As I write this, on a Monday evening, I am sitting on my back porch enjoying the last sips of summer—and they taste a lot like fall. It's mid-70s, but the light has a certain golden color, and the air a briskness that I associate with autumn. And the fog this morning was incredible, like driving through a ghost story or a gothic novel. The fall equinox is next week; as the world sinks into autumn, so do my reading habits. This time of year is for stories that are a little strange.
My favorite genre, if forced to choose, is one I refer to as domestic fabulism. If you enjoy Shirley Jackson, you know the kind. It takes domestic scenarios and walks them through a fun-house mirror; the stories are often eerie, a little unnerving, because they hit close to home but they don't sit quite right. Doesn't that sound perfect alongside falling leaves and foggy mornings?
Let me introduce you to Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner. At the ripe age of 28, Laura's declared a spinster by her family; their father has died, so her brother's family takes her in—Aunt Lolly can help care for the children. Years pass. Her world contracts. Until one day, Lolly is struck by the scent of a flower, the smell of "dark, rustling woods." She decides, within moments, to abandon her family, move to these woods, and become a witch.
Apparently, the book was a bestseller in 1926. "And no wonder," writes Alison Lurie in the NYRB edition's introduction, "beneath its disguise as a charming British fantasy about witchcraft, the novel was revolutionary. It was, in fact, a subtle demand for women's right to privacy and independence from their families, for power over their own lives—even if they had to make a pact with Satan to get it."
Yes, like many of my favorite stories, this charming British slice-of-life tale takes a turn for the strange. To me, Sylvia Townsend Warner is the British Shirley Jackson, and Lolly Willowes, her first novel, is a wonderful introduction. It's also the October pick for the Deep Cuts Book Club (Norwich Bookstore's book club focused on short, lesser-known classics). This one is a bit of a stretch in terms of "lesser known" because, I believe, it's Warner's best known, but I don't think she's known, at least not to the extent I'd like her to be.
It's also the first time our book club is reading a book I've already read. I'm excited, and maybe a little nervous, to return to these pages, especially in a book club setting (will she be as I remembered? will my friends like her?) But just flipping through my copy to write this essay has me nearly giddy with anticipation. Warner's writing is sharp, incisive, witty—did I mention her British humor? I think Lolly Willowes may be the perfect first read of fall. It's for those of us who wish we could run barefoot into the wilderness and never look back.
PS If you'd like to join the Deep Cuts Book Club, we meet the third Tuesday of every month and will be discussing Lolly Willowes on October 21st. All are welcome!
Emma Kaas co-owns the Norwich Bookstore with her husband, Sam Kaas. When she’s not at the bookstore, you’ll most likely find her reading books, baking bread, tinkering with spreadsheets, or pulling tarot cards.