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Too Fond
A Tor.com original short story by Leanna Renee Hieber.
Eloise Browne's leaden heart becomes softened by the entrance into her world of Mr. McGill, the owner of the nearby mill. His tragic story and her compassionate gift tangle themselves into something altogether new... and not altogether welcome.
Eloise Browne's leaden heart becomes softened by the entrance into her world of Mr. McGill, the owner of the nearby mill. His tragic story and her compassionate gift tangle themselves into something altogether new... and not altogether welcome.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2012
About the author
Leanna Renee Hieber
70 books1,101 followersAuthor, actress, artist and playwright, Leanna received a BFA in Theatre, a focus in the Victorian Era and a scholarship to study in London. She adapted 19th Century literature for the stage and her one-act plays have been produced around the country. She is a 4 time Prism Award winner for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, or Paranormal Romance. Her debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, first in the "Strangely Beautiful" saga of Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels (Barnes & Noble Bestseller) won two 2010 Prism Awards (Best Fantasy, Best First Book) has been hailed by Tor Books as a "foundation work of Gaslamp Fantasy" and has been reissued in new, revised editions as STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL. The prequel, PERILOUS PROPHECY and the never before published MISS VIOLET AND THE GREAT WAR finish the quartet (Tor Books). DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul was named an Indie Next title by the American Book Association and a Scholastic book fair "Highly Recommended" title. All books in the Magic Most Foul trilogy are now available as is THE ETERNA FILES trilogy of Gaslamp Fantasy novels (Tor Books). Her new series with Kensington's new Rebel Base imprint, THE SPECTRAL CITY, a Gaslamp Fantasy / Supernatural Suspense became a # 1 Amazon bestseller in Gaslamp Fantasy, Steampunk and Metaphysical Fantasy as well as hitting the top ten across other platforms. The series continues with three novels. Her short fiction has been included in anthologies such as QUEEN VICTORIA'S BOOK OF SPELLS and the MAMMOTH BOOK OF GASLAMP ROMANCE. All her Victorian-set series feature crossover characters. A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers, she is a proud co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon Reading Series in New York City. A member of Actors Equity Association and SAG-AFTRA, Leanna works often in film and television on shows like Boardwalk Empire and Mysteries at the Museum, works as a ghost tour guide for Boroughs of the Dead tour company and creates unique neo-Victorian and Steampunk jewelry on Etsy. In 2018 Leanna wrote, developed and now tours a one woman show "By the Light of Tiffany: A Meeting with Clara Driscoll" about the talented 19th century artist. Visit http://leannareneehieber.com for free reads, writers' resources, interviews, videos and more, and follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/leannarenee and FB http://facebook.com/lrhieber.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 30, 2019
She hoped that the parents of the dead little girl whose black hair she braided and formed into the figure of a bird didn’t mind if there were a few tears mixed in among the locks.
this is a lovely little piece of victorian gothic writing that takes the concept of the memento mori into even creepier territory.
not that 'creepy' is a bad thing. on the one hand, i love the victorian era's popular trend of mourning jewelry incorporating the hair of the beloved deceased into its design:
on the other hand, it's still a little ew, right? beautifully, sentimentally, ghoulishly ew?
in this story we have a woman named eloise browne, the unmarried, morbid and lonely daughter of a jeweler whose talent for creating striking mourning accessories has earned her renown and her father money, but has not yet earned her the love of a good man.
she believes her luck has changed when handsome mill owner mr. mcgill moves across the street from her father's shop and admires eloise's work and, by association, her inherent character:
Mr. McGill told Eloise that he believed, like she did, that human hair was indeed a priceless treasure, and that the wondrous pieces of remembrance and romance she wove into intricate patterns and pressed safely behind glass lockets like insects trapped in amber contained not just the base material of human remains, but a sliver of the subject’s soul. McGill insisted Eloise’s success was due to her belief in the inherent magic of the process, her ardent confidence that captured bits of soul lived on inside her work. At her core, he claimed, she must be magical.
he flirts with her shamelessly on his numerous visits to the shop while his house is being renovated, calling her "little sorceress," and she responds with all the fragile hope of a shy and sheltered woman when confronted with the attentions of a bold redheaded scot.
He sang her ballads and sea shanties as she worked, blushing, never having felt so alive as she sat weaving the hair of the dead in her trembling fingers
but then - ugh. suddenly there's a mrs. mcgill, fresh off the boat and traipsing into the shop behind her new husband, equally redheaded and brogued and lovely, and poor eloise's heart is shattered.
and yet… all hope is not lost. not ever, no matter how impossible the situation. not for a woman like eloise, frequently underestimated, overlooked, misunderstood:
Her lips pursed into a small bow; she could feel her cheeks dimple in that expression her father declared demure but in reality was his daughter clamping down upon a scream, a shriek, a plea for a life more loudly and thoroughly lived.
and this little sorceress will find her own version of love, and it's gonna be as creepy and haunting and morbid as she is.
it's a good story - short and sweet and to the point, with a nice little jab to it.
