NEW NOVELS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 175, 26 July 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

NEW NOVELS.

AUSTRALIAN CIRCUS STORY,

Miss K. S. Prichard, who wrote the much-admired "Coonardoo" —a prize Australian novel—has now issued "Haxby's Circus" (Jonathan Cape). Since ancient days nearly everybody has a circus, but in these days of mechanical transport it is possible that the old enthusiasm will die out. This story is of a circus travelling in Australia, with its detailed minute descriptions of Australian scenery and of the public and domestic life of the circus people, is told with skill* and literary finish. The characters are all very human. This interesting story should widen the already large circle of Miss Prichard's readers. , h

"The Gates of Paradise, and Other Stories," by Robert Hichens (Cassell and Co.), is a collection of a dozen stories rather out of the ordinary, and so well written they must interest and impress the reader who likes to be made to think. They are, for thp most part, pathetic and unhappy, though a few are amusing, some exciting, - and all' are cleverly worked out. There is a touch of Orientalism in many of the stories which makes', the tragic happenings appear to be the only possible sequel to events. ,

A novel by Georgette Heyer is always welcome, and in "Barren Corn" ■ (Longmans) we again have her at her best. While this new book might not be quite so popular as some of her others, it is, to our mind, much more, important. It tells of the difficulties encountered in a marriage between different classes, and generally Georgette Heyer does not let the aristocrats shine too brightly. Laura, the rather "respectable" lower middleclass heroine, is a fine person, far too good for the weak, high-born Hugh, who cannot resist her Junoesque appearance. There are fine shades of subtlety in the actions of the two classes, shown through Hugh and Laura. The authoress demonstrates a good point when she lets Hugh realise that he could drink from his saucer if he wanted to and "get away with it," whereas if Laura did so -' it would be merely vulgar. The only debatable part of the book is that why Laura, being such an intelligent creature, could not adapt herself more easily to j

life among the upper classes. But, then, that in itself was . Georgette 1: Heyer's arrow. Perhaps if she' had let LaUra be more common and less respectable, the coronet in the end would have been worn at a jaunty tilt. But then we would not have liked Laura at all, and as it is we are totally on her side.

"The Sting of the Whip," by C. C. and E. M. Mott (Allen and"-XJnwin) a is the life-story of a farmer's son In Wales, brought up to hard work and poverty, with little education, and a home life which was against all mental improvement. John Broxworth grew into a strong, handsome, young man, and the stinging whip was laid across his back when Squire Ehvy caught him making love to his daughter. The sting spurred him on to harder work until he became a prosperous farmer, owning his land and breeding prize Shire horses. But, through all ■ his life his intense hatred towards the Squire's family waß an obsession which' grew in intensity, and led him into many mean and deplorable actions. He was ruined during the war, saw the error of his ways, and when the chance came retrieved his past mistakes by saving young Elwy's life. A curi-ously-written book, with short, disconnected sentences and abrupt changes, which rather interfere with one's pleasure in reading it, though it contains much of interest and many well-drawn character studies. .. . ■ . 'v.