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The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje
“You know your grandfather was the Pannonian Witch, right?”
Stuck making cheap enchantments for her fellow villagers at the edge of the swamp and weekly card games at the local café, Gordana has one final go at changing her fate at the end of her long and miserable life.
“I hope he told you that much.”
The newcomer Monika, a city woman down on her luck, confronted with a threatening inheritance hidden deep in the entangled roots of the old oaks, might be Gordana’s last chance of turning her life around—unless the forest decides against it.
“And I hope he warned you I’m nothing like him.”
At the crossroads of wits and bad choices, nature at its best and at its deadliest, the backdrop of a secluded nature park plays out its own dark role in author Lea Katarina Gobec’s debut eco horror novella The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje.
Enjoy this perilous trip into hidden parts of modern-day Europe with a special double feature! Included in this edition is The Secret of Mrtvi Kal, a short story about the price of artistry, adoration, and annihilation.
Stuck making cheap enchantments for her fellow villagers at the edge of the swamp and weekly card games at the local café, Gordana has one final go at changing her fate at the end of her long and miserable life.
“I hope he told you that much.”
The newcomer Monika, a city woman down on her luck, confronted with a threatening inheritance hidden deep in the entangled roots of the old oaks, might be Gordana’s last chance of turning her life around—unless the forest decides against it.
“And I hope he warned you I’m nothing like him.”
At the crossroads of wits and bad choices, nature at its best and at its deadliest, the backdrop of a secluded nature park plays out its own dark role in author Lea Katarina Gobec’s debut eco horror novella The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje.
Enjoy this perilous trip into hidden parts of modern-day Europe with a special double feature! Included in this edition is The Secret of Mrtvi Kal, a short story about the price of artistry, adoration, and annihilation.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
159 pages, ebook
Published September 16, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 11, 2025
When a book opens with a game of belot, I’m already sold. The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje perfectly captures the spirit of a small town – from the vivid local characters to the magical depictions of the Lonjsko Polje swamp.
This also happens to be my very first ARC, which made the experience even more special.
The magic system is really interesting, especially because among the "witches" we also find men – something I didn’t expect. In surprisingly few pages, the author manages to create characters that feel tangible and real, while the magical realism in a Croatian setting comes across as fresh and convincing.
This story proves that a gripping supernatural plot can absolutely be told within a Croatian setting – with a dose of spite, the inevitable power of nature, and a touch of eeriness.
The book comes bundled with the novelette The Secret of Mrtvi Kal. While the writing is still excellent, I didn’t connect as much with the story of an obsessive fan hiking through a snow-covered mountain. Still, both stories are wonderfully atmospheric and share moments that give you goosebumps.
If you’re looking for a short yet striking horror read for the upcoming autumn evenings and Halloween season, The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje is the perfect choice.
This also happens to be my very first ARC, which made the experience even more special.
The magic system is really interesting, especially because among the "witches" we also find men – something I didn’t expect. In surprisingly few pages, the author manages to create characters that feel tangible and real, while the magical realism in a Croatian setting comes across as fresh and convincing.
This story proves that a gripping supernatural plot can absolutely be told within a Croatian setting – with a dose of spite, the inevitable power of nature, and a touch of eeriness.
The book comes bundled with the novelette The Secret of Mrtvi Kal. While the writing is still excellent, I didn’t connect as much with the story of an obsessive fan hiking through a snow-covered mountain. Still, both stories are wonderfully atmospheric and share moments that give you goosebumps.
If you’re looking for a short yet striking horror read for the upcoming autumn evenings and Halloween season, The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje is the perfect choice.
September 15, 2025
Review to come but wow Lea, just wow. Disgusting, beautifully written, the full horror experience.
February 21, 2026
3.75 - First novella (The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje)
This novella was recommended to me by a friend, I saw it was written by a Croatian female author and knew I had to give it a shot.
The plot itself was very intriguing, the perfect amount of everything to tie itself up in the amount of pages it had. Despite us following Gordana's POV her actions took me by surprise(in a positive way). Still, they made sense to her character and to the patriarchal social structure of the time which had been the reason for her doing what she did.
The way things were described weren't superb, but there were moments where my skin began to crawl(e.g. Monika's transformation). Personally, I didn't enjoy the Croatian words mixed into the English text. It happened a bit too much and more often than not, felt unnecessary.
Also, I personally like looking up places stories take place if they're based on real life and I couldn't find the town mentioned in the novella anywhere. Lonjsko Polje, sure, another town near it too, but Donja Poplavina wasn't anywhere on the map. This is important because, again, personal opinion, I feel it's silly to base your work on real life, a real place in a real country and then make up a town for no real reason. Any smaller village could have been used for the purpose. The name might be a referance for events in the book, but I don't know if it makes me feel any different about my opinion.
All in all, no matter my opinions, I genuinely applaud the author. It takes dedication to publish a book and to make people feel this book made me feel isn't easy.
This novella was recommended to me by a friend, I saw it was written by a Croatian female author and knew I had to give it a shot.
The plot itself was very intriguing, the perfect amount of everything to tie itself up in the amount of pages it had. Despite us following Gordana's POV her actions took me by surprise(in a positive way). Still, they made sense to her character and to the patriarchal social structure of the time which had been the reason for her doing what she did.
The way things were described weren't superb, but there were moments where my skin began to crawl(e.g. Monika's transformation). Personally, I didn't enjoy the Croatian words mixed into the English text. It happened a bit too much and more often than not, felt unnecessary.
Also, I personally like looking up places stories take place if they're based on real life and I couldn't find the town mentioned in the novella anywhere. Lonjsko Polje, sure, another town near it too, but Donja Poplavina wasn't anywhere on the map. This is important because, again, personal opinion, I feel it's silly to base your work on real life, a real place in a real country and then make up a town for no real reason. Any smaller village could have been used for the purpose. The name might be a referance for events in the book, but I don't know if it makes me feel any different about my opinion.
All in all, no matter my opinions, I genuinely applaud the author. It takes dedication to publish a book and to make people feel this book made me feel isn't easy.
August 24, 2025
I wasn't afraid of caterpillars before, but I certainly am now!
There are two novellas here, and I cannot decide which one I liked more! Both of them play with the topics of egoism and greed, the author putting two different characters at the center of each, but making them ultimately the same with their smugness and desire to be the best. Both of these were short, but the author managed to make them well-rounded by giving us just enough of the background information. The atmosphere was eerie, properly witchy, and truly haunting. You're bound to stay in Lonjsko Polje and Mrtvi Kal, even long after finishing this book.
I think you'd like The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje if you liked the VVitch, and I think you'd like The Secret of Mrtvi Kal if you enjoyed The Blair Witch Project. If you haven't seen either of those, I'd recommend these novellas nevertheless! Great storylines with convincing characters, amazing writing style, and disturbing scenes that will give goosebumps even to the biggest horror lovers out there. If you want a taste of the enthralling parts of continental Croatian culture, give this book a shot!
A huge thank you to Shtriga Books and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!
There are two novellas here, and I cannot decide which one I liked more! Both of them play with the topics of egoism and greed, the author putting two different characters at the center of each, but making them ultimately the same with their smugness and desire to be the best. Both of these were short, but the author managed to make them well-rounded by giving us just enough of the background information. The atmosphere was eerie, properly witchy, and truly haunting. You're bound to stay in Lonjsko Polje and Mrtvi Kal, even long after finishing this book.
I think you'd like The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje if you liked the VVitch, and I think you'd like The Secret of Mrtvi Kal if you enjoyed The Blair Witch Project. If you haven't seen either of those, I'd recommend these novellas nevertheless! Great storylines with convincing characters, amazing writing style, and disturbing scenes that will give goosebumps even to the biggest horror lovers out there. If you want a taste of the enthralling parts of continental Croatian culture, give this book a shot!
A huge thank you to Shtriga Books and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!
January 3, 2026
Mrtvi Kal is definitely more of a body horror than eco horror. I prefer The Last Witch personally. I would rate The Witch 4* and Mrtvi Kal 3*.
August 8, 2025
A short but sweetly horrifying (in the best way) novella about the relationship between the human and the forests. In the first story, that relationship is on the spiritual level, and tells about a witch at her attempt to save an ancient forest, while the second story focuses on the protagonist's obsession with an artist
Though I loved both stories, the first one ('The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje) was definitely more in my alley, as it focuses on witchcraft, spirituality, and the human's devotion to nature. It is a quick read, as once you start, you get engulfed by the words and it's hard to put the book down!
Thank you Shtriga for the ARC!
Though I loved both stories, the first one ('The Last Witch of Lonjsko Polje) was definitely more in my alley, as it focuses on witchcraft, spirituality, and the human's devotion to nature. It is a quick read, as once you start, you get engulfed by the words and it's hard to put the book down!
Thank you Shtriga for the ARC!
October 13, 2025
I picked this lovely double feature up for the horror mood so fitting for October - and both works truly are horror. Atmospheric, witchy, deeply disturbing stories with a Croatian backdrop (and inspired by real-life locations I had to google after reading the author's note): this book ticked all the boxes for me!
September 9, 2025
It's a beautifully written horror story. Perfect if you love dark atmosphere, body horror and a well writen antihero.
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December 28, 2025I will refrain from rating. I can't say that I've liked these two stories, but it's more that it was very much outside my comfort zone than the quality of the stories themselves.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews