Title: The Witch of Cromer
Author: Benjamin Parsons
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: December 2, 2011
Genres: Fantasy
Length: 34 pages
Source: I received a free copy from the author.
Rating: 4 Stars
Blurb:
Besotted Steven is so desperate to make Bridget love him that he decides to try supernatural means to win her heart. But is he ready to face the consequences of dabbling in witchcraft? And dare he try to outwit the famous and fatal Witch of Cromer? Part of the collection The Green Lady and Other Stories.
Content Warning: Murder
Review:
Love is a gift…right?
While this wasn’t specifically set during Valentine’s Day, the themes reminded me of the pressure society puts on people to couple up. Steven believed his life wouldn’t be complete unless he could share it with Bridget, and he was determined to convince her to feel the same way. Unrequited love is a painful but normal chapter in life for many of us, so I enjoyed the author’s take on what could happen when this feeling slammed up against the societal expectation that everyone ought to find their special someone.
There was a small but purposeful mistake Steven made early on that I wished had been revisited in greater detail. Would his fate had been different if he had made a different choice instead, or would he have ended up in the same place in life either way? I’m the sort of reader who looks forward to pondering about these sorts of loose ends, but in this particular case I think the storyline would have been even stronger if the author had spent even a few sentences on in the final scene to give the audience some hint as to what he thought might have happened if that earlier moment in Steven’s life had turned out differently.
The twist at the end was something I wondered about in advance, but it wasn’t the sort of thing that has to be a surprise in order to be satisfying. I liked the way it answered some of the most important questions this reader had while also leaving room for interpretation for most of the other stuff that wasn’t wrapped up succinctly. If this review inspires any of you to check out this tale for yourselves, I’d be excited to hear your takes on it as well as your theories about what might have happened next. There are so many details I had to leave out here in order to avoid spoilers, but this was a thought-provoking spin on love and romance for sure.
The Witch of Cromer was a wild ride.
Sounds like an interesting story! Though you bring up a good point—I think it’s hard to know when writing a short story when just a little more needs to be added. Finding the right balance for length seems more critical—and harder—the shorter the story gets.