Book · 1992 · Fiction, general
Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead
Why people recommend it
Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead is a darkly eccentric novel by Barbara Comyns that depicts an eccentric English family experiencing a series of bizarre and tragic events in the late nineteenth century. On The Book Review podcast, the book was highlighted as a compelling piece of rediscovery. During the July 2024 episode titled 'Gorbachev: His Life and Times', John Williams expressed his enthusiasm for Comyns's distinctive writing style and narrative voice. Williams specifically named Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead as another work by the author that he intended to read very soon. His remarks underscored a growing critical appreciation for Comyns's uniquely unsettling fiction and her ability to blend domestic realism with surreal catastrophe. By signaling his intention to pick up the book, Williams offered listeners a personal reading recommendation, drawing attention to a backlist title deserving of broader contemporary readership. The discussion contributed to a wider rediscovery of mid-century British fiction championed by critics seeking out idiosyncratic prose and darkly humorous storytelling.
Who recommended it
- John Williams Recommended
John Williams — 2 mentions
“the other book that I want to read of hers soon is called who was changed and who was dead”
“the other book that I want to read of hers soon is called who was changed and who was dead”