A Touch of Mistletoe

by Barbara Comyns
A Touch of Mistletoe cover
Good Books rating 4.16
Literary Fiction
Technical:
  • ID: 385
  • Added: 2025-09-10
  • Updated: 2025-09-10
  • ISBN: 9781911547860
  • Published: 2021-07-01
  • Formats: 9
  • Reviews: 4
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99

A Touch of Mistletoe tells the story of two sisters, Victoria and Blanche, growing up in a troubled family marked by their mother's alcoholism and an indifferent grandfather. Victoria, the narrator, dreams of becoming an artist and faces a harsh world of poverty, unstable jobs, and difficult relationships, while Blanche seeks security through work as a mannequin and companionship. Their childhood is fraught with neglect and hardship, yet their resilience and dark humor shine through. Set mostly in 1930s England, the novel follows Victoria's journey from adolescence into middle age, including her traumatic experiences working abroad, her time in London, and her complex marriage to Gene, a talented but mentally ill artist. The narrative explores themes of love, loss, mental health, and survival with a blend of stark realism and subtle wit, offering a haunting and deeply human portrait of life’s challenges and small triumphs.

Reviews
Daunt Publishing · 2025-09-10
original 4.00

The novel is celebrated for showcasing Comyns's inimitable voice and her unique coming-of-age storytelling style.

Daunt Publishing highlights "A Touch of Mistletoe" as a standout example of Barbara Comyns's unique literary voice, particularly within the coming-of-age genre. The review praises the book for its originality and the way it captures the nuances of growing up with a blend of simplicity and subtlety that is characteristic of Comyns's writing. It presents the novel as a refreshing and memorable read that reflects the author's distinctive narrative approach.

Quick quotes

    A unique coming of age story that shows Barbara Comyns's inimitable voice at its best.

    First published in 1967, A Touch of Mistletoe is a unique coming of age story.

    Barbara Comyns's original voice at its best, mixing a characteristic simplicity.

Amazon UK · 2025-09-10
appreciative 4.10

Readers generally rate the book positively, appreciating the blend of simplicity and subtlety in Comyns’s writing.

The Amazon UK customer reviews reflect a strong appreciation for the book, with an overall rating around 4.1 out of 5 stars. Readers note the characteristic simplicity of Comyns's prose combined with a quiet cunning that makes the narrative compelling. The book is well received for its ability to subtly explore themes through a unique voice, making it a favored choice among contemporary fiction enthusiasts.

Quick quotes

    Customers who read this book enjoyed the blend of characteristic simplicity with a quiet but cunning style.

    4.1 out of 5 stars from 80 reviews.

    A Touch of Mistletoe shows Barbara Comyns' original voice at its best.

The Independent · Avril Horner · 2022-09-14
captivating 4.30

The novel is praised for its beguiling prose and the depth of feeling beneath its measured, clear style.

Avril Horner admires Barbara Comyns’s novels, including 'A Touch of Mistletoe,' for their strange and captivating opening sentences that draw readers in immediately. She appreciates the clear, measured prose that masks a deep emotional undercurrent, making the reading experience both engaging and thought-provoking. Horner also contextualizes Comyns’s work within her fascinating life story, which adds layers of meaning to the novel’s themes and style.

Quick quotes

    The novels of Barbara Comyns draw you in from their strange, beguiling first sentences.

    It brings to life many of the incidents that clearly informed the novels, and reveals the depth of feeling lurking beneath that clear, measured prose.

    Barbara Comyns’s inimitable voice at its best.

London Review Bookshop · 2021-07-15
distinctive 4.25

The novel showcases Barbara Comyns's unique voice through a coming-of-age story that is both distinctive and engaging.

This source highlights the book as a unique coming-of-age story that exemplifies Barbara Comyns's inimitable narrative style. It emphasizes the originality and charm of her voice, suggesting that the novel stands out for its distinctive tone and approach to storytelling. Fans of literary fiction will appreciate how Comyns’s style brings freshness and depth to the genre.

Quick quotes

    A unique coming of age story that shows Barbara Comyns's inimitable voice at its best.

    First published in 1967, A Touch of Mistletoe is a unique coming of age story.

    Barbara Comyns's original voice shines through.

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