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The Squaw
"The Squaw" was first published in book form in 1914 in Stoker's third collection of short stories Dracula's Guest And Other Weird Stories. In 1973 it appeared in The Bram Stoker Bedside Companion edited by Charles Osborne, in 1990 it appeared in Midnight Tales edited by Peter Haining and in 1997 it appeared in Best Ghost and Horror Stories edited by Richard Dalby, Stefan Dziemianowicz and S. T. Joshi.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1893
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About the author
Bram Stoker
2,589 books5,854 followersIrish-born Abraham Stoker, known as Bram, of Britain wrote the gothic horror novel
Dracula
(1897).
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
The feminist Charlotte Mathilda Blake Thornely Stoker at 15 Marino crescent, then as now called "the crescent," in Fairview, a coastal suburb of Dublin, Ireland, bore this third of seven children. The parents, members of church of Ireland, attended the parish church of Saint John the Baptist, located on Seafield road west in Clontarf with their baptized children.
Stoker, an invalid, started school at the age of seven years in 1854, when he made a complete and astounding recovery. Of this time, Stoker wrote, "I was naturally thoughtful, and the leisure of long illness gave opportunity for many thoughts which were fruitful according to their kind in later years."
After his recovery, he, a normal young man, even excelled as a university athlete at Trinity college, Dublin form 1864 to 1870 and graduated with honors in mathematics. He served as auditor of the college historical society and as president of the university philosophical society with his first paper on "Sensationalism in Fiction and Society."
In 1876, while employed as a civil servant in Dublin, Stoker wrote a non-fiction book (The Duties of Clerks of Petty Sessions in Ireland, published 1879) and theatre reviews for The Dublin Mail, a newspaper partly owned by fellow horror writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu. His interest in theatre led to a lifelong friendship with the English actor Henry Irving. He also wrote stories, and in 1872 "The Crystal Cup" was published by the London Society, followed by "The Chain of Destiny" in four parts in The Shamrock.
In 1878 Stoker married Florence Balcombe, a celebrated beauty whose former suitor was Oscar Wilde. The couple moved to London, where Stoker became business manager (at first as acting-manager) of Irving's Lyceum Theatre, a post he held for 27 years. The collaboration with Irving was very important for Stoker and through him he became involved in London's high society, where he met, among other notables, James McNeil Whistler, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In the course of Irving's tours, Stoker got the chance to travel around the world.
The Stokers had one son, Irving Noel, who was born on December 31, 1879.
People cremated the body of Bram Stoker and placed his ashes placed in a display urn at Golders green crematorium. After death of Irving Noel Stoker in 1961, people added his ashes to that urn. Despite the original plan to keep ashes of his parents together, after death, people scattered ashes of Florence Stoker at the gardens of rest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
October 10, 2017
This is an odd story. It is cruel and unjust and the only good character, a mother cat avenging the death of her kitten, dies in the end.
*** SPOILER ***
Three essentially worthless people meet in Germany, a honeymooning couple and an American cowboy. "My wife and I being in the second week of our honeymoon, naturally wanted someone else to join our party..." Now there's a strange statement if you think about it. However, the woman is fairly useless and uninteresting throughout the story so maybe there's something in it after all. Apparently she was all right in the sack, but as far as carrying on an intelligent conversation she was sorely lacking. They meet up with an American, an annoying gasbag who never shuts up. The American, displaying a combination of stupidity and callousness, kills a kitten that is playing with its mother. Stoker does a good job here as the mother cat's grief is effectively expressed. The American pretends regret but soon laughs it off. The narrator though observes the mother cat and notes: "I shall never forget the sight, for she looked the perfect incarnation of hate." Well, duh! Some stupid SOB just killed her child. How else is she supposed to react? Meanwhile, the overriding attitude of the honeymoon couple is not so much sympathy for the poor kitten but regret that the weak overly-sensitive wife had to witness such a thing. After all, what's one less cat anyway? So Stupid American visits a torture museum and lays himself down in an Iron Maiden. Mama Cat interferes and Stupid American gets what's coming to him. Only then we get this baffling bit of business: "...sitting on the head of the poor American was the cat, purring loudly as she licked the blood which trickled through the gashed socket of his eyes. I think no one will call me cruel because I seized one of the old executioner's swords and shore her in two as she sat." What the hell? Are you serious? I'd have given Mama Cat a medal for offing the bastard. Clearly Stoker is not a cat lover. HP Lovecraft would have heaped praises on the creature.
*** END OF SPOILER ***
I'm not a huge Bram Stoker fan. I read DRACULA and found it tediously boring, JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS which I thought was confusing, and LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM which left me scratching my head. All his novels are overly long and drawn out with little action. For me his short fiction is much better. He shows an amazingly modern voice without the usual Victorian mannerisms. This story is also fairly gory, not over-the-top like modern horror, but effective enough to make you queasy. It's not something you'd want to read while eating a plate of spaghetti. There's also the economy with which it is told. Steven King would have stretched this out to 900 pages; Stoker pulls it off in 12.
