Serendipity is one of the things I enjoy as a person. I was randomly searching for short stories to read when I stumbled on this one. It felt a bit lengthy but I was unfazed. I am fully back to reading short stories and also original full literature. I have started to find that spark that makes me enjoy reading in the first place. One of which is writing reviews like this on Hive and reading other people's work. So thank you to everyone in this community that shares that book review and all.
- Author - Hume Nisbet
- Title - The Vampire Maid
- Published - 1900
- Genre - Fiction, Romance, Gothic, Horror, Short Stories
PLOT
The story is about an unnamed protagonist who seeks a life of solitude, away from typical city life. Based on his desire, he decided to find a place that'd suit his needs. After much searching, he finally settles for a nice cottage on a cliff; far away from civilization. The Landlady is welcoming and the place is homely and matches his desire. He soon falls in love with the widow's daughter and they both frolic around after dark. One night, he got the shocker of his life.
SETTING
The story was set in a cottage on a cliff, in an isolated location.
CHARACTERS
There is the unnamed protagonist.
- Mrs. Brunnel - the landlady and her daughter;
- Ariadne Brunnel
PURPOSE
Things aren't always as they seem.
There is so much to say about this story. At first, I was a bit skeptical about reading it, but then I decided to give it a chance and I wasn't disappointed. The author touched on a number of themes that made the story a pleasant read. Themes like romance, gothic, and horror. They draw one's interest more deeply. Okay, let's analyze this story more deeply. First off, the title was an absolute giveaway. There are many short stories or books that actually have such predictable titles yet still retain a certain level of mystery, but this didn't. The title was even somewhat misleading. The storyline was bland and ordinary. No big twist or mystery, or suspense or anything. It just had a linear plot. The ending was just too straightforward. Nothing evocative by any stretch of the imagination. The narration was good though. The description of sceneries and characters was impressive. The choice of diction was understandable yet sophisticated. The story has a bit of potential with room for more improvement. but it leaves a reader wanting. Not the best I have read, but I did like it. I would recommend it for leisure reading. It's not lengthy. I would also rate it a 3 out of 5.