In the Spotlight
If you enjoy reading my tales,
buy me a coffee
SupportLatest Stories
View AllReviews
VARDE RANA, THE FROG
I enjoyed the gentle way this story moves from a small conversation by the well into a shared journey toward the sea. The opening takes its time with Filipe and Varde’s discussion of freedom, ownership, and why salty water can still matter, which gives the later trip a thoughtful foundation. Once Varde agrees to go, the story accelerates pleasantly, and the arrival feels like a simple emotional payoff rather than a dramatic event. I especially liked that the ending lingers on the sunset, breeze, and changing colours, allowing the sense of peace Filipe described to become something Varde experiences for herself. The play-like dialogue gives the piece a warm, fable-like quality.
Adrian Chen
Danças no escuro
Gostei especialmente do momento em que Rose transforma a conversa dos conspiradores numa mensagem codificada na pauta musical. A governanta ganha ali uma presença de espiã corajosa e intrigante.
Rebecca Wirthner
Water Tower
The water tower is a wonderfully unsettling premise, especially the idea of a building that literally consumes its occupants and passes its bargain down through generations. The parents’ letter is the strongest part: it gives the tower a grim history and makes the landlord’s attachment feel genuinely sinister. I also liked the connection to Babel Tower and the larger mythological backstory. However, the story spends much more time explaining Frank’s biography and the tower’s mythology than showing Frank actually experiencing the danger. Just as the tension begins with the voice welcoming him inside, the scene fades out, so the ending feels more like a prologue or setup than a complete story. Frank’s fascination with horror is clear, but I wanted more of his personal reaction and a more developed confrontation with the tower. There’s a strong horror concept here, but it would have had greater impact with less exposition and a fuller payoff.
Eleanor Hart