A farmer marries a city girl and the two start a family in the country. But the marriage isn’t a happy one and the wife hides a secret concerning their daughter. When the farmer does something unforgivable, the wife will have her revenge.
The Forester’s Daughter is a really good short story. Having read her two novels now, I’m fairly convinced Claire Keegan doesn’t write anything less than smashing stories, beautifully told.
The tale is built up slowly but expertly, showing us the family beginnings with Victor and Martha’s courtship, over the years as the children grow up, and the family develops to include a dog called Judge.
There’s a heartbreaking twist near the end and a powerful finale, both in what Martha does and what happens at the very end too. I’ve noticed Keegan is especially skilled at endings which are one of the hardest aspects of storytelling to get right, which is impressive.
The only criticisms I have are down to my personal preferences. The story leaves a bitter aftertaste so, while engrossing, I can’t say I loved it. And I don’t like using dogs, or any animals really, in a narrative - I find it unsettling and a bit manipulative overall.
Otherwise, The Forester’s Daughter is wonderfully written and a compelling and original portrait of an unhappy marriage and a troubled family. I’m learning that anything with Claire Keegan’s name on it is worth reading and The Forester’s Daughter is no exception.
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