Hemlock and After is by Angus Wilson and it’s about the life of a gay man in post WW2 England. I think it was published in 1952?

Hahahah, okay, that seems like a really fair assessment. I’ll be very interested anyway to hear what you thought of Mask of Apollo. 🙂

I hope you do! It’s a really wonderful book and very underappreciated.

It is not too late Anastasia! You can check it out again and read it and then maybe I won’t be the only person in the whole world who loves it

Of her contemporary novels, I’d recommend her first one, Purposes of Love. Her contemporaries really just aren’t as good. The classical novels are much better, and for those, I’d start with The Mask of Apollo. It’s very friendly and accessible, I think.

Well, this one’s very good! I can enter you for the draw if you wish?

Oh, and the answer to your musing is: Her classical novels are better. I love The Charioteer, but considered as a whole, her classical novels are substantially better than her modern ones.

Done! What is Hemlock and After? I have never heard of it before.

Okay, you’re entered! If you do get to review one of her early books, I’d very much look forward to your review. 😀

But Mumsy, you know sometimes one can start reading a book and not like it, and then you end up liking it ultimately? That could happen! It’s suuuuuch a good book. I used to think I could never be interested in Shirley Jackson’s novels and I was so wrong.