LITERARY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 224, 21 September 1929, Page 2 (Supplement)

LITERARY.

On page 7 "J.'J." reviews a New Zealand Look, "Maori Witcliery." On page 11 appears a review by a London correspondent ol Mr. G. D. H. Cole's "The A'ext Ten, Years," a forecast of British Labour policy. Novels dealing with American social life seldom leave readers with the impression that the young people of that country possess consciences. Miss Saritu Fuller, in "Their Own Desire" (Cassell), has, however, invented a conscience which is a novelty. The heroine of the story is given the choice of being drowned or married to the young, man she loves and who has seduced her. She chooses death because her father has deserted her mother in order to marry the immoral mother of the young man! This is her idea of vindicating the honour of her family. This is a, novel novel, and a new demonstration of the inventiveness of Americans. That the story is really quite readable despite the obvious mental instability of all the characters is evidence of the ability of the author. Such a writer could weave a romance around the rejected addressed envelopes - from a waste basket. Mr. John Arnold, in "What Happened at Andals" (Herbert Jenkins), takes a triviality, puts it in an inaccessible place, connects it with people of wealth and importance but no intelligence, makes a mystery of it, and lets the deliberate lie of a woman of criminal experience jeopardise the lives of a number of I simple, good-intentioned people. The' prolonged hunt for something that does not exist provides the wonderful escapes, the fights in the dark, the prowlings and creepings in and out of doors after midnight, the gags and ropes and pistols, without which there cannot he a popular thriller. We like best the fancy flight over Norway, and the faked "escape" . from the main line train, which, although English, does the most wonderful things to suit the author and his amusing acrobats. "A pleasant afternoon was spent by all" is our verdict.