Molly Storm

Title: Molly Storm

Series: None (published as part of the Golden Braids collection)

Year: 2019

Author: Annie Louise Twitchell

Summary: A witch, a pirate, a lighthouse, and... seaweed? Molly Storm is a short story inspired by the tale of Rapunzel. 

“You and I, lass, we’re both sides of the same coin. We’re both the heart of the ocean, but you’re more the kindness and goodness. I’m the storms that crush ships. Don’t cross me, Molly. I’ll crush all the sweetness out of you.”

Review: What if Rapunzel lived in a lighthouse? This short story explores the favorite fairytale with some nautical twists and mystical turns. And all from the perspective of the witch, Gothel -- or in this case, Molly Storm.

Molly's content to live alone in her lighthouse, mixing potions as needed, but an annoying visitor at her door forces her to make a life-altering choice. The Pirate King wants a special potion, something that has power unlike Molly's ever seen before. But its effects may last longer and darker than she's bargained for.

This short story reads very quickly, easily consumed in a single sitting; it's well-paced and stuffed with just enough intrigue to keep you turning pages. At first, I was a little concerned at how the Rapunzel elements would fit in, given that the beginning of the story is so different from the original fairytale. HOWEVER, the answers soon became clear, and I was very impressed by how roped I got into Gothel's/Molly's tale. The true element explored here is WHY Molly took that child.

This is a very sweet retelling, focusing on the power of love. Not so much a romantic love, but pure love between people and the power that love has to change for the better. The style reads as a fairytale, so this would almost seem like the perfect tale to read aloud.

Advisory: Some violence. The Pirate King doesn't like to be crossed, and one character suffers physically from his wrath. However, nothing is graphic, and all is handled very well.

Also, since Molly is a witch, she creates potions and spells through her big cauldron. While I was a little bothered by the fact that she's a witch (just because that's really not my thing), her craft is almost portrayed as a talent; she makes her potions through herbs and lots of mixing, not necessarily through another power source. Given the very fairytale-esque setting of the story, I'd say it wasn't too big of a deal.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars