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bookishwelshie's review
3.0
I have wanted to read The Cormorant for a long while, as it is set in my home country - North Wales! I have long seen it included on “must read folk horror” lists. Stephen Gregory even rented a caravan in Snowdonia to write this.
I was easily able to envisage the setting in my mind, which is the town of Caernarfon and the surrounding area.
I have a great amount of appreciation for the writing style. It was very well-written. But I shall explain why I ended up feeling disappointed with the story.
The Cormorant is about a man’s obsession with a bird he was left by his Uncle Ian in his will. Along with a cottage in Snowdonia. He uproots his family, his wife Ann and his young son, Harry to move into the cottage from their Sussex home and their old jobs as school teachers.
It is made quite clear throughout that Harry and the cormorant, named Archie, have an unspeakable, unexplainable bond. The child is drawn to the bird whilst his parents are trying to keep him away from it.
Even when Archie the cormorant lashes out and acts almost demonically, you feel sorry for him. You want the bird to be kept safe or at least released from this family’s possession.
Ultimately, the treatment of the bird towards the end of the novella (without giving too much away) left me feeling distressed, upset, and a little disappointed... as up until that point, I had rather enjoyed the pacing and the descriptive narrative. I had to skim read parts of the ending.
3.5 Stars - for the quality of the writing overall.
I was easily able to envisage the setting in my mind, which is the town of Caernarfon and the surrounding area.
I have a great amount of appreciation for the writing style. It was very well-written. But I shall explain why I ended up feeling disappointed with the story.
The Cormorant is about a man’s obsession with a bird he was left by his Uncle Ian in his will. Along with a cottage in Snowdonia. He uproots his family, his wife Ann and his young son, Harry to move into the cottage from their Sussex home and their old jobs as school teachers.
It is made quite clear throughout that Harry and the cormorant, named Archie, have an unspeakable, unexplainable bond. The child is drawn to the bird whilst his parents are trying to keep him away from it.
Even when Archie the cormorant lashes out and acts almost demonically, you feel sorry for him. You want the bird to be kept safe or at least released from this family’s possession.
Ultimately, the treatment of the bird towards the end of the novella (without giving too much away) left me feeling distressed, upset, and a little disappointed... as up until that point, I had rather enjoyed the pacing and the descriptive narrative. I had to skim read parts of the ending.
3.5 Stars - for the quality of the writing overall.
asinglebird's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Incest
coleyreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was mesmerised while reading this. Truly weird, tense and shocking. Left me speechless by the end, hence why this review is so short.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, and Fire/Fire injury
angus_mckeogh's review
3.0
Not sure what to make of this. Not really horrific but certainly not a mainstream story either. Reminded me of the movie, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, if it involved a pet, and a pet bird no less. Not amazing by any description, not remotely uninteresting or terrible, and ultra weird.
aaronreadabook's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
larry_yonce's review against another edition
3.0
no ordinary bird
An unnamed narrator, his wife Ann, and their son Harry inherit a quaint little cottage in Wales. But there is a catch. They must also take on and care for "Archie", an abhorrent cormorant of their Uncle Ian...a bird which poked, gouged, and partially ate the face of Ian himself upon his death. This award-winning novella takes place around Christmas time, with heavy snows on the horizon, and a bird which gets more vile, mysterious, and threatening with each passing day. A weird tale...effective...but would have been better as a short story I feel, à la Poe.
An unnamed narrator, his wife Ann, and their son Harry inherit a quaint little cottage in Wales. But there is a catch. They must also take on and care for "Archie", an abhorrent cormorant of their Uncle Ian...a bird which poked, gouged, and partially ate the face of Ian himself upon his death. This award-winning novella takes place around Christmas time, with heavy snows on the horizon, and a bird which gets more vile, mysterious, and threatening with each passing day. A weird tale...effective...but would have been better as a short story I feel, à la Poe.
katvc's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Very awkward. Still don't really get what was going on.