I give it 5 stars. I liked everything except the final sentence. If Stoker would have omitted it he'd have achieved his own version of "Cats of Ulthar." As it is, he left us with a flawed gem.
*** SPOILER ***
Three essentially worthless people meet in Germany, a honeymooning couple and an American cowboy. "My wife and I being in the second week of our honeymoon, naturally wanted someone else to join our party..." Now there's a strange statement if you think about it. However, the woman is fairly useless and uninteresting throughout the story so maybe there's something in it after all. Apparently she was all right in the sack, but as far as carrying on an intelligent conversation she was sorely lacking. They meet up with an American, an annoying gasbag who never shuts up. The American, displaying a combination of stupidity and callousness, kills a kitten that is playing with its mother. Stoker does a good job here as the mother cat's grief is effectively expressed. The American pretends regret but soon laughs it off. The narrator though observes the mother cat and notes: "I shall never forget the sight, for she looked the perfect incarnation of hate." Well, duh! Some stupid SOB just killed her child. How else is she supposed to react? Meanwhile, the overriding attitude of the honeymoon couple is not so much sympathy for the poor kitten but regret that the weak overly-sensitive wife had to witness such a thing. After all, what's one less cat anyway? So Stupid American visits a torture museum and lays himself down in an Iron Maiden. Mama Cat interferes and Stupid American gets what's coming to him. Only then we get this baffling bit of business: "...sitting on the head of the poor American was the cat, purring loudly as she licked the blood which trickled through the gashed socket of his eyes. I think no one will call me cruel because I seized one of the old executioner's swords and shore her in two as she sat." What the hell? Are you serious? I'd have given Mama Cat a medal for offing the bastard. Clearly Stoker is not a cat lover. HP Lovecraft would have heaped praises on the creature.
*** END OF SPOILER ***
I'm not a huge Bram Stoker fan. I read DRACULA and found it tediously boring, JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS which I thought was confusing, and LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM which left me scratching my head. All his novels are overly long and drawn out with little action. For me his short fiction is much better. He shows an amazingly modern voice without the usual Victorian mannerisms. This story is also fairly gory, not over-the-top like modern horror, but effective enough to make you queasy. It's not something you'd want to read while eating a plate of spaghetti. There's also the economy with which it is told. Steven King would have stretched this out to 900 pages; Stoker pulls it off in 12.
I give it 5 stars. I liked everything except the final sentence. If Stoker would have omitted it he'd have achieved his own version of "Cats of Ulthar." As it is, he left us with a flawed gem.
February 24, 2024
বিড়াল নিয়ে সম্ভবত অধিকাংশ লেখকদের মধ্যে এক ধরণের ফ্যান্টাসি কাজ করে। এই যেমন ধরুন পরিচিত লেখকদের মধ্যে এডগার অ্যালান পোর 'দ্য ব্লাক ক্যাট', এইচ পি লাভক্রাফটের 'দ্যা ক্যাট অব উলথার'। আর্থার কনান ডোয়েল ও 'দ্য ব্লাক ক্যাট' লিখছে তবে সেটা তো ছিল প্যানথার। সে যাকগে, মূল কথা হলো এতো সব লেখা বিড়াল নিয়ে যে পড়লাম তার মধ্যে ব্রাম স্টোকারের এইটাই আমার কাছে শ্রেষ্ঠ ও অনন্য। ভয়াল রসের দুর্দান্ত একটা রিভেঞ্জ থ্রিলারের স্বাদ পাবেন। সবচেয়ে দারুণ ব্যাপারটা হচ্ছে, লেখক এমন ভাবে গল্পের আবহ তৈরী করেছেন তাতে আপনার মধ্যেও একসময় নৃশংসতা সকংক্রমিত হতে বাধ্য।
গল্পটি সুলেখক অভিজ্ঞান গাঙ্গুলির অনুবাদে ' ব্রাম স্টোকার - ভয় সমগ্র' থেকে পড়েছি। অনুবাদটা দারুণ ঝরঝরে।
গল্পটি সুলেখক অভিজ্ঞান গাঙ্গুলির অনুবাদে ' ব্রাম স্টোকার - ভয় সমগ্র' থেকে পড়েছি। অনুবাদটা দারুণ ঝরঝরে।
December 19, 2014
(1893) Sometimes evil comes wrapped up in a jolly package.
A honeymooning couple, travelling through Europe, make the acquaintance of a vacationing American, straight from the Wild West (and it's rather hilarious to read the British stereotypes of such a character). The American seems genial and amusing, and they gladly accompany him to Nuernberg, where they visit the torture museum. (Which is still there - although the iron maiden that the story references is now on display in Rothenburg ob de Tauber.)
When the American kills a kitten through a combination of foolishness and callousness, the events that transpire weirdly echo and reflect a story he told the honeymooners about something that happened among the Native American tribes - a story that the reader feels has had some of the worst - and most damning - details removed.