3.5 stars
read it for yourself here:
http://www.tor.com/2012/10/23/too-fond/
come to my blog!
this is a lovely little piece of victorian gothic writing that takes the concept of the memento mori into even creepier territory.
not that 'creepy' is a bad thing. on the one hand, i love the victorian era's popular trend of mourning jewelry incorporating the hair of the beloved deceased into its design:
on the other hand, it's still a little ew, right? beautifully, sentimentally, ghoulishly ew?
in this story we have a woman named eloise browne, the unmarried, morbid and lonely daughter of a jeweler whose talent for creating striking mourning accessories has earned her renown and her father money, but has not yet earned her the love of a good man.
she believes her luck has changed when handsome mill owner mr. mcgill moves across the street from her father's shop and admires eloise's work and, by association, her inherent character:
Mr. McGill told Eloise that he believed, like she did, that human hair was indeed a priceless treasure, and that the wondrous pieces of remembrance and romance she wove into intricate patterns and pressed safely behind glass lockets like insects trapped in amber contained not just the base material of human remains, but a sliver of the subject’s soul. McGill insisted Eloise’s success was due to her belief in the inherent magic of the process, her ardent confidence that captured bits of soul lived on inside her work. At her core, he claimed, she must be magical.
he flirts with her shamelessly on his numerous visits to the shop while his house is being renovated, calling her "little sorceress," and she responds with all the fragile hope of a shy and sheltered woman when confronted with the attentions of a bold redheaded scot.
He sang her ballads and sea shanties as she worked, blushing, never having felt so alive as she sat weaving the hair of the dead in her trembling fingers
but then - ugh. suddenly there's a mrs. mcgill, fresh off the boat and traipsing into the shop behind her new husband, equally redheaded and brogued and lovely, and poor eloise's heart is shattered.
and yet… all hope is not lost. not ever, no matter how impossible the situation. not for a woman like eloise, frequently underestimated, overlooked, misunderstood:
Her lips pursed into a small bow; she could feel her cheeks dimple in that expression her father declared demure but in reality was his daughter clamping down upon a scream, a shriek, a plea for a life more loudly and thoroughly lived.
and this little sorceress will find her own version of love, and it's gonna be as creepy and haunting and morbid as she is.
it's a good story - short and sweet and to the point, with a nice little jab to it.
3.5 stars
read it for yourself here:
http://www.tor.com/2012/10/23/too-fond/
come to my blog!
December 24, 2016
#21 short story read from tor.com.
Creepy and sad. The story uses the weird Victorian habit tof incorporating the hair of their dead, loved ones into jewelry.
Creepy and sad. The story uses the weird Victorian habit tof incorporating the hair of their dead, loved ones into jewelry.
August 28, 2016
A short story really needs to pull you in quickly and leave you with an ending that justifies the quick read. This one did just that. The introduction of the characters gave just enough of a hint of the supernatural but also threw me off the path of the eventual outcome. I was thinking bad things about one character when, in fact, my intuition was incorrect.
I like that. Especially in a (short) short story.
Book Season = Autumn (sorceress)
I like that. Especially in a (short) short story.
Book Season = Autumn (sorceress)
May 3, 2016
An interesting story that I found charming with its old-fashioned customs. Although a short tale, I could feel the emotional yearning of the young jewelry maker, and through her bitter disappointment, the final outcome seemed all the more, perfect.
December 18, 2021
Another tor.com freebie short story, this one a tragic ghost story told through the eyes of a young maiden who makes keepsake jewelry out of the deceased's hair. Apparently this was a thing during the Victorian period. A tad bit morbid, if one considers what hair actually is. Regardless, it was an interesting read, but it didn't really speak to me.
April 29, 2016
She hoped that the parents of the dead little girl whose black hair she braided and formed into the figure of a bird didn’t mind if there were a few tears mixed in among the locks.
When I was a teen, my mother took me to a small history museum in NJ, and that was the first time I had seen these mementos woven from human hair. There was a bracelet braided from hair. I was so amazed that hair would last so long.
This is a weird little romance set in Victorian England. I wanted it to be longer! It was good, and the story was complete, but not enough.
Read it yourself here: http://www.tor.com/2012/10/23/too-fond/
November 17, 2016
Perfectly balanced short.
Love and loss. A keepsake suspending both in time.
Love and loss. A keepsake suspending both in time.
August 22, 2018
Well, a short story in paranormal genre. There's actually nothing much to say but indeed it's a good short tale to enjoy your leisure time...
3 out of 5...
3 out of 5...
November 30, 2012
Brilliant, beautiful, and dark. I absolutely loved it. It haunted me for the rest of the day and then some.
February 3, 2015
Out, out, brief candle!
