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Witches Sail in Eggshells
‘Witches sail in eggshells,’ I heard Meg say from behind me, and I looked back. She was pounding the shells, hard, with the palm of her hand on the flat of a knife.
Bewitched by ‘the sort of girl who’d batter your heart like a thrush with a snail on a stone’, a woman overlooks the one who really loves her.
A seaside community is overwhelmed when the sea begins to expel its life forms. But the villagers would rather raise the sea wall, whatever the cost, than confront their past mistakes.
A woman’s beloved garden withers as the baby inside her flourishes. When the pregnancy reaches its end, the progeny is not as she expects.
A widower feels like his life might have been a quiet nothing, but he’ll end it with the flight he’s always dreamed of. Even that fails, but instead of indignity, in the attempt he finds peace.
Perceptive, intriguing, and beautifully told, Chloe Turner’s debut collection explores the themes of love, loss, the little ways we let each other down, and how we can find each other again.
Bewitched by ‘the sort of girl who’d batter your heart like a thrush with a snail on a stone’, a woman overlooks the one who really loves her.
A seaside community is overwhelmed when the sea begins to expel its life forms. But the villagers would rather raise the sea wall, whatever the cost, than confront their past mistakes.
A woman’s beloved garden withers as the baby inside her flourishes. When the pregnancy reaches its end, the progeny is not as she expects.
A widower feels like his life might have been a quiet nothing, but he’ll end it with the flight he’s always dreamed of. Even that fails, but instead of indignity, in the attempt he finds peace.
Perceptive, intriguing, and beautifully told, Chloe Turner’s debut collection explores the themes of love, loss, the little ways we let each other down, and how we can find each other again.
160 pages, Paperback
Published June 11, 2019
3 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 16, 2022
Such an unexpected treasure trove!
Seventeen gently whispered, human stories with a magical, folkloric edge.
Magnificent from beginning to end.
‘There was a smell of mildew, and cat shit, and something wrong…’
Seventeen gently whispered, human stories with a magical, folkloric edge.
Magnificent from beginning to end.
‘There was a smell of mildew, and cat shit, and something wrong…’
July 29, 2019
Seventeen short stories of life, love and longing.
When I picked up this volume I had intended to read one of the stories from Witches Sail in Eggshells each evening, but as soon as I’d read Hagstone, the first in Chloe Turner’s collection, I was so enchanted I had to devour them all. It was if the hagstone of that first tale had cast a spell and I was unable to put down this remarkable book. I have only one complaint about Witches Sail in Eggshells and that is that any aspirations I might have about writing have been completely undermined by the exquisite beauty of Chloe Turner’s language. It is unparalleled and very few writers I have read create such grace and magic in their work.
Whilst I imagine many hours have gone in to crafting and polishing these literary gems, they never feel contrived but instead are silky smooth and extraordinary examples of writing at its most perfect. Each one, without exception, left me reeling, intrigued and mesmerised so that I felt them internally as much as read them. I know this will sound probably bonkers (and I may have been affected by the magical realism of some of the stories) but I felt as if I wanted to peel the words from the pages and shower in them to get them closer to me in the most essential way I could. I read passages aloud because I felt they were more like poetry than prose – they are luminous with meaning and emotion.
Each story is very different from all the others with action and events totally belying the brevity of length. I discovered entire lifetimes and traveled time and geographical distance as I read. There are themes of love, loss, spite, revenge, power and much, much more, providing a narrative for every reader and every change in their emotional state. Yet at the same time, there are links and echoes that make for an immersive and rewarding reading experience. There’s something almost antediluvian, for example, in the references to water and the sea that pepper these stories because Chloe Turner has captured the very essence of humanity in its most raw state; we all come from water.
I have been sitting some time, trying to find words to convey what it is about Witches Sail in Eggshells that I have found so gloriously moving and astounding, but have come to realise I don’t have the vocabulary to express how I feel about Chloe Turner’s stories. I am genuinely thrilled to have discovered her writing because my life has been enriched by it. Whether you’re a reader who wants to be entertained or a writer who wants to hone their craft, I cannot recommend Witches Sail in Eggshells highly enough. It’s magnificent.
