Witches of Lychford

Witches of Lychford (2015) Paul Cornell

I thoroughly enjoyed London Falling, and so ordered both the sequel, and also this unrelated short story, when I saw them.

However, London Falling was a very complicated story that required my attention to keep things straight, so I put off reading The Severed Streets and this short story, because I’ve been too distracted to keep things straight.

But since this was a short story, I decided to give it a try.

It’s marvelous.

Here’s the cover blurb:

The villagers in the sleepy hamlet of Lychford are divided. A supermarket wants to build a major branch on their border. Some welcome the employment opportunities, while some object to the modernization of the local environment.

Judith Mawson (local crank) knows the truth — that Lychford lies on the boundary between two worlds, and that the destruction of the border will open wide the gateways to malevolent beings beyond imagination.

Judith is wonderful.

Judith hated nostalgia. It was just the waiting room for death.

The telemarketers who called her up now seemed either desperate or resigned to the point of a mindless drone, until Judith, who had time on her hands and ice in her heart, engaged them in dark conversations that always got her removed from their lists.

she was looking at Shaun, her son, in his uniform. He was pointing at her in surprise.

“You’re here. You’ve taken a side.”

“Yes.”

“Because I was very much hoping—”

“That I wouldn’t.”

“Just so we’re clear—”

“I won’t throw anything.”

“See that you don’t. I don’t want to have to arrest you. Again.” He pointed to his eyes and then to her, and, with another glance at her over his shoulder, marched back to his place at the back of the hall.

And that brings me to the dialog, which I absolutely adored.

There are two other main characters, Autumn and Lydia, and they are also lovely.

“‘ DNA’ my arse. If you’re coming along, I don’t want you coming out with bloody science all the time. You’ll be looking at everything through the smallest window.”

“The smallest window,” said Autumn, “might have the clearest glass.”

“It doesn’t. It’s muddy.”

“But the other windows will stay as they are, but this window could be replaced by . . . a big set of French windows, when science catches up with magic.”

Judith rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to show you the ineffable and you’re planning an extension.”

“You said he was a being of tremendous power and evil, but I’ve looked him up. He’s got a wife and family. He’s on LinkedIn.”

I love well-written short stories, and this is almost perfectly done.

I highly recommend this–it won’t take much of your time, but the time you spend will be enjoyable.
Rating: 10/10

Published by Tor.com

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