In "The Third Miss Symons," F. M. Mayor beautifully captures the inner world of a lonely and unfulfilled woman as she navigates the disappointments of her life. The protagonist, Miss Symons, is a complex and intriguing character whose strict adherence to propriety only serves to isolate her further from those around her.

Mayor's writing is both poignant and perceptive, allowing readers to feel the weight of Miss Symons' unexpressed desires and frustrations. The slow unfolding of her past helps to illuminate the reasons behind her present state, making her a sympathetic figure despite her flaws.

The novel delves deep into themes of loneliness, societal expectations, and the limitations of female independence in the early 20th century. Mayor's exploration of these themes is both thought-provoking and heartbreaking, giving readers much to reflect upon long after finishing the book.

Overall, "The Third Miss Symons" is a poignant and emotionally resonant read that offers a powerful meditation on the complexities of human relationships and the toll that unfulfilled longing can take on an individual. It is a compelling and beautifully written novel that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page.

Book Description:
Miss Mayor tells this story with singular skill, more by contrast than by drama, bringing her chief character into relief against her world, as it passes in swift procession. Her tale is in a form becoming common among our best writers; it is compressed into a space about a third as long as the ordinary novel, yet form and manner are so closely suited that all is told and nothing seems slightly done, or worked with too rapid a hand.