Spellbinders

"Spellbinders" by Margaret Culkin Banning is a story set in the early 1900s that looks at how women relate to each other and the world around them, especially in politics. Key characters like Gage and Helen Flandon are at the heart of the story, dealing with friendships, wanting to do more in life, and what feminism means to them. The book looks at what shapes a person and the difficulties women encountered at home and in public life. At the beginning, Gage Flandon and his wife, Helen, are about to meet Helen's strong-willed friend, Margaret Duffield, and Gage is worried about strong women. This hints at problems because Helen is getting more interested in feminism and politics, which goes against what Gage believes. When they get to the Brownley home for a party, Gage's dislike for women like Margaret is clear through his thoughts and how he feels about their power, which sets up complicated relationships between the characters.