Life, death, love, jealousy and guilt lay entwined in this morbid short story like hair in a locket.
Link here:http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/10/to...
Life, death, love, jealousy and guilt lay entwined in this morbid short story like hair in a locket.
Link here:http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/10/to...
May 7, 2016
3.5. Too short, but a nice traditional little ghost story.
December 9, 2016
I'm not sure there was a protagonist in this story. At different part of this story, I felt sorry for all the characters.
November 3, 2018
A delightful gothic short story centering on the Victorian custom of incorporating the deceased's hair into mourning jewelry - it could have been a) a bit longer and b) a bit spookier for me, but I'm dying for that writing!
November 5, 2018
Another doomed romance. A predictable story, but reasonably well told.
March 22, 2020
Too Fond has some beautifully written moments and I loved the inclusion of memento mori hair jewelry but the over all story didn't captivate me.
October 27, 2025
not bad.
February 4, 2014
What an original and haunting tale set in the 1800's of a woman who has certain "gifts" when it comes to jewelry and the handsome mill owner who captivates her to the point of near obsession regardless of his married status.
When tragedy strikes Mr. McGill on the eve of his honeymoon, Eloise Browne will create a locket to help the man with his grief that will also tie him closer to her in a way that Mr. McGill could neither imagine nor desire.
I totally loved this story and was surprised by all the detail Ms. Hieber managed to convey in such a short story! I could feel the characters emotions and identify with them even though the period in which the story was based fell well over a century before my time. Ms. Heiber detailed each scene so vividly that I could imagine myself in Eloise's shop looking at her jewelry and admiring a man who was already happily married. The ending was so astonishing as to leave me dazed and in awe of the authors’ ability to capture such emotion from both characters and their situation and the paranormal twist just added a more profound punch and originality to the story.
A must read for fans of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy with Historical elements or fans of Leanna Renee Heiber herself!
When tragedy strikes Mr. McGill on the eve of his honeymoon, Eloise Browne will create a locket to help the man with his grief that will also tie him closer to her in a way that Mr. McGill could neither imagine nor desire.
I totally loved this story and was surprised by all the detail Ms. Hieber managed to convey in such a short story! I could feel the characters emotions and identify with them even though the period in which the story was based fell well over a century before my time. Ms. Heiber detailed each scene so vividly that I could imagine myself in Eloise's shop looking at her jewelry and admiring a man who was already happily married. The ending was so astonishing as to leave me dazed and in awe of the authors’ ability to capture such emotion from both characters and their situation and the paranormal twist just added a more profound punch and originality to the story.
A must read for fans of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy with Historical elements or fans of Leanna Renee Heiber herself!
July 30, 2015
Two and a half stars rounded up to three.
Interesting idea, although I wish it had been longer. As it is, it almost felt like a synopsis. Show don't tell and all that. Many opportunities missed in terms of character development, atmosphere and tension-building. I mean, all the ingredients are right: Victorian England setting, dead people's hair in lockets, unrequitted love,repressed feelings, jealousy...
Interesting idea, although I wish it had been longer. As it is, it almost felt like a synopsis. Show don't tell and all that. Many opportunities missed in terms of character development, atmosphere and tension-building. I mean, all the ingredients are right: Victorian England setting, dead people's hair in lockets, unrequitted love,repressed feelings, jealousy...
May 23, 2016
A bit creepy but also a bit sad...
Thanks to the review of karen I learned about trend of mourning jewelry in the Victorian Era.
Thanks to the review of karen I learned about trend of mourning jewelry in the Victorian Era.
May 7, 2013
★★★★½
Absolutely fantastic and beautifully written. A deliciously creepy and tragic short story about unrequited infatuation.
Absolutely fantastic and beautifully written. A deliciously creepy and tragic short story about unrequited infatuation.
August 30, 2013
Haunting and dark--everything you could want in a gothic tale. I was lucky enough to see Ms. Hieber do a reading of this story. If the opportunity chances upon you--don't miss it!
January 1, 2014
I read this story on a slow Sunday (I think?) and found myself utterly blown away by it. I just love how it wraps up with. "I'm sorry, I'm too fond." It left me in a daze for days. :)
June 25, 2014
A perfect short story. I really enjoyed this.
September 10, 2014
Is it possible to fall in love with a short story? I just did! I loved it so much I read it twice in a row!! Favorited!!
July 17, 2017
A lovely, haunting novella. Beautifully written and just the right amount of creepy.
Superb piece of writing! I wish I could write like this... Gorgeous artwork too.
Superb piece of writing! I wish I could write like this... Gorgeous artwork too.
May 13, 2016
Too Fond is a sheer delight to read. The wordcraft is excellent, and the climax so chilling! I'm glad I picked this story out of Tor's backlog!
May 1, 2016
Wow, a surprising and interesting short story. Wish it was longer.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews