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The Witchfinder's Tale
Author: Dorothy Strangelove
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(Added on Oct 25, 2007)
(This month 12276 readers) (Total 23926 readers) |
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A female witchfinder with a dark past finds herself falling for a man accused of witchcraft, and is forced to brutally torture him, despite suspecting he is innocent. |
| Ratings and Reviews: |
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of Ratings: 2 |
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Weighed
Average (?):  (8/10) |
Average
Rating:  (9/10) |
Highest
Rating:  (10/10) |
| Lowest
Rating: (8/10) |
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| Reviewer:
JimmyJump
(Edit) |
Rating: |
Feb 9, 2009 |
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Although this is about as close to a Greek tragedy as one can get, there's also whispers of Umberto eco's "The Name Of The Rose". Sarah and Swift, William Of Baskerville and Adso Of Melk, trapped inside lies and not getting out with the truth. Except this is a love story.
John Clover could be the girl that is remembered by Adso for the rest of his life and to whom he made love, one fatefull evening, so long ago.
"The Witchfinder's Tale" is a pure delight to read. This time not because of some well thought out tortures, or scenes of gleefull debauchery, but because of the literary qualities.
Cuz, make no mistake, this is of the finest prose you will read, with descriptions bordering on poetry.
Also, the setting of the mood of the story is exquisite. Dark, gloomy traits, portrayed with only a few words, but the right words: the way you feel the chill when the coach is thundering over half-frozen roads, the looming of the misty manor through the fog (again, The Name Of The Rose's monastery springs to mind), the candle-lit inn with its huddled figures around a heavy oak table. You can even imagine the crackle of the blazing fireplace.
And then there's the plot. No sillyness here, but a most serious, sinister affair. Mischief, betrayel, love, torture, murder, it's all there. There's nothing in the plot that doesn't serve a purpose.
And then, when you finally start groping for a handkerchief, there's a twist. A twist foretold at the start, by the swell of a tummy, but already forgotten at the end, because of the compelling storyline.
I don't know if it's me, but I have the feeling that every story I read from Miss Strangelove, is better than it's predecessor.
I fear we're gonna have to file a petition to make the review score go at least to 25...
Thanks for a marvellous contribution, Dorothy Strangelove.
Adding this one to my shelf.
JJ (10/10)
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- Replied by:
dorothystrangelove
(Edit) (Feb 10, 2009)
- Glad you enjoyed it. When I wrote this I wanted to show more than just torture and the usual that goes with it, I wanted to illustrate the way the accuser can be motivated such as the female withfinder, who took up her profession as a means to survive, and to show that as was often the case in that age, many accused were not the voluptous young women portrayed in movies, sometimes men were accused too, and many accused people were innocent. I added to that the son of the witchfinder, to show what living that life had done to his mind. (There is a follow on to this story called the Tale of Swifty Black if you want to find out what happens to Swift as a grown man). This was a story I found easy to cast myself backwards in time to write, but I wanted it to have a heart and not to be simply about the darker side, I wanted to show that even in that setting, there can still be light and hope.
Glad you're adding to your shelf.
Thanks again for the review.
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| Reviewer:
chksng19
(Edit) |
Rating: |
Nov 1, 2007 |
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A fine tale, with an interesting way of keeping one's attentions to the end. Some authors might milk this for five or six times the length; you do well to tell it as you have. (8/10)
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- Replied by:
dorothystrangelove
(Edit) (Nov 1, 2007)
- Thank you, I prefer to keep a story compact and paint a vivid picture, had I lengthened it, I think the substance would have become watered down. I like to keep my fiction colourful!
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