The Disturbing Charm

In Short

Set during the final autumn of the Great War, this lighthearted, romantic comedy follows a young Welsh woman named Olwen who comes into possession of a supposed love charm. She decides to test its efficacy on herself and those around her at a French hotel. Through a series of rapid-fire engagements and coincidental entanglements, the narrative explores the nature of attraction and the urgency of love during wartime. It remains a charming, period-specific look at 1919 social mores and the resilience of the human heart in the face of global conflict.

The Story

Olwen, a bright, modern young woman, is traveling in France with her uncle, a professor of botany, when she receives a letter from an anonymous inventor claiming to have discovered a formula to fix the chaotic nature of romance. Driven by curiosity and a desire to see if she can influence the fates of those around her, Olwen constructs a small sachet containing the mysterious powder. Her first experiment is on Miss Agatha Walsh, a lonely spinster at their hotel. To Olwen’s delight, the charm appears to work instantly: Miss Walsh, who had previously been ignored, becomes engaged to a French sergeant within days.

Emboldened by this success, Olwen continues to experiment, directing the "charm" toward her friend, the writer Mrs. Cartwright, and even testing it on herself. As the hotel becomes a microcosm of wartime social life, the narrative weaves together the lives of soldiers on leave, including the young flyer Jack Awdas and the persistent Captain Ross. The atmosphere is thick with the nervous, shifting energy of the war—men in uniform, women waiting or working, and the looming reality of the conflict casting long shadows over even the brightest flirtations.

As the story progresses, Olwen’s belief in the charm is tested. While Miss Walsh’s engagement is a clear "success," other outcomes are murkier. A young officer named Mr. Ellerton, prone to proposing to every girl he meets, continues his impulsive habits, suggesting that the charm is not the universal panacea the inventor promised. Olwen herself navigates various suitors, including Captain Ross, who displays a mix of protectiveness and possessiveness that leaves her questioning what it truly means to "belong" to someone.

The climax occurs against a backdrop of air raids and shifting loyalties, as the characters face the sobering reality of the war. Despite the frivolity of the charm, the characters are forced to confront genuine loss and the fragility of their new connections. By the end, Olwen realizes that the "charm" may not have been the powder at all, but rather the internal shift in perspective and the natural, relentless pull of human connection. The story concludes with a reflection on how love persists despite the uncertainty of the era, as Olwen and her friends acknowledge that their happiness is a triumph over the surrounding chaos, regardless of whether a physical token ever held any real power.

How It Unfolds

The discovery Olwen receives a curious, typewritten letter from an inventor claiming he has solved the dilemma of why people love the wrong partners. Intrigued, she fashions a small sachet of mauve satin and fills it with the provided powder, deciding to test its power.

The first trial Olwen targets a lonely, overlooked woman named Miss Walsh. Almost immediately, Miss Walsh finds herself the center of attention and becomes engaged to a local French sergeant, convincing Olwen that the magic is genuine.

The complications As Olwen continues her experiments, she finds that love is far more stubborn and erratic than the letter suggested. Characters like Mr. Ellerton, a compulsive proposer, prove that the charm cannot simply force a "correct" match, while Captain Ross introduces a more intense, demanding form of affection.

The shadow of war Interspersed with social activities and flirtations are the harsh realities of the Great War, from aerial bombardments to the loss of comrades. These moments strip away the lightheartedness of the charm, forcing the characters to acknowledge the seriousness of their commitments.

The final realization Olwen and her friends eventually reflect on their experiences, moving past the need for the physical charm. They conclude that the real power is not in a sachet of powder, but in the irrepressible urge for people to find one another amidst the uncertainty of their time.

The People

Olwen Howel-Jones is the story’s inquisitive center, a modern young woman navigating the transition from a sheltered life to the realities of a world at war. She is observant and initially eager to believe that she can orchestrate human happiness through the charm. Miss Agatha Walsh begins as the quintessential "spinster" but undergoes a complete transformation through her engagement, showing how a change in status can reshape a person's entire demeanor. Captain Ross is a figure of military briskness, whose possessive approach to romance creates tension for Olwen. Finally, Jack Awdas represents the "Bird-boy" archetype—the young, vulnerable pilot whose bravery in the air is matched by his yearning for stability on the ground. Together, they represent a generation caught between rigid Victorian expectations and the urgent, fleeting nature of the early 20th century.

In Its Own Voice

The professor finds the mysterious letter and reflects on the universal, often painful, nature of romantic longing.

"Had he ever wondered!" How many nights of his youth had been wasted in stormily "wondering----?"

Olwen sits by the window, carefully preparing the sachet that she believes will grant her control over the hearts of others.

She sat at her needle like a Fate with a face of a grave-eyed child, the mouth of a flower.

Miss Walsh explains her preference for the ephemeral, charming gifts of love rather than the practical, durable presents preferred by men.

"Why not something charming that won't last; scent, powder, or chocolates in a pretty box?"

What It's Really About

At its core, this is a story about the desire for agency in a world defined by contingency. The "Disturbing Charm" functions as a metaphor for the human need to believe that we can influence the unpredictable, especially when faced with the existential threat of war. It asks whether love is a matter of fate, chemistry, or merely a social performance that we adopt to feel connected. The book argues that while the mechanisms of attraction remain mysterious and often irrational, the pursuit of human connection is an act of defiance against the fragility of life. It highlights the tension between the desire for independence and the inherent, often overwhelming, pull of romantic attachment.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the brisk, witty, and slightly cynical tone of early 20th-century romantic comedies will find much to appreciate here. The book captures a specific "Neo-Georgian" atmosphere—a world caught between the old ways and the urgent, modern pulse of the post-war era. It feels like a quick, energetic read, filled with the clipped dialogue and shifting social landscapes of 1919.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes, particularly regarding class and traditional gender roles, which are central to the characters' motivations. The dialect and the occasional reliance on "clannish" stereotypes are products of the time and may feel jarring to contemporary sensibilities. Yet, there is a genuine warmth in the writing that persists. The story’s heart—a group of young people trying to find beauty and connection while the world is still reeling from catastrophe—remains profoundly relatable. It is a light, airy book that masks a deeper, more poignant meditation on what it means to be young and alive when the future is far from guaranteed. It stays with you as a gentle, nostalgic look at a generation that learned to find love in the gaps of history.