When I picked up this volume I had intended to read one of the stories from Witches Sail in Eggshells each evening, but as soon as I’d read Hagstone, the first in Chloe Turner’s collection, I was so enchanted I had to devour them all. It was if the hagstone of that first tale had cast a spell and I was unable to put down this remarkable book. I have only one complaint about Witches Sail in Eggshells and that is that any aspirations I might have about writing have been completely undermined by the exquisite beauty of Chloe Turner’s language. It is unparalleled and very few writers I have read create such grace and magic in their work.
Whilst I imagine many hours have gone in to crafting and polishing these literary gems, they never feel contrived but instead are silky smooth and extraordinary examples of writing at its most perfect. Each one, without exception, left me reeling, intrigued and mesmerised so that I felt them internally as much as read them. I know this will sound probably bonkers (and I may have been affected by the magical realism of some of the stories) but I felt as if I wanted to peel the words from the pages and shower in them to get them closer to me in the most essential way I could. I read passages aloud because I felt they were more like poetry than prose – they are luminous with meaning and emotion.
Each story is very different from all the others with action and events totally belying the brevity of length. I discovered entire lifetimes and traveled time and geographical distance as I read. There are themes of love, loss, spite, revenge, power and much, much more, providing a narrative for every reader and every change in their emotional state. Yet at the same time, there are links and echoes that make for an immersive and rewarding reading experience. There’s something almost antediluvian, for example, in the references to water and the sea that pepper these stories because Chloe Turner has captured the very essence of humanity in its most raw state; we all come from water.
I have been sitting some time, trying to find words to convey what it is about Witches Sail in Eggshells that I have found so gloriously moving and astounding, but have come to realise I don’t have the vocabulary to express how I feel about Chloe Turner’s stories. I am genuinely thrilled to have discovered her writing because my life has been enriched by it. Whether you’re a reader who wants to be entertained or a writer who wants to hone their craft, I cannot recommend Witches Sail in Eggshells highly enough. It’s magnificent.
July 23, 2019
I love me a short story collection. You are all no doubt very aware of this by now!
When I saw Witches Sail In Eggshells by Chloe Turner mentioned on Twitter by Chloe herself I was intrigued by the title and did a little bit of googling.....
Did you know that if you don't smash up your empty eggshells after you have used the egg, witches will steal the shells, use them as boats to sail across the seas casting spells and causing untold damage?.....
Seems legit!
The point is I LOVE superstition and folklore like this and I got a really good vibe about the collection just from this awesome title. This vibe cranked up a notch when I investigated further and found that there was a sample story from the collection on the Reflex Press website. A story called Hagstone which I urge you to read here.
This story had just the right amount of magical realism and folklore for me and I had the excited tingly feeling when you know a book is going to be right up your street!
The guys at Reflex very generously said I could have a gifted copy to review and the rest as they say, is history.
I feel I like I was constantly wanging on about this collection on Twitter and Instagram so most of you will already know my thoughts and feelings, but for the rest of you, strap in and brace yourselves whilst I try and assemble my thoughts.
I find reviewing short story collections somewhat of a challenge but I'll try my utmost to convey my thoughts coherently and do this amazing book justice!
There are 17 stories in this collection each ranging from around 3 pages to around 10 pages. The overarching themes are of 'love, loss, the little ways we let each other down, and how we can find each other again'.
I don't like to talk about each individual story in a collection as I think it's very important for a reader to discover for themselves. I do however like to pick out stories that particularly resonated with me and ones that have stuck in my mind. Although having said that, I flicked through the collection after reading it and knew immediately, just by the title alone, what each of the stories were about. This is not always the case after I finish a collection. I can sometimes forget what a particular story was all about and have to read bits to remind myself. I have also been known to confuse stories with other collections by different authors!
The stories which stand out in my mind (and still give me the tingles now!) are:
A Raft Of Silver Corpses, which tells the story of a coastal town where strange things are happening to the sea life. Starting with the octopuses being found inland, the star fish literally being thrown out of the sea, dead, making 5 pronged imprints in the concrete, the fish dying almost as a collective. We learn of the residents reaction to the sea giving up it's dead, and the lengths they will go to to make sure the evidence remains hidden.
