OUTSTANDING NOVEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23020, 23 April 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

OUTSTANDING NOVEL

BRILLIANT CHARACTER DRAWING Mrs. Sarah MilHil'tl. latest story; "What Hath a Man, is outstanding. It is some time since she wrote a novel, and her recent successes as biographer of Smuts and lihocies, combined .-.witfi a, deep interest in national problems of South Africa, her own country, might easily have drawn her away from fiction writing. However, the genuine inspiration behind "What Hath a 31an H leaves the reader in no doubt as to Mrs. Millm's brilliance as a novelist. The book is a full-length portrait, from youth to old age, of a not wholly atirflctivo man, Henry Oripandy. 'lho story opens b fully, atul only tho author's skill and passionate interest in the child Henry prevent the reader from closing the book on this miserable supersensitive child. As liis personality develops, however, the reality 6f his Character becomes fascinating. The revelation of Henry Ormandyis as complete as it is possible Ut be. The reader know* this young man, knows and understands him more completely at the moment of reading than he knows any real person. Henry has a noble and idealistic hature and at times is pathetically at the mercy of the weaknesses in his make-up. His problems are more or less the problems of every man, and it is Mrs. Millin's insight into human nature at its strongest and weakest that gives her book its extraordinary power. - Ifft" G,rlB ""