Charlotte Haldane - Melusine or Devil Take Her - Arthur Barker, n.d. [1936], First Edition.

London, Arthur Barker, n.d. [1936]. First Edition. First Impression. Hardback. A near fine copy. Uncommon in the jacket. Haldane, a pioneering feminist, is best known for Man's World, a dystopia wherein the birth rate of women is lowered and those born are either trained to be mothers or sterilised. The present title involves witches in Europe, and is a loose adaptation of Jean d'Arras' medieval legend [Reginald, Xenograffiti, p66]. Though less obvious in its approach to the role of women in society than Man's World, the character Melusine is portrayed as an intelligent, complex and capable character with agency, uncommon for fantasy characters of the era. "Haldane utIlises a romantic plot-line in order to compare and deconstruct two opposing masculine styles, thereby destabilising the gender binary, so that the mother ? Melusine ? may inhabit male roles and political spaces without appearing masculine" [Hartley, p17, Mothers in a Man's World]. COPAC locates three copies. The jacket is complete with a number of short tears, the longest around 20mm, spine tips worn and rear panel a touch toned. Internally in excellent shape, with a little offsetting from the jacket. Uncommon. [7945, Hyraxia Books].