The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall

I chose this book out of a reference book that I occasionally go to called 'The Rough Guide to Cult Fiction' and by it's very nature the books included are wildly hit and miss. Some of my favorite authors, such as John Fante I discovered through this book however you can get some real dross in there too, like Samuel R. Delaney. This book, I am pleased to say, was in the former category - a real joy.

This book was banned on publication in the 1920's for it's depiction of a lesbian woman's battle for equality in the early to mid 1900's, however it's shock factor has aged pretty badly and if you're looking for a frank description of a lesbian affair this book is not for you. In fact when compared to modern day novels this work seems somewhat ludicrous in in the lengths it goes to in skirting round the act of lesbian sex. What it it does deliver is an intense psychological analysis of an ordinary woman in extreme circumstances of segregation. This is primarily borne through Hall's firsthand experience of discrimination due to her lesbianism and it is clear to see that the novel is a very autobiographical one in many respects.

This novel is scathing on the parental scarring that can be ensued in cases of otherness. The main female character is christened Stephen after her parent set their heart on having a boy and as she grows up she is treated in a very similar fashion to how a boy would be. However when this starts to manifest itself in the embryonic form of her lesbianism her Father worries about how society will accept his daughter whilst simultaneously failing to communicate these worries to her mother. This eventually sees Stephen's mother casting her out of the house after she discovers love letters from another women. The shadow of the parent hangs heavy throughout this work and you can't help but wonder what role Hall's parents play in this novel.

The Well of Loneliness is simply a beautifully written piece of work that is crafted sublimely and pitched just right to sustain your attention in what is a fairly long novel. It is easy to forget that Hall's words, now seen as dated, where radical at the time and this book needs to be read with this concept in mind. However in essence this story is a love story as well as a story regarding the journey of a single protagonist and the obstacles she come across. In away this is a coming of age story, however the age was not quite ready for it.