"The Other Country" has a dark mystique to it, even the title. It immediately pulled me in with the historical setting and references, adding a layer to the overall narrative. I found the character development particularly strong, their fears on full display and yet the false bravado at times heavily influencing their decisions in a realistic and meaningful way. The scenes unfolded naturally and I felt as if I were experiencing it alongside Rosa, and although the narrator's voice brought me out of the story at times, it piqued my curiosity just a bit more. This gives me vibes of a tale I would find in an H.P. Lovecraft collection, with cleaner and rather rapid prose that urged me onward to each subsequent line.
Great work, Leigh! Loving your writing and your style of fiction. The subtle genre-bending is always a favorite of mine.
Oooh, this was fun. Ominous tales about fairy-folk are among my favorites. You’ve doubtless seen “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Have you by chance read “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”? I had a couple of thoughts I wanted to share. I had some difficulty visualizing when and where the story was set. It seemed to take place in the latter half of the 19th c. in America, but I was ignorant of where Villisca was located and had to look it up on Wikipedia. I think a brief sentence or two early on would enhance the narrative. For example, you could play on the title “the other country” and have the Irishman mention a famous event that brought him or his parents to Iowa from the old country: Potato famine? Religious persecution? Post Civil War immigration from New England?
Thanks for your feedback! I was hoping the mention of Villisca would help give a time period and place (Midwest, 1913 ish), but apparently not everyone is a true crime dork like I am.
Gallagher's immigration was actually due to his being a fugitive, although not for the typical reasons.
"The Other Country" has a dark mystique to it, even the title. It immediately pulled me in with the historical setting and references, adding a layer to the overall narrative. I found the character development particularly strong, their fears on full display and yet the false bravado at times heavily influencing their decisions in a realistic and meaningful way. The scenes unfolded naturally and I felt as if I were experiencing it alongside Rosa, and although the narrator's voice brought me out of the story at times, it piqued my curiosity just a bit more. This gives me vibes of a tale I would find in an H.P. Lovecraft collection, with cleaner and rather rapid prose that urged me onward to each subsequent line.
Great work, Leigh! Loving your writing and your style of fiction. The subtle genre-bending is always a favorite of mine.
Very well done. I like how you layered it. I like the overall voice of it. I'm subscribing right now.
Oooh, this was fun. Ominous tales about fairy-folk are among my favorites. You’ve doubtless seen “Pan’s Labyrinth”. Have you by chance read “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”? I had a couple of thoughts I wanted to share. I had some difficulty visualizing when and where the story was set. It seemed to take place in the latter half of the 19th c. in America, but I was ignorant of where Villisca was located and had to look it up on Wikipedia. I think a brief sentence or two early on would enhance the narrative. For example, you could play on the title “the other country” and have the Irishman mention a famous event that brought him or his parents to Iowa from the old country: Potato famine? Religious persecution? Post Civil War immigration from New England?
Thanks for your feedback! I was hoping the mention of Villisca would help give a time period and place (Midwest, 1913 ish), but apparently not everyone is a true crime dork like I am.
Gallagher's immigration was actually due to his being a fugitive, although not for the typical reasons.