The stories swiftly turned sour when the octopuses began coming up the beach. Just at night, at first: evening dog-walkers talked of finding them mired in sand right up at the tideline, mantles expanding and contracting, blue blood leaking from their beaks. Then, two were found on the lifeboat slipway in broad daylight, heaving themselves towards the boat shack like old women walking into the wind. One lively specimen made it all the way to the Spar in the clutch of shops set back from the harbour wall. It had backed itself into a gap between the fridges, flashing through colour changes as if it were trying to pass on a message in code.
This story is a very brief 3 pages long and the shortest story in the collection I think, but for me it is the one that had the biggest impact on me. I love anything relating to the sea, be that myth or folklore or strange happenings and this story packs such a punch for such a short story. I have read it several times since.
This leads me neatly on to the next story which still haunts me:
The Wetshod Child, which tells the story of Lewis, a fisherman who stumbles upon a strange turn of events down at the shoreline one evening when going to moor up his boat during a storm. What he finds down there amongst the rocks, changes his and his wife Sal's lives for all too brief a time, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion. Again this story is steeped in sea based myth and folklore and put me firmly in mind of the story The Pied Piper which appears in the short story collection Some New Ambush by Carys Davies which I recently read and loved.
Not all of the stories in the collection have a magical realism/folklore edge. Some are firmly based in reality, in the here and now of the real world, which lets face it can be more heartbreaking and horrifying and downright odd at times!
Collecting Her Thoughts On The Prison Steps tells of a woman who has a habit of collecting things, glass bottles, thimbles, men.....when one of the men makes her collect something she really doesn't want, she finds herself having to accept the dire consequences. This story really tugged at my heartstrings and left me feeling a bit choked, told through the eyes and observations of her close friend, this story really got under my skin for some reason.
In Show Me What You're Made Of Di's partner Michael with his catchphrase of 'show me what you're made of' becomes somewhat involved in getting to the heart of the matter. Destroying objects and insects just to 'see what they are made of'. But what is he working on alone in his workshop, and does he want to see just what Di is made of?
As I've mentioned, I could sit and talk about each of these stories but I do believe it's important just to get a flavour of a collection and go and discover it for yourself.
What I loved about it, aside from Chloe Turner's captivating writing style is the fact that there is a mixture of stories with magical realism, folklore and fairytale in with contemporary stories rooted in reality. This meant that you never quite knew what to expect going into a story. You are kept on your toes as a reader.
Add to this the fact that there is also a lovely blend of stories which have open endings, where you have to make your own assumptions and read between the lines and stories which are neatly tied up with satisfying conclusions. Quite often a short story collection will contain either one or the other, and don't get me wrong, I do like both types of ending. I like to push my imagination boundaries and think about a possible conclusion for a story, and also try to discern what the author meant to portray as their ending. But I also enjoy the neat, boxed off roundedness (if that is indeed a word!) of a fully concluded story.
I don't know if I've articulated that very well but I hope you know what I'm driving at!
There are some memorable characters who appear briefly but capture your heart. The nuanced relationships, most of which are not perfect, are fascinating. Some of the stories almost feel like modern day cautionary tales about how not to go about relationships!
I adored this collection and know that it will take pride of place on my bookshelf. I am extremely excited to read more of Chloe Turner's work.
Thank you as always to the publisher for my review copy.
When I saw Witches Sail In Eggshells by Chloe Turner mentioned on Twitter by Chloe herself I was intrigued by the title and did a little bit of googling.....
Did you know that if you don't smash up your empty eggshells after you have used the egg, witches will steal the shells, use them as boats to sail across the seas casting spells and causing untold damage?.....
Seems legit!
The point is I LOVE superstition and folklore like this and I got a really good vibe about the collection just from this awesome title. This vibe cranked up a notch when I investigated further and found that there was a sample story from the collection on the Reflex Press website. A story called Hagstone which I urge you to read here.
This story had just the right amount of magical realism and folklore for me and I had the excited tingly feeling when you know a book is going to be right up your street!
The guys at Reflex very generously said I could have a gifted copy to review and the rest as they say, is history.
