The Curse of the Cole Women: A Novel

Three generations of Cole women contend with a curse placed on their ancestor in this gothic novel involving magic, queer love, and mother-daughter relationships. The Cole women are bound by a curse: each generation births a daughter, loses her love, and takes her own life by entering the sea. For centuries, they have lived as outcasts, maintaining a lighthouse on Juniper Island off the coast of New Hampshire. After their ancestor was accused of witchcraft and cast into the sea hundreds of years ago, islanders have distrusted and shunned the Coles, fearing their rumored magic and their control of the lighthouse. Despite this mistreatment, the Cole women remain on the island out of necessity: if a Cole woman does not light the beacon, anyone at sea will drown. Bound by guilt and obligation, they live in isolation, knowing their protection of others will ultimately cost them their lives in the sea. Told across three interwoven timelines in the late twentieth century, the novel follows three women as they navigate their relationships with each other while confronting their fates. The story explores whether the Cole women are truly cursed or driven by generational madness, examining themes of misogyny, community, and the struggle against destiny.