Muriel Spark understood better than most novelists the peculiar fascination of hermetic worlds. She set “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in a Scottish girls day school, “The Abbess of Crewe” in a ...
Standing hand in hand, they form a circle around a smooth black cauldron, their voices setting off a reverberating hum as they repeat, “Omm, omm, ommm.” Outside twilight is approaching. Inside the ...