Graham Joyce Talks The Limits of Enchantment

Posted on September 18, 2006

British novelist Graham Joyce recently discussed his book, The Limits of Enchantment> (Atria), with Sci Fi Wire. The novel is a finalist for a World Fantasy Award. The book is set in England. Joyce says he was inspired by pagan festivals that still occur today.

Joyce told the Wire, "It's about two women living on the margins of society. "They are both respected and feared by the community. When their way of life is threatened, they have to defend themselves. Where I live in the English Midlands there are still today pagan festivals at Eastertime, and the idea for the novel came from the annual 'Hare Pie Scramble and Bottle Kicking' festival that takes place in Leicestershire."

Joyce also credits British feminist authors Angela Carter and Fay Weldon for additional inspiration.

Joyce says, "[Carter] built a bridge between the magical genres and the literary gothic traditions," he said. "She had no fear of triggering magic in her novels-didn't seem to care what anyone would think about the mix. She was a kind of alchemist. Fay Weldon did similar things, but with a lighter touch-in fact she was interested in the lightness of magic, how it could come out of very ordinary situations and disappear very quickly. There's a shadow running off Fay Weldon's writing."

Joyce's novel will be up against novels by Haruki Murakami, Hal Duncan, Bret Easton Ellis, Patricia A. McKillip and Paul Park. You can see the full list of nominees here.