Cormorant

When a young family inherits a cottage in north Wales, they are to care for a cormorant until the end of its life, but the bird's malevolent intelligence and intent towards violence threaten their dreams of rural contentment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 02 April 2021
Publisher: Parthian Books

When a young family inherits a remote mountain-side cottage in north Wales, they are given the chance to change the course of their lives and start over. The one condition of the will seems strange but harmless: they are to care for a cormorant until the end of its life. However, the bird is no tame pet, and within its natural state of wildness, there is a malevolent intelligence and intent towards sharp, unexpected violence. Despite this, it is the fascination it holds for Harry, the couple's precious only child, that truly threatens their dreams of rural contentment.

A Somerset Maugham Award Winner when it was first published, The Cormorant continues to exert its considerable power. The story follows Harry, a young boy who becomes fascinated with the cormorant and spends his days observing it from a nearby lake. As he gets closer to the bird, he begins to notice strange behavior that he can't explain. The cormorant seems to have a dark and mysterious power over him, and he becomes increasingly obsessed with it.

As the weeks pass, Harry's behavior becomes more and more erratic. He becomes withdrawn from his family and friends, and spends all his time studying the cormorant. He even begins to neglect his schoolwork and his health, as he is consumed by his fascination with the bird.

One day, Harry's parents notice that he has gone missing. They search for him in the surrounding area, but are unable to find him. They eventually contact the police, who begin to investigate.

As the police begin to unravel the mystery of Harry's disappearance, they discover that he had been killed by the cormorant. The bird had been stalking him for weeks, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. It had attacked him in the lake, and had drowned him in the water.

Harry's parents are devastated by their son's death. They are unable to understand why the cormorant would have done such a thing, and they are left with a sense of horror and disbelief.

The story of The Cormorant is a powerful and chilling tale of obsession and violence. It is a reminder of the dangers of getting too close to the natural world, and of the malevolent forces that can be found within it. It is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

Weight: 166g
Dimension: 127 x 202 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912681693