Mothers are legendarily fierce in the protection of their children - or in taking vengeance for them - and this tale makes full use of that.
A honeymooning couple, travelling through Europe, make the acquaintance of a vacationing American, straight from the Wild West (and it's rather hilarious to read the British stereotypes of such a character). The American seems genial and amusing, and they gladly accompany him to Nuernberg, where they visit the torture museum. (Which is still there - although the iron maiden that the story references is now on display in Rothenburg ob de Tauber.)
When the American kills a kitten through a combination of foolishness and callousness, the events that transpire weirdly echo and reflect a story he told the honeymooners about something that happened among the Native American tribes - a story that the reader feels has had some of the worst - and most damning - details removed.
Mothers are legendarily fierce in the protection of their children - or in taking vengeance for them - and this tale makes full use of that.
September 23, 2018
RESEÑA EN EL BLOG: https://bookstwins.wordpress.com/2018...
Que sufrimiento.
Creo que nunca había leído un libro tan intenso en cuanto a un animal 😱
Elias, a mi parecer, es todo lo contrario a lo que él decía ser.
Tenía maldad en su interior, no sé si lo sabía o de verdad el se creía bondadoso
Que sufrimiento.
Creo que nunca había leído un libro tan intenso en cuanto a un animal 😱
Elias, a mi parecer, es todo lo contrario a lo que él decía ser.
Tenía maldad en su interior, no sé si lo sabía o de verdad el se creía bondadoso
April 10, 2019
3.5 ”Don’t hurt the kitten” stars !
An avenging black cat. Yeah, you heard me right. Stoker really surprised me. Not the writing itself, but the ideas/stories he creates. I can’t figure out if I find them completely unjust or strangely justified.
It was an odd story, but kinda satisfying to read.
It’s called karma.
Or revenge.
Or just some fucked up shit.
Read:10/04/2019
1st rating: 3.5 stars
Genre/sub genre: Horror/short stories/classic
Cover: 1 stars
POV: Single -1st person
Will I recommend: Yes
An avenging black cat. Yeah, you heard me right. Stoker really surprised me. Not the writing itself, but the ideas/stories he creates. I can’t figure out if I find them completely unjust or strangely justified.
It was an odd story, but kinda satisfying to read.
It’s called karma.
Or revenge.
Or just some fucked up shit.
Read:10/04/2019
1st rating: 3.5 stars
Genre/sub genre: Horror/short stories/classic
Cover: 1 stars
POV: Single -1st person
Will I recommend: Yes
October 19, 2017
it's a well written short tale but please DON'T read it if you like cats :(
September 18, 2023
Entertainig fantasy listening 🎧
I istented to this as part of a nine short story of Bram Stoker stories. Each of the stories was different with interesting well developed characters lots of action and misdirection leading to each conclusion. The nine short stories was a surprise but enjoyable listening which I would highly recommend to readers of fantasy, horror, and mystery stories. 2023 😎👻☠❤✨
Entertaining horror listening 🎧
I listened to this as part of Cliassic Horror Tales - 500+ stories box set. The story is very interesting and a very quick read. I would recommend to readers of horror novels. 2023
1 lik
I istented to this as part of a nine short story of Bram Stoker stories. Each of the stories was different with interesting well developed characters lots of action and misdirection leading to each conclusion. The nine short stories was a surprise but enjoyable listening which I would highly recommend to readers of fantasy, horror, and mystery stories. 2023 😎👻☠❤✨
Entertaining horror listening 🎧
I listened to this as part of Cliassic Horror Tales - 500+ stories box set. The story is very interesting and a very quick read. I would recommend to readers of horror novels. 2023
1 lik
February 3, 2014
Having listened to this as a radio play and read The Lair of the White Worm also by Bram Stoker I can't help but think he disliked animals. The cat was certainly not deserving of her final fate after exacting a just and deserved revenge. As for the worm -- its only sin was in being incredibly old (and smelly, a result of being so old). It also did not deserve its fate.
It is the people in Bram Stoker's stories who are the real villains.
I feel that if I were to re-read Dracula I would most definitely side with the "creature".
It is the people in Bram Stoker's stories who are the real villains.
I feel that if I were to re-read Dracula I would most definitely side with the "creature".
January 16, 2021
Još jedna Stokerova priča nadahnuta Poom - ovoga puta o crnoj mački koja se, po svaku cenu, mamerila da osveti smrt mačeta koje je skirvio nesmotrenui američki pustolov. Banalna priča, uz par jeftinih šokova. Funkcionalna, mada daleko od esencijalne.
September 16, 2024
I would have given a five if the cats did not die. Poor kitties.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2021
Einen Stern abgezogen wegen Tierquälerei, ansonsten eine recht handlungs- und inhaltsarme Kurzgeschichte.
January 10, 2018
Not my cup of tea at all. Don’t get me wrong, I passed over the little gruesome scenes quite well, but Damn, Elias P. was a big pain in the ass with its ego, even for a short story of only thirteen pages. I was going back and forth with this rating, “Three or four?”, I was repeating myself, ‘till I realised that comparing this to “The Judge’s House”, also by Bram Stoker, “The Judge’s House” is far more better.
