Lolly Willowes
Penguin Modern Classics

This is a book about witches. But when I finally put this book down last night, I mostly just thought about my father. I don’t think it is controversial to say that duty is a bit of an old fashioned word these days. Like honor. It’s one of those words you hear someone say and squirm uncomfortably, li......more

Warner’s prose sparkles and snaps like a gin and tonic in an elegant cut glass tumbler, her humor the slice of lime contributing the essential dash of sharp acidity. Warner proves to be a most devious hostess, however: seemingly invited to a pleasantly amusing afternoon garden party, it is only as t......more

I can see that in 1926 this was a strong proto-feminist whimsical thoroughly English magical realist subversively satanic cri de coeur but for me it was more of a shoulda coulda woulda. This posh family gives up trying to marry off daughter Laura so she stays at home looking after dear widower Daddy......more

It's like Barbara Pym started this story, left it unfinished, and then it was discovered by a manic Satanist who scribbled the rest of it all in one night. I totally enjoyed it, but what a hot mess.......more

Un libro extraño pero encantador y con un alegato feminista final para enmarcar......more