I feel I like I was constantly wanging on about this collection on Twitter and Instagram so most of you will already know my thoughts and feelings, but for the rest of you, strap in and brace yourselves whilst I try and assemble my thoughts.
I find reviewing short story collections somewhat of a challenge but I'll try my utmost to convey my thoughts coherently and do this amazing book justice!
There are 17 stories in this collection each ranging from around 3 pages to around 10 pages. The overarching themes are of 'love, loss, the little ways we let each other down, and how we can find each other again'.
I don't like to talk about each individual story in a collection as I think it's very important for a reader to discover for themselves. I do however like to pick out stories that particularly resonated with me and ones that have stuck in my mind. Although having said that, I flicked through the collection after reading it and knew immediately, just by the title alone, what each of the stories were about. This is not always the case after I finish a collection. I can sometimes forget what a particular story was all about and have to read bits to remind myself. I have also been known to confuse stories with other collections by different authors!
The stories which stand out in my mind (and still give me the tingles now!) are:
A Raft Of Silver Corpses, which tells the story of a coastal town where strange things are happening to the sea life. Starting with the octopuses being found inland, the star fish literally being thrown out of the sea, dead, making 5 pronged imprints in the concrete, the fish dying almost as a collective. We learn of the residents reaction to the sea giving up it's dead, and the lengths they will go to to make sure the evidence remains hidden.
The stories swiftly turned sour when the octopuses began coming up the beach. Just at night, at first: evening dog-walkers talked of finding them mired in sand right up at the tideline, mantles expanding and contracting, blue blood leaking from their beaks. Then, two were found on the lifeboat slipway in broad daylight, heaving themselves towards the boat shack like old women walking into the wind. One lively specimen made it all the way to the Spar in the clutch of shops set back from the harbour wall. It had backed itself into a gap between the fridges, flashing through colour changes as if it were trying to pass on a message in code.
This story is a very brief 3 pages long and the shortest story in the collection I think, but for me it is the one that had the biggest impact on me. I love anything relating to the sea, be that myth or folklore or strange happenings and this story packs such a punch for such a short story. I have read it several times since.
This leads me neatly on to the next story which still haunts me:
The Wetshod Child, which tells the story of Lewis, a fisherman who stumbles upon a strange turn of events down at the shoreline one evening when going to moor up his boat during a storm. What he finds down there amongst the rocks, changes his and his wife Sal's lives for all too brief a time, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion. Again this story is steeped in sea based myth and folklore and put me firmly in mind of the story The Pied Piper which appears in the short story collection Some New Ambush by Carys Davies which I recently read and loved.
Not all of the stories in the collection have a magical realism/folklore edge. Some are firmly based in reality, in the here and now of the real world, which lets face it can be more heartbreaking and horrifying and downright odd at times!
Collecting Her Thoughts On The Prison Steps tells of a woman who has a habit of collecting things, glass bottles, thimbles, men.....when one of the men makes her collect something she really doesn't want, she finds herself having to accept the dire consequences. This story really tugged at my heartstrings and left me feeling a bit choked, told through the eyes and observations of her close friend, this story really got under my skin for some reason.
In Show Me What You're Made Of Di's partner Michael with his catchphrase of 'show me what you're made of' becomes somewhat involved in getting to the heart of the matter. Destroying objects and insects just to 'see what they are made of'. But what is he working on alone in his workshop, and does he want to see just what Di is made of?
As I've mentioned, I could sit and talk about each of these stories but I do believe it's important just to get a flavour of a collection and go and discover it for yourself.
What I loved about it, aside from Chloe Turner's captivating writing style is the fact that there is a mixture of stories with magical realism, folklore and fairytale in with contemporary stories rooted in reality. This meant that you never quite knew what to expect going into a story. You are kept on your toes as a reader.
Add to this the fact that there is also a lovely blend of stories which have open endings, where you have to make your own assumptions and read between the lines and stories which are neatly tied up with satisfying conclusions. Quite often a short story collection will contain either one or the other, and don't get me wrong, I do like both types of ending. I like to push my imagination boundaries and think about a possible conclusion for a story, and also try to discern what the author meant to portray as their ending. But I also enjoy the neat, boxed off roundedness (if that is indeed a word!) of a fully concluded story.
