Summer Solstice Novels
With the Summer Solstice approaching, we take a look at four books that explore the magic of this special, mysterious day.
Outlander
Outlander is a very popular book and TV series, and any fan will know the importance of the Solstice Days in this time-travelling saga. In fact, time travelling is only possible on certain days of the year, the Summer Solstice being one of them. With the Summer Solstice being celebrated all over the world, especially with links to magic, it’s no surprise that this magical series draws so much importance to this special day.
It would be impossible not to mention A Midsummer Night’s Dream in this list, one of the Bard’s best-loved comedic plays. It follows four lovers who encounter magic, madness and fairies on Midsummer Eve in a forest near Athens. The Elizabethan audience would have associated this title with the mischief and fun that was custom on Midsummer Eve, when spirits ran around causing chaos and young women had dreams of the men they were destined to marry. Shop our Midsummer collection here!
I Capture the Castle
Midsummer Eve is important to young Cassandra, the protagonist of this much-loved children’s book of a girl growing up in genteel poverty in a decaying English castle. She performs a special ritual on Midsummer Eve, collecting flowers and wearing a long white gown, caught up with the romanticism and mysticism of the event. A nostalgic look at the childhood fascination with magic.
‘I instantly remembered that it was Midsummer Eve, my very favourite day, and lay awake looking forward to it and planning my rites on the mound.’
The Mayfair Witches
Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches focuses on a family of witches and a secret society who follow the paranormal. It’s no surprise that mentions of the solstices, equinoxes and cross-quarters feature heavily in this trilogy, as all are paramount to witchcraft. In the final novel, old pagan religions are focused on particularly, highlighting the Pagan importance of Midsummer Eve. A great way to explore the magic of the Solstices!
