Over the past few years, the British Library has been doing sterling work with its excellent Women Writers series, reissuing lesser-known novels by female authors from the 20 th century for modern-day readers to enjoy. Sometimes these types of collections can be a little uneven, with a few mediocre stories lurking between the gems.
In this instance, however, thirteen of the fourteen featured stories are excellent; only one of the tales, November Fair by Kate Roberts, feels somewhat superfluous and less polished than the rest. Overall then, this is a marvellous collection of winter-themed stories, full of snowy days, chilly nights and the evocative atmosphere these conditions tend to evoke.
MacDonald and Frances Bellerby, this delightful anthology showcases tales in a range of styles β from humorous sketches to poignant encounters and partings to spine-tingling ghost stories to haunt your dreams. Inevitably, different stories will resonate with different readers depending on their tastes, but there really does appear to be something for everyone here! If one party falls out of love, they may ask to be released from the bond. But when Clement becomes attracted to another woman β the young, attractive Una, whom he meets when giving a talk β Julia is devastated and shocked.
Now that it was over, she sickened to find herself alive. She looked about her, trying to recover her hold on reality. Her identity seemed to be slipping from her, as it disappears in a physical swoon.
Her room? Her house? She could almost hear the walls laugh back at her. As this brilliantly observed story unfolds, Julia comes to a crushing realisation. Now she knows just how her first husband must have felt when she left him for Clementβ¦.
