The Magpie Chronicles

Sherry
Gloag
Genre: 
Other

SHORT STORIES:  A clever collection of short stories based on the English “Magpie Rhyme”, “The Magpie Chronicles” gives each line of the poem a different story based on the number of magpies the characters see. The poem reads, “One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, seven for a secret, never to be told. Eight for a wish, nine for a kiss; ten for a surprise you should not miss. Eleven for health, twelve for wealth, and thirteen beware of the devil himself.”

Whether the reader recognizes the poem or not, they will find that this easy read has a surprising interpretation of each line. Since each short story is tied to each line, some are happy and some are sad as good or bad luck befalls the characters in the stories. The stories themselves vary between contemporary, fantasy, and horror, giving the reader a variety of tales to choose from and enjoy. The only downside is that the stories are over rather quickly and don’t lend themselves to further stories or much depth due to their length. Overall “The Magpie Chronicles” is a great read for a relaxing afternoon or for frequent bus rides.

Sarah E. Bradley