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Crystal
A young Irishman, the only son of six children, is steered by his mother into the seminary and then the priesthood, only to discover that he has made the wrong choice in life. Sent to a parish in England, he makes a decision which has consequences as momentous as his initial mistake. A poignant story of how yielding to impulse can be as devastating as leaving things alone…
- GenresFictionShort Stories
20 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 19, 2012
About the author
Susan Hill
182 books2,293 followersSusan Hill was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1942. Her hometown was later referred to in her novel A Change for the Better (1969) and some short stories especially "Cockles and Mussels".
She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr's Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King's College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a "schoolgirl".
Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I'm the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.
In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author by this name.
She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr's Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King's College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a "schoolgirl".
Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I'm the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.
In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author by this name.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 11, 2018
This is a short story I fitted in today and I’m so glad I did.
I’m not a huge lover of short stories. I mean, how can you get everything in!
This book however has changed this. It takes real talent to combine all this so neatly in a little parcel, present it to the readers and make an impact.
This really does.
I’ll look at her other books too.
February 14, 2021
This is a short-story which has spoken and touch my heart..
Love, devotion, and forgiveness!!
How our decisions forms our destiny..
Although a short-story, it encompasses a vast variety of human emotions..
A young man and his devotion, faith and obedience..
But most of all its about knowing yourself and the courage to face life..
A wonderful short story by Susan Hill!!
Dean;)
Love, devotion, and forgiveness!!
How our decisions forms our destiny..
Although a short-story, it encompasses a vast variety of human emotions..
A young man and his devotion, faith and obedience..
But most of all its about knowing yourself and the courage to face life..
A wonderful short story by Susan Hill!!
Dean;)
August 11, 2018
A moving and engaging short story where I was reminded that despite the fact that for women opportunities and equality were historically much more restricted than for men, strict conventions and traditions could also stifle the latter's lives significantly.
July 12, 2021
A story about a young Irish man, the only boy of six children. Since he has been young , his mum has always mapped out that he will become a Priest when he is older. As he gets older he doesn't feel the same. Should he carry on following his mum's dream or do what he really wants to do? A short story. Ok but not great
January 6, 2015
The mark of a short story to me is it grabs your attention and maintains your interest throughout. Sadly, although the acrual writing is superb the actual story didn't fully engage me.
John is the boy his religious parents had longed for after have five daughters. He is deemed special and set aside for God; it is expected that he would be given back to the Church and follow a vocation as a Catholic priest.
John wonders if this is God's will; it certainly is driven by his Mother's reflected pride - loved the line about floating above the ground to describe her joy and pride in her son.
The story is in the boys desire to please his family and serve his God.
It reflects well on him and perhaps speaks to our devotion to control others, especially our children and questions our own motives in the choices we make. A good read but not a memorable story.
John is the boy his religious parents had longed for after have five daughters. He is deemed special and set aside for God; it is expected that he would be given back to the Church and follow a vocation as a Catholic priest.
John wonders if this is God's will; it certainly is driven by his Mother's reflected pride - loved the line about floating above the ground to describe her joy and pride in her son.
The story is in the boys desire to please his family and serve his God.
It reflects well on him and perhaps speaks to our devotion to control others, especially our children and questions our own motives in the choices we make. A good read but not a memorable story.
March 2, 2013
Susan Hill is one of my favorite authors and she is a master, in my opinion, of the craft of writing. This story, about an Irish family, all daughter and one son destined for the priesthood. Every word, nuance and action taken by these characters made for a very tight and fulfilling narrative.
July 6, 2020
From birth the purpose of his life had been mapped out for him and the way known and it did not occur to him to question anything. He might kick at the wall that stood in front of him, but he never questioned what he was meant to do.
This is another short story released as an Kindle Single by Amazon.
It tells of the Irish Catholic childhood of John, his departure to Seminary school to become a priest, and his placement in a grey and lifeless town in England. It is a dark and sad story of questioning your destiny and faith. I enjoyed this one.
This is another short story released as an Kindle Single by Amazon.
It tells of the Irish Catholic childhood of John, his departure to Seminary school to become a priest, and his placement in a grey and lifeless town in England. It is a dark and sad story of questioning your destiny and faith. I enjoyed this one.
June 18, 2022
Not up to her usual standard.
October 2, 2023
A young priest, an old nasty priest, a crystal collection and a hammer. End of vocation.
February 21, 2017
Uneasy
The storyline was good but a bit uneasy how it ended. Why could he not have moved to another town and stayed a priest
The storyline was good but a bit uneasy how it ended. Why could he not have moved to another town and stayed a priest
April 5, 2013
Some of the Kindle Singles are too short, but this is a reasonable length - about 33 Kindle pages - and Susan Hill has constructed a perfect evocation of an Irish Catholic childhood and the pressures on a young man to enter the priesthood. It isn’t a cheerful story, and left me rather sad - but it is undoubtedly true to real life. In these days when we are all questioning the necessity of celibacy for priests, and the results of insisting on their sacrifice of any personal sexual life, the story has a very contemporary theme.
August 12, 2013
John is pushed into training for the priesthood by his family with very mixed results. This is a short story and a quick read though it does make the reader stop and think. How far should we fulfil our parent’s desires for us? How far is it acceptable to give way to impulse?
I was a little disappointed by this story though I generally find Susan Hill’s writing interesting and worthwhile. I think there were too many issues raised in the story which is very short and it doesn’t quite work and the characters don’t quite come alive.
I was a little disappointed by this story though I generally find Susan Hill’s writing interesting and worthwhile. I think there were too many issues raised in the story which is very short and it doesn’t quite work and the characters don’t quite come alive.
October 22, 2014
So, it turns out that priests are human too. What a shocker.
Shrug. 0/3 on the Susan Hill stories I've borrowed through Kindle Unlimited so far. I don't know if it's because she just is a better writer at the novel/novella length, or if the fact that these originally being Kindle Singles means she didn't have the same editorial support she gets on her longer novellas. Whichever the case, I think I'll avoid her shorter fiction for awhile.
Shrug. 0/3 on the Susan Hill stories I've borrowed through Kindle Unlimited so far. I don't know if it's because she just is a better writer at the novel/novella length, or if the fact that these originally being Kindle Singles means she didn't have the same editorial support she gets on her longer novellas. Whichever the case, I think I'll avoid her shorter fiction for awhile.
January 15, 2013
it was ok. the first of Susan Hill's I've read
April 2, 2013
I enjoyed getting to know the people of Crystal - I did not realize it was a short story so was disappointed that it ended so soon. I would like a chance to know what happend to John later in life.
October 22, 2013
Interesting. Seemed to be more of a beginning for something much more developed.
January 10, 2014
Love Susan Hill. This is a really quirky novella about the priesthood and parental expectations. Shocking!
May 3, 2017
So clever to fit so much emotion into a short story! Just wished it had been longer - I wanted to know what happened next!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews