Raven Pond

Shelby Lyn Colburn, University of New Hampshire, Durham

Abstract

Something disturbing is up with the lake…something to do with men…and women thrive here. But at what price?

Araminta and Andrew are partners trying to settle in a lake house that Andrew recently inherited from his dead mother on Raven Pond. Araminta learns Andrew has never been to the abandoned dwelling, due to his mother’s rocky relationship with her own matriarch. Araminta wonders: what are the secrets lurking in the black waters that caused the rift between Andrew’s maternal line? As Araminta tries to understand the intricacies and mysteries of Andrew’s family, she must also face the eccentric—and off-putting—all women neighbors; who lurk in the shadows and watch the couple’s every movement. Will Araminta uncover the dark truth of Raven Pond? Or will she become a part of the legacy that takes hold over the inhabitants and their loved ones?

This thesis covers themes of body horror, trauma, fat-phobia, LGBTQIA+ relationships, women’s bodies, paranoia, sexual assault, and harassment.