LITERARY NOTES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1935, Page 3

LITERARY NOTES

ADDITIONAL BOOKS (REVIEWED ‘‘The Young Man’s Girl" (Rc/ierf, W. Chambers) ; When John Wyndw.ird, successful young sculptor, first met Chiyu, she was a nine yeai’-year-old urchin roller skating in Central Park, New York. She didn’t play with the other children in the neighbourhood.” The gang considers ine a washout because 1 don’t talk,” she explained. Besides, they were an unimaginative lot. “I'd like to see a devil,” Chiyu confided. “I’d like to live dangerously.” It is doubtful if a child of mine would have such bi’ a ve speeches at the tip iof her tongue, but at all events Chivu becomes much more convincing as she grows older. She becomes the artist’s model and from that time on - story skilfully sets forth their constant meetings and the progressive -relationship is gradually changed. A cleft study of the studio life and the smart, talk of social circles, this romance of model'll society is told with a facility and -effectiveness calculated to recommend it to all 'library subscribers who enjoy a light novel. . ‘‘Somebody Must’’ (Alice G r ant Bosnian) : In a family group which happens to be burdened with a monopolist, whose domination is sometimes of th e will and sometimes of the emotions, normal relationships are warped and distorted. Everyone defers to the ’ monopolist, and accepts his—or more | probably—her appraises and criticisms. The only way for the rest of the family to arrive at 1a correct and sympathetic understanding of one another is to eliminate 'the Jmonlopoliist—temporarily nr permanently. ,In “Somebody Must’’ ■' lice Grant Rostrum demonstrates ■ tin's thesis by securing the temporary banishment -of Winifred Fh-te. whose Selfish and sweetly satanic wiles lr d built a barrier between her husband and her children. Winifred Fleto had the knack of interpreting her children to their Father, and him to them, in terms which suited her own convenience. In the 'course of her absence the father and children reach a plane of understanding which is a revelation to them all, and when Winifred 'returns—as selfcentred cl as pleased Jwitli herself j as ever—you feel that an alliance has meanwhile been created which she will never again dominate. Alice Bos-m-ili is expert in erecting study on a very slight foundation. “ Visitors to Hugo,” another of her novels in the library, is of such a tyPe’. | “The Taking of the fRy” John Masefield); “The Taking of the C r .y” is a thriller : the VFaJe is the Caribbean, the -lending characters an Englishman and a man of English descent and “extras” a,re a '.Mersey tug with a Liverpool crew, a British trained navy and, above all, the ( spirit of Sir Francis Drake. The book contains some hits of description and fine flashes which con'd only come from one with a first-hand knowledge of the sea and a poetic fooling for ships. Most of the fine flashes occur in the leisurely rambling approach to the central episode, the snatching of the Cry. a ship loaded with 'ammunition, from a closed natal harbour of n hostile republic under the nose of -land batteries —an all hut impossible feat by two young men on a mounting wave of good luck and coincidences. The first h <!f of the book is chiefly concerned with impending Ca-vibcan republics and Hie outbreak of a naval rebellion. Then follows the actual taking of the “Gry,” after which the rebellion is brought to a triumphant conclusion.