12. Harry by Rosemary Timperley
Our first story of the year
Happy New Year to you all. I hope you’ve started 2025 the way you wanted.
Our first story of the year is, in my view, a belter – Rosemary Timperley’s classic tale, Harry.
I will post my thoughts on Monday 20 January and I look forward to reading what you thought of the tale in the comments. You can find the links to read it here:
Bring the pleasure back to reading
Tired of people bragging about how much books they’ve read? Do you want to slow down and enjoy reading again? Short Story Club is the home for you. Twice a month, I post a story that I think is worth reading / examining (from a reader and writer point of view). I follow this up with my own analysis which you can then comment on with your thoughts. Join over 150 of us (it’s free!).
May your shadow never grow less,
Paul O
Thanks for the story, Paul. The story, in a way, reminded me of "The Yellow Wallpaper," as the husband/doctor don't believe the wife.
I’ve little experience of stories with a supernatural dimension but there was a lot to enjoy here. The developing tension, the recurring use of the motifs introduced in the opening sentence to help achieve that tension. The growing anxiety of the mother, shown against the measured attitudes of the husband and the doctor, allows space for the reader to speculate about what is amiss. It’s a sad story and one with only partial resolution, a strength in a story of this length where there needs to be a measure of uncertainty to give the story depth. Thanks for sharing and for inviting engagement with it. I’m expecting other readers will have different takes. Be good to hear what those are…