The Great Return

"The Great Return" by Arthur Machen is a supernatural novella written in the early 20th century, specifically during the 1910s. This mystical narrative explores themes of spiritual awakening and extraordinary occurrences in the small Welsh town of Llantrisant. Through a blend of folklore and the mysterious, Machen illustrates a world where the boundary between the ordinary and the divine blurs, inviting readers to ponder existential questions about faith, beauty, and the nature of reality. The story centers around a series of miraculous events that unfold in Llantrisant during a time of war, starting from the curious ringing of a bell heard by a deaf old woman, which heralds a profound transformation in the town's inhabitants. As various characters experience anomalies—including a young girl’s miraculous recovery from tuberculosis and a lawyer's humbling reconciliation with a farmer—Machen weaves together elements of the fantastical and the sublime. The narrative culminates in a transcendent church service where the aroma of paradise fills the air, leading to a collective renewal of spirit among the townsfolk. Ultimately, "The Great Return" serves as an exploration of the mysteries of existence, suggesting that the divine can manifest in the most unexpected ways, resonating deeply with the themes of hope and redemption during tumultuous times. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Arthur Machen was the pen-name of Arthur Llewellyn Jones, a Welsh author and mystic of the 1890s and early 20th century. He is best known for his influential supernatural, fantasy, and horror fiction. His novella The Great God Pan has garnered a reputation as a classic of horror, with Stephen King describing it as "Maybe the best [horror story] in the English language." He is also well known for "The Bowmen", a short story that was widely read as fact, creating the legend of the Angels of Mons.