November 18, 2020
The Squaw is considered one of Stoker's best short stories in which he affirms that cruelty to animals has truly gruesome consequences. I have found that the review by Natalie Gorna hits the bullseye with the following conclusion: "In fact, the reason that The Squaw is so perplexing and depressing is because Stoker has no protagonists, only gory climaxes and chilling contemplation on the idea of innocence. He makes the reader feel sorry for the cats, and then he turns the story around by forcing the reader to decide whether the character 'got what was coming to him,' when from another angle the whole incident is more or less a stupid accident. The torture room with the iron maiden is a particularly violent moment in the story, the final stage of retribution exacted by either destiny or natural circumstances that makes The Squaw one of the most unforgettable horror stories ever written." https://literaturepurgatory.wordpress...
I couldn't have said it better myself.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
October 17, 2019
31 Classic Horror Stories Every Fan Should Read in October: A Literary Advent Calender for Halloween: Day 14:
https://www.oldstyletales.com/single-...
https://www.oldstyletales.com/single-...
November 14, 2025
Well, at least the brave mother cat got the job done. The humans in the story are hateful.
May 27, 2025
Would have been much higher if the cat did not die. Bonus point for the kitten killer dying, however the characters just so blatantly being okay with animal cruelty... is just not okay, regardless of when the story was written
December 8, 2022
4 stars. A story of vengeance regarding a reckless American traveller. This short story contains many racist remarks and slurs, specifically towards native American/indigenous peoples and it was definitely hard to read for this reason. The ending was more enjoyable than I'd anticipated for this reason too.
September 18, 2022
Another great short story from the master! Very atmospheric and dark. Half way through the story I knew exactly where it was going but it was good and filled me with anticipation. The first part of the story with the kitten was oddly dark and made me feel quite sad and desolate. This was a 3.5 but rounded up. Some of the written accent was hard to read but not too tough. Another solid story from the man.
October 5, 2013
My review of "The Squaw" can be found here:
http://hachisnaxreads.blogspot.com/20...
http://hachisnaxreads.blogspot.com/20...
October 24, 2017
Thankfully this was a really short one. Sorry Bram, not your finest work.
November 22, 2018
Wow! A revengeful cat! That's... wow!
January 9, 2020
This is a short story; just 12 pages.
Wow. Holy moly. I saw the ending coming but it still managed to shake me. Very dark, very good writing.
P.S. I laughed at “Noo York”.
Wow. Holy moly. I saw the ending coming but it still managed to shake me. Very dark, very good writing.
P.S. I laughed at “Noo York”.
October 27, 2020
Oh Bram, this was just crap! I'm sure you could have done better.
June 29, 2022
That was kinda fucked up.
March 16, 2023
Stoker should have stopped with Frankenstein. This particular story is not even just ok. It is (for me) dull and predictable.
June 30, 2023
Good story of vengeance and buildup but the ending ruined it
August 19, 2018
After rereading this story a couple years after my first encounter in the NYRB collection “Shadows of Carcosa”, I came away significantly less impressed–and not because I knew what was coming.
It’s definitely not a bad story. It’s highly memorable, the prose is impeccable in that way that only 19th/early 20th century prose can be, and is quick to the point (a fair number of the stories in the above mentioned collection were the direct opposite of that–Algernon Blackwood, anyone?) It is also unique (to my knowledge and experience) in the almost modern way in which fairly extreme violence is described. Stoker does not shy away from the gorey details, to his credit.
Thus, it has the makings of a very good short genre tale (no surprise given who the author is) but it was spoiled for me this time around by a few glaring flaws that either I’d forgotten were present, or that I was willing to forgive for some reason.
First, there is the highly stereotypical American character who figures centrally in the tale. His dialogue is almost unbearable. Virtually all of it is written in apostrophe, slang, cliché ridden dialect. I for one am very happy that this practice has mostly died away in modern times, and is usually frowned upon when used. And for good reason–it’s painful and cringe-inducing to read, not to mention it casts a bad light on the author, their creation’s believability, and the audience’s ability to sympathize with them. Perhaps that was the intention–to convince readers that the American’s fate was deserved. If so, it still reads as if Stoker acquired his knowledge of American speech patterns solely from cheap, poorly written contemporary “westerns” he happened to find. Audiences in his day may have bought it, but it reads as a comically unconvincing caricature these days.
Moving on, there is the equally stereotypical and retro depiction of a female character–the narrator’s wife. About all she does in this story is gasp with fear/horror, cry some variation of “Oh my, that is terrible!”, and faint. Primarily, she faints, and has to be lugged around and deposited on nearby benches by the narrator. Once again, this was par for the course back in the day, but it grates on the nerves in 2018.
