A NEW ZEALAND NOVELIST

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 13 April 1929, Page 21

A NEW ZEALAND NOVELIST

Reviewing Mr. Hector Bplitho's 1 new book, "Judith Silver," "The Spectator" critic (Rachel. Annanl Taylor) ■ivrites: —''Some, .really urgent impulse was necessary to. carry 'Judith Silver' into reality. Love, from the Catholic point of view, human Irvo as a divino sacrament,' is ostensibly Mr. Bolitlio's theme, and a prose variation on 'The Unknown Eros' would have been, a ,wcl-; con adventure." But' he does 'not really, grapple, with 'his.-nigh argument.. Judith .. Silver,' the', .'hallowed prima, , donna, appears only, when half the Übok is aver, .aiid her ■ conversation is not the kind' of' speech that ■ lovers use, '■ be they neyer-.so:glorified. '; The.conflicting, and' ovcrpoweringvsubject; of the novelis Janies Granthafti 's'.oppressive, iusaiie, aiid sometimes ..destructive' love for his sou Siinoni-'.,. This,ugly ■ pieco of ''pathology, is'sometimes convincing, sometimes not .at; all. ' Mucli of] the book has', an odd air of 'fantasy. -'New-Zealand doc's make a fresh and immediate inipression. Cambridge is 'very: dim, 1 except- for; the noble Simoir's father.' .offensive .speech. - Scotland, again,' 1 seems", a': fabulous land, and the ■ promiscuous-slaughter of wood y pigeons,: kestrels, capers, roe'deer,; ahfV rabbits which -affords Sim 'the'greatest day of my' life,'. secriis. 1 a-.battue., fit'f or: Popo Leo. Tlioepisocle of Philippe fey-; deau.'is as 'nauseous.as "cheap scent/-Yet: one .''feels; that' Mr: Bolitho':, is capable;, of better thingsj arid .that.'.'lie ;is, pos-i sibly. for lack of .simplicity,, merely, baf-'i fled...by. human.; nature.; -He . scenis^; ;t0,.. live- ill. his 'eyes.""'l: So engrdssed isi'ho*, with .inanimate things—^oranges, oii, a blue plate, ; a ring,-, .a; tic, furniture, objpts d'nrt—rthafc, he ■■■.becomes .inatten--tivo 'to; his; people.*;;-vTherefore, vthey ■■; have :no ■solidity,'';and the closing' horror" has; bnly.'a "'r Gnuitl Guignolesque ■effe'et'.."..'..'"'."'V'.-- ■;;'.:> ''.--, ■.■'• ;' i -..;■■..