Following on from my last post, about an entertaining pair of slim volumes in the Faber Stories series, today on the Ramblings I’ll be considering a trio of offerings from some very different women authors. Two are names I’ve read before; one is a writer I’m very keen to explore further; all are very thought-provoking!
The Lydia Steptoe Stories by Djuna Barnes
Barnes is a celebrated modernist author, best known for her novel “Nightwood”. I own several of her works, and read at least that one back in the day; but frankly I can recall nothing about it, so I was interested in reacquainting myself with her writing. The three stories in this book were the only oneswritten by Barnes under the pseudonym of Lydia Steptoe, and they appeared in a variety of publications. This is the first time they’ve been published together, and so kudos to Faber for gathering them up for us; their titles are “The Diary of a Dangerous Child”, “The Diary of a Small Boy” and “Madame Grows Older: A Journal at the Dangerous Age”.
Each story features a character wrestling with burgeoning sexuality of one type or another, and there are undercurrents in each story. Whether a fourteen year old girl planning to become a virago, a young boy being tempted by his father’s mistress or an older woman falling in love and wondering whether she can be bothered with it, each of these tales subverts expectations and wrong-foots the reader. I found them wonderfully entertaining, vaguely reminiscent of Leonora Carrington although slightly less melancholy – I may have to dig out my Barnes books…
Fairy Tales by Marianne Moore
When I was up in London for a day out just over a year ago (sob…) I picked up a collection of Marianne Moore’s poetry in the wonderful Judd Books. She’s another one of those poets I’ve wanted to explore for ages, and the collection was reasonably priced and irresistible. This, however, is prose; and not new stories as such, but retelling of the fairy tales popularised by Charles Perrault. So we meet, in the originals, “Puss in Boots”, “Sleeping Beauty” and “Cinderella”; and of course these are very different from the sanitised modern cartoon versions.
Puss is a wiley moggy, lying and tricking his way to status and gaining his master a princess and a castle. The princess in “Sleeping Beauty” is not actually awakened by a kiss, and is married to the prince in secret – a prince who has family skeletons of his own. And Cinderella goes to the ball more than once before losing her slipper! Moore provides an introduction explaining her love of fairy tales, and this was an unexpected and enjoyable distraction.
Ghostly Stories by Celia Fremlin
Celia Fremlin is an author I first read pre-blog, when I picked up a copy of her Virago title “The Hours Before Dawn”. It’s a stunning thriller which takes place in an ordinary domestic setting, with the protagonist struggling with exhaustion from bringing up children and trying to work out if her suspicions about a lodger are correct. It’s one of those books you don’t forget, and a short story of hers which featured in a recent British Library Crime Classics anthology was just as effective. So I had high hopes of this collection of two spooky stories – and I wasn’t disappointed. The titles are “The Hated House” and “The New House”, and each takes a different slant on the complex mother-daughter dynamic. In the first, a teenager revels in being left on her own for once, as her overbearing and quarrelsome parents go away for a visit. In the second, the narrator, guardian of her sister’s child, is concerned for her neice’s safety as she prepares to marry and settle down in her own home. Neither story has the outcome you might expect.
Fremlin was an exceptional author; she captures the sense of creeping dread you can have when on your own, or when you have unspecific fears, quite brilliantly. In the first story she really gets inside the head of her teenage protagonist; and she’s brilliant at the unreliable narrator. I made sure I read these in daylight because they’re most unsettling…
I’ve seen Fremlin compared to Highsmith and Jackson; and the blurb on this little Faber describes her as long-neglected. If she is (and I know a number of fellow bloggers rate her highly), she really shouldn’t be. If you want a taste of her writing, this is a good way to get it; and I think I really will have to track down more of her works.
*****
So my three female Faber Stories reads were just as good as the two male reads; truly, these are lovely little books and a great selection of authors – at least in the ones I’ve read. There *are* still a number of others which were issued (I recall seeing them in Waterstones in those Times Before when we could go out book shopping….) Time for a little online exploring… ;D
Jun 27, 2020 @ 07:48:05
It will be good to be able to go book browsing again- and to visit the library
Jun 27, 2020 @ 12:31:33
Won’t it just…. I really miss both, though I’m still nervous about going out again!
Jun 27, 2020 @ 08:29:59
The Fremlin really appeals, I have to say. It takes real skill to convey that sense of creeping dread effectively, but Fremlin seems to have it in spades.
Jun 27, 2020 @ 12:30:37
From what I’ve read, she’s very impressive and I do think you’d like her, Jacqui. This is a good taster, and I do recommend The Hour Before Dawn, as you know!
Jun 27, 2020 @ 17:33:21
I think I have Nightwood by Barnes in the 746, must double check.
Jun 27, 2020 @ 18:30:12
Oh, excellent! I know I’ve read it but I wish I could remember anything about it…. ;D
Jun 27, 2020 @ 18:48:24
Another fabulous selection. I am very attracted to the Barnes stories, who I have never read. However, the Celia Fremlin is certainly calling to me having read and thoroughly enjoyed The Hours Before Dawn earlier this month.
Jun 27, 2020 @ 19:04:58
Fremlin *is* a standout – her stories are so unnerving. I’d like to read more Barnes, it’s a long time since I rear her novels and I enjoyed these short tales a lot.
Jun 27, 2020 @ 23:49:15
These all sound so good! Might have to look on Blackwells as I don’t think we have them in canada.
Jun 28, 2020 @ 19:57:43
They’re ideal for when you need to read something but just don’t have the time for a long commitment. I’m a great fan of something small you can pick up and read in one sitting. I hope you can track them down!
Jun 28, 2020 @ 14:14:50
Wonderful, wonderful review and of course I am going after Celia Fremlin
Jun 28, 2020 @ 19:56:54
Thank you! I do recommend Fremlin – I want to read more of her myself!
Jun 28, 2020 @ 15:20:25
I’ve not read any of these writers but you make them all sound tempting. I’ve resisted these Faber stories so far but it looks like I’ll have to get some after all!
Jun 28, 2020 @ 19:56:04
They’re great fun Grant, and ideal tasters if the authors are new to you. I don’t think I would gel with all of the Faber Stories authors, but I’ve loved the ones I’ve read so far.
Jun 28, 2020 @ 19:08:24
No creeping dread for me, thank you, but the Barnes stories sound wonderful.
Jun 28, 2020 @ 19:54:27
LOL! The Barnes are great fun. And the creeping dread is all suggested, but very effective!
Jun 29, 2020 @ 18:09:33
The Barnes especially sound good and another set of books I have to go and have a look at!
Jun 29, 2020 @ 20:11:25
It’s grand, and so is the Celia Fremlin – she’s an excellent author. Do check out the Fabers – they’re great fun!
Jul 06, 2020 @ 19:38:59
The danger and delight of this kind of volume is how dramatically only a few pages can impact your TBR. (Reading Project #xxxx)
Jul 06, 2020 @ 20:10:11
Yup… You end up with another list of of potential authors to explore which can have a catastrophic effect on the stacks…!