of honesty. The anthology does not romanticize Indigenous communities or reduce them to stereotypes; instead, it presents Native people as complex individuals shaped by trauma, resilience and survival.
10/10.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