I don't know if I've articulated that very well but I hope you know what I'm driving at!
There are some memorable characters who appear briefly but capture your heart. The nuanced relationships, most of which are not perfect, are fascinating. Some of the stories almost feel like modern day cautionary tales about how not to go about relationships!
I adored this collection and know that it will take pride of place on my bookshelf. I am extremely excited to read more of Chloe Turner's work.
Thank you as always to the publisher for my review copy.
August 8, 2019
Witches Sail In Eggshells, by Chloe Turner, is a collection of seventeen short stories, several of which have won awards. This does not surprise me. The prose is taut and often exquisite. Each story carries unassuming weight and depth. I have been taking my time over each tale as I wished to savour the experience. Writing this consistently good is rare.
The topics explored are pleasingly varied. The protagonists vary in age, situation and orientation. Background to characters and their actions are offered in just a few carefully constructed phrases. Although many of the tales cover just a few pages their plot and development will linger.
The collection has a strong opener in Hagstone which explores what would happen if we got what we wished for. There is an understated dark magic at play. If this isn’t your sort of thing be assured that it does not detract from the ordinary lives depicted that most will recognise and empathise with.
Next up we have Piñata, set around a child’s eighth birthday party. She is an entitled little princess whose mother is struggling to keep up with the wealthier school gate mummies – knowing she is failing. The father cannot see beyond his own needs and insecurities as he faces tries to avoid impending approaching middle-age.
“A passing child hears the profanity, giggles. Lou winces as the two men congratulate each other with back slaps and a half hug. At least the three wise women won’t have heard; they’re too busy casing the room. Divided for better coverage, they’re poking manicured fingernails, taking in the Primark prints and Stu’s vast telly, and the six-inch plastic flamingo dancer he brought her back from Marbella that time, which Lou’s forgotten to hide.”
Inches Apart introduces a couple whose marriage is under strain. Set in a hotel during winter season the imagery is evocative and perfectly reflects the faltering relationship.
Labour of Love tells of the progression of a pregnancy alongside the care of a fruit and vegetable garden. The sadness and hope of the prospective mother is reflected in a crop that is struggling to thrive.
While the Mynah Bird Watched is set in a doctor’s surgery, in a country where resources are scarce. Decisions must be taken about who to help, made more difficult in a small community where histories are shared. There is potential for revenge.
Other tales explore: toxic relationships escalating into violence; the effect of marital breakdown on the women affected when their children become friends; a working mother who harbours a dislike for her children’s nanny told from the younger woman’s point of view; the balance between love, irritation and thwarted dreams in long married couples; the power wielded by an intoxicating partner and the limits of friendship when damage is wreaked.
The House With Three Stories That Might Be Five features a young woman on the run having escaped a cult. The loneliness and almost regret ramp up with the unexpected denouement.
A Raft of Silver Corpses is a devastating yet all too believable reaction to man’s deliberate blindness to the damage caused by his unthinking behaviour.
Lobster Scissors looks at the unspoken pact of family secrets over many years and how these can leak when dementia hits.
The Wetshod Child is written in vernacular, not a style I usually enjoy but in this case works well, the sadness palpable.
The economy of words and quiet power of each story are impressive. Each is also thoroughly enjoyable to read. This is storytelling at its best. Highly recommended.
The topics explored are pleasingly varied. The protagonists vary in age, situation and orientation. Background to characters and their actions are offered in just a few carefully constructed phrases. Although many of the tales cover just a few pages their plot and development will linger.
The collection has a strong opener in Hagstone which explores what would happen if we got what we wished for. There is an understated dark magic at play. If this isn’t your sort of thing be assured that it does not detract from the ordinary lives depicted that most will recognise and empathise with.
Next up we have Piñata, set around a child’s eighth birthday party. She is an entitled little princess whose mother is struggling to keep up with the wealthier school gate mummies – knowing she is failing. The father cannot see beyond his own needs and insecurities as he faces tries to avoid impending approaching middle-age.
