''The Witch of
Exmoor
Exmoor is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simonsbath ...
'' is a 1996 novel by
Margaret Drabble. The novel is a
social novel
The social novel, also known as the social problem (or social protest) novel, is a "work of fiction in which a prevailing social problem, such as gender, race, or class prejudice, is dramatized through its effect on the characters of a novel". Mor ...
, with a focus on exploring the state of post-Thatcher Britain through the Dickensian satire of the Palmer family.
The title describes the satirical protagonist, Frieda Palmer, who provides the source of much of the social commentary.
Reception
The novel had mixed reviews. ''
Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...
'' reviewer Frances Sellers suggested that the novel's criticism of "Britain's privileged middle classes" might have turned her critics, which would endear her to middle class reviewers.
''The New York Times'' reviewer James Wood did not like the novel, focusing on how the novel's characters were underdeveloped "caricatures" and poor comparisons to the literary traditions created by Dickens and Woolf.
''The Washington Post'' was similarly critical of the novel, writing that its "very strengths are its downfall. With its allusive style, caustic wit and sharp insights, it is a very clever book. But, just like the conundrum from which it draws its inspiration, it sometimes feels more like an intellectual exercise."
Other reviewers were more positive. The ''L.A. Times'' describes the novel as successfully handling the difficult elements of "comic irony" where Drabble has "the balance just right and proves herself a master of the art".
''Kirkus Reviews'' called the novel one of Drabble's "best and most assured novel in years" describing it as "satire and melodrama, nicely mixed, and a thoroughly satisfying entertainment."
Similarly ''Publishers Weekly'' describes the novel as "postmodern family drama at its best."
References
1996 British novels
Exmoor
Novels by Margaret Drabble
Novels set in Somerset
Satirical novels
Viking Press books
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