The biggest issue is the overall feeling of contrivance that defines the plot. I will try my best to avoid spoilers in describing this. Simply put, the setup is too obvious and lacks believability. The first event that sets the ball in motion seemed to me a highly questionable thing for a man, especially one described as being “kind to animals”, proven through a variety of unnamed small acts, to do. Positively stupid, in fact. Doing what he did would only make sense if his intention were to hurt or kill animals. Then there is what he does at the climax of the story–that is the definition of stupidity. There was no reason for him to do what he did, in the manner he did, other than to satisfy the fictional demands created by the author’s essentially absurd plot. I will end this section by stating that, though I do adore cats and have two of my own, I have not for one second in my life credited them with the kind of intelligence and cunning Stoker does in this story.
On that note, I will wrap things up with this: if you are a cat lover like me, a lover of animals in general, or simply someone who detests needless acts of cruelty, I predict you will be outraged or at least pissed off at Stoker for the final sentence he uses to end the story. Actually, because of this awful closing sentence alone, my rating has dropped from 3 stars to 2.5 stars (if only Goodreads allowed for ratings with increments of .5)
It’s definitely not a bad story. It’s highly memorable, the prose is impeccable in that way that only 19th/early 20th century prose can be, and is quick to the point (a fair number of the stories in the above mentioned collection were the direct opposite of that–Algernon Blackwood, anyone?) It is also unique (to my knowledge and experience) in the almost modern way in which fairly extreme violence is described. Stoker does not shy away from the gorey details, to his credit.
Thus, it has the makings of a very good short genre tale (no surprise given who the author is) but it was spoiled for me this time around by a few glaring flaws that either I’d forgotten were present, or that I was willing to forgive for some reason.
First, there is the highly stereotypical American character who figures centrally in the tale. His dialogue is almost unbearable. Virtually all of it is written in apostrophe, slang, cliché ridden dialect. I for one am very happy that this practice has mostly died away in modern times, and is usually frowned upon when used. And for good reason–it’s painful and cringe-inducing to read, not to mention it casts a bad light on the author, their creation’s believability, and the audience’s ability to sympathize with them. Perhaps that was the intention–to convince readers that the American’s fate was deserved. If so, it still reads as if Stoker acquired his knowledge of American speech patterns solely from cheap, poorly written contemporary “westerns” he happened to find. Audiences in his day may have bought it, but it reads as a comically unconvincing caricature these days.
Moving on, there is the equally stereotypical and retro depiction of a female character–the narrator’s wife. About all she does in this story is gasp with fear/horror, cry some variation of “Oh my, that is terrible!”, and faint. Primarily, she faints, and has to be lugged around and deposited on nearby benches by the narrator. Once again, this was par for the course back in the day, but it grates on the nerves in 2018.
The biggest issue is the overall feeling of contrivance that defines the plot. I will try my best to avoid spoilers in describing this. Simply put, the setup is too obvious and lacks believability. The first event that sets the ball in motion seemed to me a highly questionable thing for a man, especially one described as being “kind to animals”, proven through a variety of unnamed small acts, to do. Positively stupid, in fact. Doing what he did would only make sense if his intention were to hurt or kill animals. Then there is what he does at the climax of the story–that is the definition of stupidity. There was no reason for him to do what he did, in the manner he did, other than to satisfy the fictional demands created by the author’s essentially absurd plot. I will end this section by stating that, though I do adore cats and have two of my own, I have not for one second in my life credited them with the kind of intelligence and cunning Stoker does in this story.
On that note, I will wrap things up with this: if you are a cat lover like me, a lover of animals in general, or simply someone who detests needless acts of cruelty, I predict you will be outraged or at least pissed off at Stoker for the final sentence he uses to end the story. Actually, because of this awful closing sentence alone, my rating has dropped from 3 stars to 2.5 stars (if only Goodreads allowed for ratings with increments of .5)
November 5, 2020
This is week two of the Bram Stoker read-along on The Bookish Report. The Squaw was first published in 1893 in the British magazine Holly Leaves the Christmas Number of The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News.
The first two things I should mention with this short story are trigger warnings. The title of the story is, in fact, a racial slur. It refers to the Native American community. The second of the warnings relate to animal cruelty. There are some graphic descriptions of a dead kitten and animal behaviour towards their dead young.
Synopsis
The story is narrated in the first person by a man who remains unnamed. He and his wife go to Nuremberg on their honeymoon. They have met an American man called Elias and visit the torture tower at the Nuremberg Castle. He says his wife has advised her friends to take someone along on their honeymoons because it makes you appreciate the time you get alone. Sounds like code for wife swapping to me.
The three of them are walking to the castle when they see a cat playing with a kitten. After an incident with the kitten, they make their way to the torture tower and look around all the implements of torture. There is only so much I can say without paraphrasing the entire story - it's only 8 pages.
The Setting
The setting in this story was a mix between a nice summer holiday and a gothic story. It is written in a dark way. On page one we're introduced to the torture tower and the 'horrors of cruelty' which took place there. Imagine that as a destination for your honeymoon. Some of you would like that. I think it'd be cool lol.