“A passing child hears the profanity, giggles. Lou winces as the two men congratulate each other with back slaps and a half hug. At least the three wise women won’t have heard; they’re too busy casing the room. Divided for better coverage, they’re poking manicured fingernails, taking in the Primark prints and Stu’s vast telly, and the six-inch plastic flamingo dancer he brought her back from Marbella that time, which Lou’s forgotten to hide.”
Inches Apart introduces a couple whose marriage is under strain. Set in a hotel during winter season the imagery is evocative and perfectly reflects the faltering relationship.
Labour of Love tells of the progression of a pregnancy alongside the care of a fruit and vegetable garden. The sadness and hope of the prospective mother is reflected in a crop that is struggling to thrive.
While the Mynah Bird Watched is set in a doctor’s surgery, in a country where resources are scarce. Decisions must be taken about who to help, made more difficult in a small community where histories are shared. There is potential for revenge.
Other tales explore: toxic relationships escalating into violence; the effect of marital breakdown on the women affected when their children become friends; a working mother who harbours a dislike for her children’s nanny told from the younger woman’s point of view; the balance between love, irritation and thwarted dreams in long married couples; the power wielded by an intoxicating partner and the limits of friendship when damage is wreaked.
The House With Three Stories That Might Be Five features a young woman on the run having escaped a cult. The loneliness and almost regret ramp up with the unexpected denouement.
A Raft of Silver Corpses is a devastating yet all too believable reaction to man’s deliberate blindness to the damage caused by his unthinking behaviour.
Lobster Scissors looks at the unspoken pact of family secrets over many years and how these can leak when dementia hits.
The Wetshod Child is written in vernacular, not a style I usually enjoy but in this case works well, the sadness palpable.
The economy of words and quiet power of each story are impressive. Each is also thoroughly enjoyable to read. This is storytelling at its best. Highly recommended.
November 25, 2019
I loved every story in this collection, each one becoming my favourite as I read. The characters are memorable and intriguing, the themes varied along with the changing settings. No story is like another. Chloe Turner's prose is sublime and it felt as if every word was a carefully chosen thread stitching the narratives together to create a final tapestry of delicate beauty.
I particularly enjoyed Hagstone, Waiting for the runners, The Human Bird and Witches sail in eggshells, but found each story a different reading experience.
This is a bewitching collection of stories from a very talented writer.
I particularly enjoyed Hagstone, Waiting for the runners, The Human Bird and Witches sail in eggshells, but found each story a different reading experience.
This is a bewitching collection of stories from a very talented writer.
September 2, 2019
Sometimes you read a book and everything just strikes you. The writing, the plot, characters. All perfect. This happened to me while I was reading Chloe Turner’s short story collection, Witches in Eggshells.
As you can guess that this will be a glowing review but I can’t help it. This is sheer perfection in every way. The writing style is delicate yes can be rough, tumbly and funny. The plots veer between depictions of relationships to the weird and fantastical. Here are a couple of examples of Chloe Turner’s range:
My personal favourite story was Pinata: a tale about social class struggles via a spoiled child’s 8th birthday party. It’s humorous, captures upper class parents perfectly and has an ending that will make the reader grin. Due to Turner’s way of writing this story can also be interpreted as how adults are also bigger versions of children.
There are other stories detailing the fragility of relationships. Breaking the Glass Blowers Heart does this fantastically, mixing the metaphor of glass with forbidden love is a genius stroke and so deftly pulled off.
However when it comes to witchcraft and being creepy, Turner excels. Be it the title story about a girl having relations with a witch (at least that’s what I think she is) or hordes of sea-life (A Raft of Silver Corpses) dying on a beach or an infant with a peculiar affinity with the sea (The Wetshod Child). Lobster Scissors reminded me of the stories the grandmother would tell her grandson in Roald Dahl’s The Witches and the opening tale, Hagstone gave me gooseflesh.
What makes these stories special besides the writing style is that there’s a lot of complex layers. On the surface things may seem weird but there are usually underlying thoughts ( or am I over interpreting??) All 17 tales here are winners. Something that is rare in story collections.
What else can I say? do check out this collection. It’s been a while since I’ve read short stories which affected me so much. Never have I laughed, shivered and gawped so much. With Witches Sail in Eggshells Chloe Turner has made me look at short stories in a different way. Hopefully when you read this collection you will too!
