The Flaw in the Crystal

"The Flaw in the Crystal" by May Sinclair is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Agatha Verrall and her complex relationship with Rodney Lanyon, who faces the challenges of a troubled marriage. The novel explores themes of love, mental illness, and a mysterious gift that Agatha possesses, enabling her to influence the well-being of others, particularly Rodney. At the start of the book, we find Rodney Lanyon contemplating his secret weekends with Agatha, which serve as an escape from the torment of his wife, Bella, who suffers from severe mental distress. Agatha reflects on her ability to help Rodney cope with his situation, and as we delve into their relationship, it becomes evident that their bond is not only emotional but also touches on deeper, almost supernatural elements. As Agatha prepares for Rodney’s arrival, she battles with her own desires and the growing implications of her powers, setting the stage for the complexities that unfold amidst the backdrop of isolation in the English countryside. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

May Sinclair was the pseudonym of Mary Amelia St. Clair, a popular British writer who wrote about two dozen novels, short stories and poetry. She was an active suffragist, and member of the Woman Writers' Suffrage League. She once dressed up as a demure, rebel Jane Austen for a suffrage fundraising event. Sinclair was also a significant critic in the area of modernist poetry and prose, and she is attributed with first using the term 'stream of consciousness' in a literary context, when reviewing the first volumes of Dorothy Richardson's novel sequence Pilgrimage (1915–1967), in The Egoist, April 1918.