The gothic tone starts to come through when they get to the torture and they have to have the door open to let enough light in. Then there's all the torture chairs and spikey things.
Stoker also builds a sense of dread in the narrator's wife, Amelia. There's the incident with the cat that kicks things off. Then they're at the tower looking at the torture devices. Then she accidentally sits on a torture chair with a spike that damages her dress. Then there's this coffin type thing with spikes on the lid which sees her off (she faints). I liked that in a short amount of page time, we were able to see her get progressively worse.
He also built up dread leading up to the ending. It was really predictable, but the anticipation of it was really enjoyable.
Use of Language
I wanted to touch on some of the language used which I thought was clever. The way Elias's dialogue is written tells me he has a southern accent, which means the spelling of some words was altered to reflect the accent.
So they're walking along to the castle and something happens. A cat is jumping up the wall at them from a bit of a drop below and Elias wants to drop a stone for the cat to play with. Here are a few quotes from Elias. "I'll drop it fur away." "Wall, I guess that air the savagest beast I ever see."
This seems like it is simply written to reflect a southern accent. I think it might also be doubling up as the character using language associatively. When he says "I'll drop it fur away," he means he'll drop it further away so it doesn't hit the cat. But he could also be referring to the cat's fur. And when he says "Wall, I guess that air the savagest beast I ever see," he means 'Well, I guess that is the savagest beast I ever see.' But given the spelling, and the scene we're reading, I think he could also be referring to the 'wall' the cat is jumping up at, and the 'air' it is getting.
That was my 4-star review of The Squaw. In week 3 of the Bram Stoker read-along, I'll be covering The Shadow Builder.
The first two things I should mention with this short story are trigger warnings. The title of the story is, in fact, a racial slur. It refers to the Native American community. The second of the warnings relate to animal cruelty. There are some graphic descriptions of a dead kitten and animal behaviour towards their dead young.
Synopsis
The story is narrated in the first person by a man who remains unnamed. He and his wife go to Nuremberg on their honeymoon. They have met an American man called Elias and visit the torture tower at the Nuremberg Castle. He says his wife has advised her friends to take someone along on their honeymoons because it makes you appreciate the time you get alone. Sounds like code for wife swapping to me.
The three of them are walking to the castle when they see a cat playing with a kitten. After an incident with the kitten, they make their way to the torture tower and look around all the implements of torture. There is only so much I can say without paraphrasing the entire story - it's only 8 pages.
The Setting
The setting in this story was a mix between a nice summer holiday and a gothic story. It is written in a dark way. On page one we're introduced to the torture tower and the 'horrors of cruelty' which took place there. Imagine that as a destination for your honeymoon. Some of you would like that. I think it'd be cool lol.
The gothic tone starts to come through when they get to the torture and they have to have the door open to let enough light in. Then there's all the torture chairs and spikey things.
Stoker also builds a sense of dread in the narrator's wife, Amelia. There's the incident with the cat that kicks things off. Then they're at the tower looking at the torture devices. Then she accidentally sits on a torture chair with a spike that damages her dress. Then there's this coffin type thing with spikes on the lid which sees her off (she faints). I liked that in a short amount of page time, we were able to see her get progressively worse.
He also built up dread leading up to the ending. It was really predictable, but the anticipation of it was really enjoyable.
Use of Language
I wanted to touch on some of the language used which I thought was clever. The way Elias's dialogue is written tells me he has a southern accent, which means the spelling of some words was altered to reflect the accent.
So they're walking along to the castle and something happens. A cat is jumping up the wall at them from a bit of a drop below and Elias wants to drop a stone for the cat to play with. Here are a few quotes from Elias. "I'll drop it fur away." "Wall, I guess that air the savagest beast I ever see."
This seems like it is simply written to reflect a southern accent. I think it might also be doubling up as the character using language associatively. When he says "I'll drop it fur away," he means he'll drop it further away so it doesn't hit the cat. But he could also be referring to the cat's fur. And when he says "Wall, I guess that air the savagest beast I ever see," he means 'Well, I guess that is the savagest beast I ever see.' But given the spelling, and the scene we're reading, I think he could also be referring to the 'wall' the cat is jumping up at, and the 'air' it is getting.
That was my 4-star review of The Squaw. In week 3 of the Bram Stoker read-along, I'll be covering The Shadow Builder.
July 23, 2021
Commonly, we people of the Earth often repeat phrases from long ago--sometimes marring them, sometimes not. "Curiosity Killed the Cat" is one of those phrases, and, if it has little application to this story, than we might also say that it is interesting to think that the adage has been reversed by Stoker: the cat has now killed curiosity.
Still, this quote is almost meaningless to the story, only serving to explain the foolishness of our American fellow-traveler. (This foolishness is used ironically; his idiocy and obstinacy motivate the "pebble" drop and also his trial of the Virgin. Further, one cannot help but notice that his doom and the doom of the kitten both come from a drop. Indeed! The very "squaw" story we hear from the American foreshadows the final events, right down to the "squaw" dying after completing her revenge.)
