Vestal Fire is a 1927 comedy novel by the British writer Compton Mackenzie. It was inspired by the time Mackenzie had spent living in Capri before and after the First World War. Plot is based on loose collection of anectodes about a massive cast of characters, centering on Count Marsac and Virginia and Maimie Pepworth-Northon. Book covers period from 1902 to 1924.
Characters
Identities based primarily on research conduced by James Money for his book Capri: Island of Pleasure.
Duncan Maxwell: Scottish naturalist, based on Norman Douglas
Hector Macdonnell: Scottish widow, based on Emilie Fraser, widow of William Langland Fraser
Alberto and Enrico Jones: Brothers, sons of English expatriate. Based on Edwin and Giorgio Cerio
Luigi Zampone: Local businessman
One notable exception of local notorieties is Axel Munthe, who was a friend and doctor to both Compton Mackenzie and his wife. Faith made Compton ‘promise not to include that great personality. She feared I might present him to the world as a comic figure.’
Publication history and reception
Novel was published in autumn of 1927. It received a mixed reception in England, and was banned from Italy for several reasons. Amongst them: making fun of carabineri and injuring the fame of Capri. Amongst locals, Gwen Galata was delighted to be present in it, while Edwin and Giorgio Cerio were reported to be furious with it.
John Champagne. "Are Italians brown? Categorical Miscegenation and Early Twentieth Century Italian Homosexuality." Giornale di Storia, 38, 2022. ISBN/ISSN: 2036-4938.
David Joseph Dooley. Compton Mackenzie. Twayne Publishers, 1974.
Andro Linklater. Compton Mackenzie: A Life Hogarth Press, 1992.
