The Lover: A Short Story
£2.99
During a brutal winter, a young woman longing for love finds more than she expected in the woods, in this wickedly sensuous short story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.
Judith knows her sister, Alice, is the pretty one—but that doesn’t stop her from wishing for love. When a handsome and gentlemanly hunter appears in their village, seeking lodging from the cold, she believes her lover has finally arrived. He does, indeed, choose to stay—but as Alice’s husband, not her own. When another stranger comes out of the woods, looking every bit a vagrant, he offers Judith something mysterious and enticingly strange. Against reason and decency, she welcomes both men into her life, in different ways. As forbidden longings ensnare each of them, an unrelenting winter storm and an evasive wolf on the prowl have everyone on edge…and ravenous. By spring thaw, will any of their hungers be satisfied?
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by Geek Goddess
Dark and enjoyable
by Kylie
I feel there was a good background of the characters and although one character was obvious, it was dripped with mystery. I was really enjoying reading this but without spoiling the ending, it felt very much “X happened the end”. I haven’t read many short stories so this could just feel rushed when it isn’t for a short story. Would really love a longer version!
by Rafaella
It’s hard to talk about such a short story in depth without revealing too much, but The Lover is such a vibe!
I could argue that none of the characters in this novel are loveable, but the heroine is definitely relatable. After a lifetime of being seen (and treated) as inferior to her sister, Judith wishes for her own happiness. So it’s not so much that she was naive, but the way she craved love left her vulnerable.
I particularly enjoyed the ending. I just think there’s a lot of symbolism there, and it’d be interesting to discuss everything that it could mean for her character. However, that would be especially spoiler-y, so you should just read it.
by lydscl
I discovered Silvia Moreno-Garcia this year, and she has rapidly risen to become an instaread for me. This short story is no different and is a wonderful blend of all the reasons why I enjoy her writing so much. It’s at once beautifully poetic with dark, gothic vibes and a forbidden and morally dubious romance. A perfect short story to read as we approach halloween.
by Catbalou113
Although the ending was pretty predictable, this was an engaging little story. From the start, Alice was the baddy and the heroine was more likable – and as the reader, you hope she wins in the end, which she certainly does!
by Gabriella Madeline Lee
This short story holds a strange, dark Grimm-estique fairytale. It takes place during a harsh winter where a young woman—Judith—is longing for a love of her own finds more than what she bargained for. Judith is treated poorly by those she calls family, one could argue like a mere maid. Whereas, her elder sister—Alice—has always been seen as the pretty sister who would marry a handsome man and was given all of the nice things.
Even though Judith is treated like this she still wishes for a lover. So with her friends she does just that.
“She’d always known her lover would come from beyond the forest. It was foretold when she cast a divination spell”
‘The Lover’ was a very enjoyable fast and easy read of 43 pages. From the beginning it captured my interest. This little taste of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing style has left me wanting more. It’s the perfect read for this season but can be enjoyed anytime as you will want to read this short fantasy story of forbidden romances, lust and longing, with a beautiful prose, in one sitting.
“She’d always known her lover would come from beyond the forest…”
by ann
Interesting quirky Cinderella type story , this story draws you in but leaves you wanting more , I shall certainly seek out more of Silvias book’s ☺
by V. O’Regan
“She’d always known her lover would come from beyond the forest. It was foretold when she cast a divination spell.”
The Lover’ is a short story by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, who is one of my favourite authors. It is a tale of forbidden love.
Its lead character, Judith, always feels as though she is in the shadow of her sister, Alice. When Nathaniel, a handsome hunter, arrives in their village, Judith feels that he is her foretold intended. Yet he marries Alice, leaving Judith understandably upset.
When another very different man emerges from the forest, Judith finds herself drawn to him for different reasons. Meanwhile, Nathaniel is determined to trap and kill a huge wolf that has been sighted in the nearby forest. How will these relationships resolve?
I often find that short stories feel like fragments but Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s storytelling skills are such that ‘The Lover’ felt complete in itself with the characters and story well rounded despite it being only forty pages long.
It reminded me of Angela Carter’s splendid, ‘The Company of Wolves’, evoking that sense of the lure of the wild woods and its inhabitants, especially the wolves.
I received this as one of October’s First Reads from Amazon. It was accompanied by a complementary copy of its unabridged audiobook edition.