If I were to state a theme or idea derived from this story, it might be to listen to women--for, throughout the story, Amelia is vindicated of all her thoughts. She warns the American not to drop the pebble, for example, and her fear of the cat once enraged seems a foreshadowing of the conclusion. Her actions seem preternaturally balked, her goals forever lost, for even when she has the power to use her will toward an end which she might have liked--the saving of the American, I mean--she refrains for fear of his violence. (At one point, the American takes out his gun and aims it at the kitten's mother, saying that, if it were bothersome to Amelia, he would kill the mother, too; fearing that he would follow through, Amelia refrains from speaking to him, and, thus, is a contributory force in the man's death--a death which her reaction to seems to suggest was viewed by her in a negative light.)
Another theme might be a sympathy for animals, or a realization of animal brutality similar to that of human brutality--for, we must remember, our friend the American dies in an instrument of torture crafted and used by man. The former idea comes from how absolutely horrible our narrator and the American are (Amelia is left to be the flower in hay). The American is the killer of the kitten, and he doesn't seem too cut up about it; indeed, as we before mentioned, he even venture further slaughter. One cannot sympathize with him as the narrator does, unless we are able to understand that a furtherance of violence after such a horrid accident is of a negative caste (something the story seems to know when we look at the ironical bits... It smacks of the Eumenides)--nevertheless, Stoker seems to portray him as wholly unlikeable throughout.
To bookend this review, we might say that a final theme could be derived from the setting itself, and from the quote I mentioned in the first paragraph (in the sense of its temporality). What does the ancient setting add to the story? The American mentions tactics of torture from Native Americans, and even states that he'd like to show the Natives that "old civilization" has more horrid methods than they, seemingly to put them in their place; in this way, we see a connection of past with present, of present with past. Now, how do we bring this around to the cat and the American's death? One might suggest, I suppose, that the cat--in killing our American--is gaining revenge, doing just as the Medievalists did for sinners (retribution rather than rehabilitation, I mean). We see thus a mingling of the past and present to show the latter part of the first sentence of the paragraph before this: the human savagery shown in the cat toward the man, and by the narrator to the cat!
In any case, this is gratuitous work, and possibly of middling nature.
Still, this quote is almost meaningless to the story, only serving to explain the foolishness of our American fellow-traveler. (This foolishness is used ironically; his idiocy and obstinacy motivate the "pebble" drop and also his trial of the Virgin. Further, one cannot help but notice that his doom and the doom of the kitten both come from a drop. Indeed! The very "squaw" story we hear from the American foreshadows the final events, right down to the "squaw" dying after completing her revenge.)
If I were to state a theme or idea derived from this story, it might be to listen to women--for, throughout the story, Amelia is vindicated of all her thoughts. She warns the American not to drop the pebble, for example, and her fear of the cat once enraged seems a foreshadowing of the conclusion. Her actions seem preternaturally balked, her goals forever lost, for even when she has the power to use her will toward an end which she might have liked--the saving of the American, I mean--she refrains for fear of his violence. (At one point, the American takes out his gun and aims it at the kitten's mother, saying that, if it were bothersome to Amelia, he would kill the mother, too; fearing that he would follow through, Amelia refrains from speaking to him, and, thus, is a contributory force in the man's death--a death which her reaction to seems to suggest was viewed by her in a negative light.)
Another theme might be a sympathy for animals, or a realization of animal brutality similar to that of human brutality--for, we must remember, our friend the American dies in an instrument of torture crafted and used by man. The former idea comes from how absolutely horrible our narrator and the American are (Amelia is left to be the flower in hay). The American is the killer of the kitten, and he doesn't seem too cut up about it; indeed, as we before mentioned, he even venture further slaughter. One cannot sympathize with him as the narrator does, unless we are able to understand that a furtherance of violence after such a horrid accident is of a negative caste (something the story seems to know when we look at the ironical bits... It smacks of the Eumenides)--nevertheless, Stoker seems to portray him as wholly unlikeable throughout.
To bookend this review, we might say that a final theme could be derived from the setting itself, and from the quote I mentioned in the first paragraph (in the sense of its temporality). What does the ancient setting add to the story? The American mentions tactics of torture from Native Americans, and even states that he'd like to show the Natives that "old civilization" has more horrid methods than they, seemingly to put them in their place; in this way, we see a connection of past with present, of present with past. Now, how do we bring this around to the cat and the American's death? One might suggest, I suppose, that the cat--in killing our American--is gaining revenge, doing just as the Medievalists did for sinners (retribution rather than rehabilitation, I mean). We see thus a mingling of the past and present to show the latter part of the first sentence of the paragraph before this: the human savagery shown in the cat toward the man, and by the narrator to the cat!
In any case, this is gratuitous work, and possibly of middling nature.
