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Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead

By Barbara Comyns
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Check link for latest rating. ( 2,973 ratings, 494 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, the small English village set along a river faces a series of surreal and tragic events after a flood. This darkly humorous novel explores the idiosyncrasies and resilience of its quirky inhabitants as they navigate chaos and mystery, highlighting themes of change and human nature. Barbara Comyns vividly presents a tapestry of eccentric villagers whose lives intertwine amid an unsettling atmosphere.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy stories with a darkly comedic approach to human nature and a touch of the surreal. Set against the backdrop of a bizarre flood and a series of mysterious events in a quaint village, it explores the eccentricities of rural life. Fans of unique narratives with vivid, unsettling imagery will find this novel intriguing and compelling.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A novel that starts with a village flood and ends with a mysterious virus - a visionary Corona novel originally published in 1954 and now a modern classic.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

At the beginning of June, the river floods, ducks swim through the drawing-room windows, and Ebin Willoweed rows his daughters around the submerged garden. But the flood is only the beginning of the village's troubles.

All of a sudden, the miller goes mad and drowns himself in the river. As the village is afflicted by a mysterious virus, the villagers begin dying one by one. The newspaper asks, 'Who will be smitten by the fatal madness next?'

Comyns' unique voice weaves a text as wonderful as it is horrible, as beautiful as it is cruel. Originally published in England in 1954, this overlooked small masterpiece is a twisted pandemic tragicomic gem.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead by Barbara Comyns is lauded for its distinctive and whimsical style, showcasing Comyns's ability to blend the uncanny with child-like simplicity. Critics from the Guardian describe her work as both strange and captivating, with a unique talent for portraying surreal and ominous narratives. This book is often recommended for its exceptional and neglected brilliance in fiction.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781911547846

Publisher: Daunt Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 January 2021

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Daunt Books

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Weight: 250g

Pages: 214

Collections

Barbara Comyns Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction

About the Author

Barbara Comyns was born in England in 1909. She and her siblings were brought up by governesses, and allowed to run wild. She wrote eleven books including Sisters by a River, Our Spoons Came from Woolworths, The Vet's Daughter and A Touch of Mistletoe. To support her family she did a variety of jobs over her life including dealing in antiques and vintage cars, renovating apartments, and breeding poodles. She was an accomplished painter, and exhibited with the London Group. She died in 1992.

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