Stevie Smith’s third and final novel The Holiday (1949) remained her favourite until her death. Originally written in the early 40s, but revised to take place in the “post-war” era when publishing difficulties delayed the book, it moves away from the stream-of-consciousness style of her first two novels to a more distanced first-person narration. Her heroine has changed, too. The irreverent voice of Pompey Casmilus is replaced with Celia Phoze, who works for the Ministry as a code-breaker in London. However, the book is haunted by both the fictional memory of the earlier books and Smith’s own biographical situation. Like Pompey and Smith herself, Celia lives in a quiet London suburb with her beloved Aunt. …
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