September 1, 2025
#Binge Reviewing my previous Reads #Horror Short Stories #Anthologies
Bram Stoker’s The Squaw is a compelling short story that highlights his mastery of suspense, exoticism, and the Gothic tradition beyond his most famous work, Dracula. Written during a period when Stoker explored a variety of cultural and supernatural motifs, the tale blends atmospheric tension with themes of otherness, morality, and human vulnerability. Its enduring appeal lies not in overt spectacle but in Stoker’s careful construction of mood, pacing, and psychological tension, allowing readers to feel the unease and uncertainty alongside the characters.
The story’s setting and atmosphere are central to its effectiveness. Stoker places his narrative in locales that are both remote and culturally distinct, immersing the reader in unfamiliar landscapes that heighten the sense of unpredictability. The natural environment—forests, rivers, and isolated settlements—functions almost as a character itself, shaping events and amplifying suspense. Through detailed descriptions and careful attention to the emotional responses of his characters, Stoker creates a tension that is both immediate and lingering, balancing narrative intrigue with psychological realism.
Comparatively, The Squaw aligns with the works of Sheridan Le Fanu, particularly in its slow, creeping buildup of dread. Le Fanu’s tales, such as Green Tea or Carmilla, emphasize atmosphere and psychological tension over overt horror, a technique Stoker employs here as well. Both authors utilize the fear of the unknown and culturally unfamiliar to generate suspense, demonstrating how Gothic horror can emerge from social, environmental, and psychological dimensions rather than supernatural spectacle alone.
The story also resonates with Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic sensibilities, particularly in the focus on human vulnerability and moral complexity. Like Poe’s narratives, The Squaw explores the darker impulses of the human mind, suggesting that danger often resides as much within character flaws and obsession as in external threats. The tension between civilized norms and the perceived ‘other’ adds a layer of cultural and ethical nuance, a hallmark of Stoker’s short fiction beyond his vampire narratives.
Furthermore, the tale anticipates elements of later adventure-horror hybrids, blending suspense, moral tension, and cultural encounter in ways that would influence pulp and early twentieth-century horror literature. Stoker’s skillful integration of environment, psychology, and cultural context makes The Squaw both a compelling narrative in its own right and a fascinating point of comparison with broader Gothic and supernatural traditions.
Ultimately, The Squaw exemplifies Bram Stoker’s versatility as a storyteller. Its strength lies in the careful layering of atmosphere, psychological insight, and suspense, producing a story that remains haunting and thought-provoking. The tale demonstrates how Gothic and supernatural fiction can engage readers through subtlety, intellect, and immersive storytelling rather than overt shock.
Bram Stoker’s The Squaw is a compelling short story that highlights his mastery of suspense, exoticism, and the Gothic tradition beyond his most famous work, Dracula. Written during a period when Stoker explored a variety of cultural and supernatural motifs, the tale blends atmospheric tension with themes of otherness, morality, and human vulnerability. Its enduring appeal lies not in overt spectacle but in Stoker’s careful construction of mood, pacing, and psychological tension, allowing readers to feel the unease and uncertainty alongside the characters.
The story’s setting and atmosphere are central to its effectiveness. Stoker places his narrative in locales that are both remote and culturally distinct, immersing the reader in unfamiliar landscapes that heighten the sense of unpredictability. The natural environment—forests, rivers, and isolated settlements—functions almost as a character itself, shaping events and amplifying suspense. Through detailed descriptions and careful attention to the emotional responses of his characters, Stoker creates a tension that is both immediate and lingering, balancing narrative intrigue with psychological realism.
Comparatively, The Squaw aligns with the works of Sheridan Le Fanu, particularly in its slow, creeping buildup of dread. Le Fanu’s tales, such as Green Tea or Carmilla, emphasize atmosphere and psychological tension over overt horror, a technique Stoker employs here as well. Both authors utilize the fear of the unknown and culturally unfamiliar to generate suspense, demonstrating how Gothic horror can emerge from social, environmental, and psychological dimensions rather than supernatural spectacle alone.
The story also resonates with Edgar Allan Poe’s Gothic sensibilities, particularly in the focus on human vulnerability and moral complexity. Like Poe’s narratives, The Squaw explores the darker impulses of the human mind, suggesting that danger often resides as much within character flaws and obsession as in external threats. The tension between civilized norms and the perceived ‘other’ adds a layer of cultural and ethical nuance, a hallmark of Stoker’s short fiction beyond his vampire narratives.
Furthermore, the tale anticipates elements of later adventure-horror hybrids, blending suspense, moral tension, and cultural encounter in ways that would influence pulp and early twentieth-century horror literature. Stoker’s skillful integration of environment, psychology, and cultural context makes The Squaw both a compelling narrative in its own right and a fascinating point of comparison with broader Gothic and supernatural traditions.
Ultimately, The Squaw exemplifies Bram Stoker’s versatility as a storyteller. Its strength lies in the careful layering of atmosphere, psychological insight, and suspense, producing a story that remains haunting and thought-provoking. The tale demonstrates how Gothic and supernatural fiction can engage readers through subtlety, intellect, and immersive storytelling rather than overt shock.
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