David Lindsay's The Haunted Woman (1922) is a strange personal metaphysical fantasy novel. Less other-worldly, with a real world setting and characters of the time that readers could relate to, unlike the alien landscapes of his first published novel, #AVoyage to Arcturus. Dedicated to his wife, the novel is set in the Sussex Downland of the 1920s, and presents the weird experiences of Isbel Loment, the protagonist, at Runhill (Saxon rune-hill) Court, an Elizabethan manor going back to the 13th century.

I will attempt to not dwell heavily on a plot summary, but concentrate on my overall impressions of this novel. Isabel is engaged to the Marshall Stokes, and leads a wayfaring existence as the ward of her elderly aunt, Ann Moor. Stokes tells Isabel and her aunt of a house that may be available, as Moor wishes to find a place to settle.

The owner of the house, is Henry Judge, a widower. His young wife's death is left vague, and his conflicted uncertainty of what to do with the house creates a sense of mystery and unease. Runhill Court has a 'reputation' that is tied to a long, unusual hall and “the East Room” that Judge keeps locked. Judge claimed that a phantom doorway and staircase would appear in the wall of the room, and while he could remember going up and coming down the stairs, he had no memory of what happened in the missing time. Inevitably, Isbel herself has a similar experience, and her fate and emotions become entangled with Judge's.

So the characters and the setting, an ancient huge dwelling that includes strange spaces and passage-ways to other realms, are established. What did this reader encounter as he entered this world, and accompany the characters on their journey? The tone and feel of this narrative had an interesting mix, which for me, at times seemed a bit uneven.

The owner of the house, is Henry Judge, a widower. His young wife's death is left vague, and his conflicted uncertainty of what to do with the house creates a sense of mystery and unease. Runhill Court has a 'reputation' that is tied to a long, unusual hall and “the East Room” that Judge keeps locked. Judge claimed that a phantom doorway and staircase would appear in the wall of the room, and while he could remember going up and coming down the stairs, he had no memory of what happened in the missing time. Inevitably, Isbel herself has a similar experience, and her fate and emotions become entangled with Judge's.

So the characters and the setting, an ancient huge dwelling that includes strange spaces and passage-ways to other realms, are established. What did this reader encounter as he entered this world, and accompany the characters on their journey? The tone and feel of this narrative had an interesting mix, which for me, at times seemed a bit uneven.
The perceived unevenness derives from 2 things, my need to adjust my responses to a work composed for a 1920s British audience, and Lindsay's effort to master his own blend of genres. As I read this novel it brought to mind the drawing room mystery and Agatha Christie, the haunted house genre, moral dilemma melodramas, supernatural horror, and the fantasy tales of Lord Dunsany. This novel of mystery & romance kept changing coats, often from one chapter to the next, which at times, impacted the pacing and building tension of the protagonist's inner conflict.

It is on the protagonist's inner conflict that everything connects. For me, Isbel's confusion and anxiety stems from the social constraints on a betrothed young lady, particularly of her class and personal upbringing, sometimes it felt difficult to relate to; I kept thinking in terms of today's expectations and attitudes. After finishing reading the novel, I did further investigation about the Lindsay. Lindsay himself broke off a lengthy engagement and married another young lady. The novel would appear to be his effort to express his views about the situation and his admiration for how his wife faced the personal struggle of this experience. Intriguingly, he viewed this social dilemma and related psychological challenges in terms of a spiritual-metaphysical context. As one critic described the novel, it is an “interweaving masterwork of spiritual and emotional psychosis”.

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