'Witty, poetic, clairvoyant' John Updike

The Reverend Timothy Fortune, ex-clerk of the Hornsey branch of Lloyds Bank, has found his vocation: to convert the inhabitants of the remote tropical island of Fanua to Christianity. Even when everyone except for a young boy called Lueli remains indifferent to his preaching, Mr Fortune's good spirits cannot be dampened - until one day his faith is put to a terrible test.

'This quizzical tale is so intensely moving' Gillian Beer, New Statesman

'Original, elegant and hypnotically strange' Miranda Seymour, The New York Times

'Sylvia Townsend Warner pursues the psychology of the story with beautiful accuracy' John Carey

About the Author
Sylvia Townsend Warner (1893-1978) grew up in rural Devonshire before moving to London and writing her debut novel, Lolly Willowes (1926). With her partner Valentine Ackland, she was active in the Communist Party and served in the Red Cross during the Spanish Civil War. Her novels include Mr Fortune's Maggot, The True Heart, Summer Will Show, After the Death of Don Juan, The Corner That Held Them and The Flint Anchor.

Reviews
Original, elegant and hypnotically strange -- Miranda Seymour * The New York Times *
At long last I pulled down from its place on the shelves Sylvia Townsend Warner's plump little novel impishly titled Mr. Fortune's Maggot and was once again amazed by what a witty, poetic, clairvoyant writer this English woman was -- John Updike
Mr. Fortune's Maggot is satire at its best. There are passages here - particularly those delightfully malicious ones, of which there are many - that still cause the reader to laugh out loud. There is so much truth here -- Anthony Slide
Sylvia Townsend Warner pursues the psychology of the story with beautiful accuracy -- John Carey
Her writing is full of melodic skills... Her sentences move like talk between intimates. Perhaps that is why this quizzical tale is so intensely moving -- Gillian Beer * New Statesman *



Book Information
ISBN 9780241476093
Author Sylvia Townsend Warner
Format Paperback
Page Count 160
Imprint Penguin Classics
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 123g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 8mm