Many thanks to Reflex Press for providing a requested copy of Witches Sail in Eggshells in exchange for an honest review.
As you can guess that this will be a glowing review but I can’t help it. This is sheer perfection in every way. The writing style is delicate yes can be rough, tumbly and funny. The plots veer between depictions of relationships to the weird and fantastical. Here are a couple of examples of Chloe Turner’s range:
My personal favourite story was Pinata: a tale about social class struggles via a spoiled child’s 8th birthday party. It’s humorous, captures upper class parents perfectly and has an ending that will make the reader grin. Due to Turner’s way of writing this story can also be interpreted as how adults are also bigger versions of children.
There are other stories detailing the fragility of relationships. Breaking the Glass Blowers Heart does this fantastically, mixing the metaphor of glass with forbidden love is a genius stroke and so deftly pulled off.
However when it comes to witchcraft and being creepy, Turner excels. Be it the title story about a girl having relations with a witch (at least that’s what I think she is) or hordes of sea-life (A Raft of Silver Corpses) dying on a beach or an infant with a peculiar affinity with the sea (The Wetshod Child). Lobster Scissors reminded me of the stories the grandmother would tell her grandson in Roald Dahl’s The Witches and the opening tale, Hagstone gave me gooseflesh.
What makes these stories special besides the writing style is that there’s a lot of complex layers. On the surface things may seem weird but there are usually underlying thoughts ( or am I over interpreting??) All 17 tales here are winners. Something that is rare in story collections.
What else can I say? do check out this collection. It’s been a while since I’ve read short stories which affected me so much. Never have I laughed, shivered and gawped so much. With Witches Sail in Eggshells Chloe Turner has made me look at short stories in a different way. Hopefully when you read this collection you will too!
Many thanks to Reflex Press for providing a requested copy of Witches Sail in Eggshells in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2020
This is a wonderful collection of flash fiction. Turner writes about love and loss, of smashed dreams, the ways we hurt each other and make up. Some stories are heart-breaking but Turner often pokes gentle fun at her characters. There are slightly surreal moments too. In 'Waiting for the Runners' a rotting pumpkin head seems to laugh at the main character and in 'Pinata' a girl draws a penis on the armrest of a sofa, 'Penis and scrotal sack, in black marker pen, disquieting against the crinkled cream leather.' In other stories, such as 'The Wetshod Child' Turner delves deep in to mythology. Highly recommended.
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April 26, 2020"Expertly observed, Chloe Turner's debut collection reads between the lines of life and explores how we love and lose, then find ourselves and others again. From a hilarious yet uncomfortable child’s birthday party, to the meeting of two women who have loved the same man, to the horror of environmental catastrophe, all stories are told with a melancholic humour that packs a powerful punch..."
Read Jacci Gooding's full review at: https://theshortstory.co.uk/short-sto...
Read Jacci Gooding's full review at: https://theshortstory.co.uk/short-sto...
July 8, 2021
This was a great collection of stories. The general quality of them increased as it went on. Some have a touch of magic realism, others just have a weird atmosphere, and some are more naturalistic. There’s a thread of human strength running through the collection, and of deep needs and standing up to the selfish cruel people. That said, the settings, characters and story arcs were very different, which kept the collection as a whole interesting.
January 3, 2023
I enjoyed every single one of these stories. I read this first when it came out and have picked it up again as part of an effort to read more short stories this year. Each story is its own complete world, and the realism and dark themes remind me of Ruth Rendell (which is not faint praise as I love her books!). I would love to read a novel by this author.
January 18, 2021
Not much to say about this one. It was an interesting collection of well written short stories with intriguing concepts. Some contemporary, some with a magical twist, but all about human emotion.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
December 31, 2020
'Witches Sail in Eggshells' (Reflex Press, 2019) by Chloe Turner is a highly enjoyable collection of short stories.
December 22, 2021
A wonderful collection with a beguiling title. Be careful what you do with your eggshells after you finish your egg. An atmospheric cover by the artist Laura Pashby entices the reader into a labyrinth of tales by a master story teller. They are reminiscent of Chekhov in their economy and off-beat wisdom. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
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