I’m back with two of my favourite things – ranking, and needlessness! I have lots of fun with this occasional series of ranking the works of authors I’ve read a fair bit by – and by seeing how much you do or don’t agree. So far I’ve done Michael Cunningham, Elizabeth von Arnim, and Margery Sharp (click the ‘rankings‘ tag up the top to see them all) and today I’m back with an author beloved by the blogosphere.
I don’t know how well known Barbara Comyns is in the wider world, though certainly there have been some lovely reprints in recent years. But in the bookish corner of the internet, she is practically a patron saint. There is one of her novels I’ve not read (A Touch of Mistletoe) because I can’t face the idea of running out. But here are her other books, in order…
10. Birds in Tiny Cages (1964)
This is a case of ‘the hardest one to find isn’t the best’, in my opinion. Based in Spain, with a very Comyns-like lead character in the naïve Flora, it’s still good. But I think Comyns is better when she can make more of English eccentricity.
9. Out of the Red, Into the Blue (1960)
And the same thing affects this – Comyns’ only memoir, about her time in Spain. It’s still entertaining, but misses a bit of the magic of her best work.
8. The Juniper Tree (1985)
When Virago started reprinting Comyns’ novels as Modern Classics, she turned her hand to writing again – or, rather, dug out some books that she’d written in the past. I’m not sure when The Juniper Tree was written, but the reason I’ve put it lower is that it’s a retelling of a fairy tale that I hadn’t heard of, so I missed a lot of nuance.
7. The House of Dolls (1989)
You’ll have noticed I’ve grouped her three later-published novels, and I do think they’re not quite her best – which is a shame, because The House of Dolls is set in a boarding house, and you know how I love them. Being Comyns, the old women in this novel have not settled down to a life of calm routine. Quite the opposite.
6. Mr Fox (1987)
Mr Fox is a wartime spiv who lives with another typical Comyns heroine – the hopeful, muddled, surreal Caroline. Comyns is great on the countryside, but in this novel she does London excellently too. The best of her later-published books, in my opinion, and that’s perhaps because she apparently wrote it in the 1940s.
5. Sisters By A River (1947)
Comyns’ first novel is heavily autobiographical about growing up in an eccentric family by the Avon in Warwickshire. I might put it higher, but the misspellings and poor grammar (while apparently genuine) feel a bit gimmicky. In later novels, she kept the naivety without needing the gimmick.
4. Our Spoons Came From Woolworths (1950)
For a while this was her best-known novel, perhaps because of that excellent title, though it seems to have been superseded now. It’s a novel of chaotic young married life, including some deeply poignant moments dealt with matter-of-factly – the first of hers I read, I was bewildered more than anything. I need to revisit.
3. The Vet’s Daughter (1959)
And perhaps this is her best-known novel now? The vet of the title is a monstrously selfish man, domineering over young Alice’s life. It’s Comyns’ darkest book, yet with the same surreal humour that she can never leave behind. An ending unlike any of her other works, which dips into fantasy in the most brilliant way.
2. The Skin Chairs (1962)
Yes, there are chairs and they are made of human skin. But that’s just one bizarre piece of the mosaic of ten-year-old Frances’s life. I think this is Comyns at her most assuredly unhinged. I wish it could be reprinted, but publishers have shied away from those chairs (and particularly the race implications about them).
1. Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead (1954)
My favourite opening line from any novel is “The ducks swam through the drawing-room windows.” So compelling – and combining the surreal and domestic in a way that is quintessentially Comyns. This funny, strange novel (title quoting a Longfellow poem) is about a village which is simultaneously struck by flooding and an apparent outbreak of madness – all ruled over by the extraordinary and indomitable Grandmother Willoweed.
Comyns fans – do you agree with my rankings? How would you order her books? And where do you think A Touch of Mistletoe will end up on my list, when I finally read it?
So many I haven’t read yet! But I’ve read all of the top ones except The Skin Chairs. Must start looking again.
And even her worst are stil brilliant, IMO
I agree with the relative ranking of Who Was Changed and Who was Dead and Our Spoons Came From Woolworths. I have The Juniper Tree in my tbr but wil have to research the fairy story first perhaps.
That’s a good idea. I was most of the way through before I even realised it was based on one, which explained some of my confusion.
This is a fun idea–sadly, I haven’t read any by her (yet).
Lots of treats in store!
Hi, Simon. I can’t participate in the ranking because I’ve read only three: Woolworths and Vet’s Daughter (both in 2017, one after the other) and Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead (just finished–my first book for October 2023). I read the latter on your recommendation, after hearing you sing its praises on Backlisted (best first line of a novel!) and perhaps again on your own podcast and/or on your list “50 Books You Must Read But May Not Have Heard About.” I gave Who Was Changed 5 stars on Goodreads and on StoryGraph. Here was my super-short review:
“Thanks to Simon Thomas of the blog Stuck in a Book for recommending this strange and beautiful novella. Vivid and perfectly-pitched images that will stick with you. Bizarre events written about in a matter-of-fact style, making them seem all too ‘true.’ Touching, funny, and horrifying.”
Thank you so much for recommending Who Was Changed. At least I can say it is my favourite of the 3 Comyns books that I have read.
So glad you enjoyed Who Was Changed, and thank you for the shout out in your GoodReads/StoryGraph review!
Hm… obviously a hole in my education here. I never heard of her.
I am so surprised, given how much the blogging world talk about her! Something exciting to discover.
Absolutely agree about the opening line of Who Was Changed…! I have Sisters by a River in the TBR so thank you for the warning about the gimmickry. I’m pleased to see it made the top 5 though!
Yes, still brilliant, but I did find the misspellings a bit of a barrier.
Excellent work! The only thing I’d do here is shuffle Spoons up to no 1. Having said that I’ve read most of them and they’re Too Grim for me nowadays; I’ve given away all apart from Spoons!
It’s hard to rank Comyns, though I agree with the two lowest placed novels. I have read them all – Spoons twice.
11 Birds in Tiny Cages
10 Out of the Red Into the Blue
9 The House of Dolls.
8 A Touch of Mistletoe
7 Mr Fox
6 Sister’s by a River
5 The Vet’s Daughter
4 Their Spoons Came from Woolworths
3 The Skin Chairs
2 The Juniper Tree
1 Who Was Changed and who was Dead
Loving the love for Who Was Changed! But even her worst is definitely worth reading, isn’t it
I definitely need to reread Spoons, now I’m more familiar with her voice.
Yes, a patron saint indeed, so this is doubly bold. Well done! Hee hee
Haha! Yes, definitely one that I knew I’d get opinions on, which is great
Well I’ve only read your no. 1 choice, rather embarrassingly, but I did think it was magnificent so I’m sure it deserves to be on top!!
you have a lot of treats in store!
Darn, I’ve already read your number 1 (my only Comyns thus far)! But, I have your numbers 6-8 as well as Mistletoe on the shelf (passed along by Liz), and my library has a copy of Woolworths. So I’m sure I’ve got some great stuff to come.
Hurrah! Yes, she is so unusual but they’re all worth reading.
Love these rakings, and this one is particularly interesting as I’ve read six of the books! Spoons would make my top three, but I can’t argue with the broad thrust of your pecking order. Who Was Changed… is quintessential Comyns, such a wonderfully strange book!
So so weird, but so brilliant – I love that she is still finding an audience today.
I’ve liked very much the three Comyns I’ve read and agree with Who Was Changed as number 1. I’ve just bought Mr Fox and look forward to reading it.
It’s a good’un! But aren’t they all
Is The Skin Chairs actually in print? If not, any possibility the British Libary Women Writers could re-issue?
Sadly it’s not – I did suggest to BLWW but they were worried about some race elements in it.