SOME RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 191, 8 May 1920, Page 11

SOME RECENT FICTION

•"The .Mask." A newcomer in tho field of fiction, «nd one whose work is full of exceptional pvo- . -anse, is John Couruos, the author of The ' 'Mask" (Methuen'ond Coi)., Mr.Cournosis . of Russian birth, and has evidently l been influenced by Turgeniov and Joseph Con- ■ rad, and, perhaps, though in a' much ■ less degree, -by Dostoevsky. He pictures for us the life of a family of "Russian Jews, driven from Muscovy by injiisiico and cruelty, who seek refuge in the United • States, where they fondly hope they will find freedom, kindness, ariif happiness. For- the Gombarovs Philadelphia turns out to be anything but a "city of brotherOld Serayon Gombarov is* one . of. those, most : unhappy,of men, qii unsuccessful inventor. The: hard commercialism of the American industrial centre ia distinctly unsympathetic to-the dreamer and the story 60on becomes, a. record of the Gombarov family's struggle against a , sordid poverty. John' ..Gombarov, the son, is a plucky and practical lad,, who eventually escapes from the Philadelghetto and makes his way to London, where, so. it is hinted, ho eventually adopts a literary, career. The transformation, the "un-Jewing!' as one of'his . compatriots expresses it, of Johrf- Gombarov from a mild-mannered,•• over-, thoughtful Russian lad "into a'Hard,! severely practical and almost too'.pugnhcious'man, is skilfully suggested by:tho author, who, by ..the'way, evidently loves England and the English .as much as he frankly detests ..certain .phases of Aineri- ■ can life. The-story suffers not a.,littlo from; the discursive style of its telling, ■• but John Gombarov is a character who will long dwell in the reader's memory, and.l for one rejoice oyer tho implied promise of a sequel.' Few finer chapters have -I--,read in latter-day fiction than .'that in' which the author, describes the "poor little' Russian lad's experiences whilst selling, newspapers—his ' parents had .fondly imagined that : they would, by immigration, be ablo-to make-Kim a doctor—in ~ a_ Philadelpnian blizzard. ■"The Mask".is a long way above the average of current fiction. ' . \ "Shepherd's Warning." All who like Thomas Hardy's novels, , and who find pleasure in studies of English 6'outh country rusticity,'may'be tct' commended 'to read Erie : ■Leadbgtter's latest' novel, "Shepherd's Warning" (George Allen, and Unwin). Mr." Leadibetter,' whose "Rain Before Seven" and "The Road to Nowhere" will be remem.bered, now gives us. an, interest-compel-ling study of.a fine old peasant worker, lis two grandsons and his granddaughter. Not even Hardy himself has drawn a portrait more instinct-with life than . that of old Ben Garrett, whose pathetic, . ever-patient struggle against disappointment, ingratitudo, and wicked bad. luck must move every-reader of tho story to admiration. Incidental to- the development of a rustic drama (plus'a. touch of domestic comedy)..; in which primitive passions have full sway, there is a clever ■presentment of the changes which como ' over the social life- of a rural district which is invaded by city people in search of country homes and drifts imperceptibly into a new,state of modified villadom.' Mr. Leadbetter's literary style is very• fascinating. Like-Hardy, he is a master of irony, but he never abuses the weapon he so skilfully. wields. ' ,"Shep'herd's Warning" is emphatically'a novel not to be overlooked by those who.enjoy, really good literature. • . •;...■■ "The Great Desire." . ■ An: American novel not a little;above the ruck of present-day trans-Atlantic fiction is "Tho Great Desire," by Alex- , ander Black. (Hodder ; and Stoughton). The hero, severely handicapped in life., by being a hunchback, goes to New .York : with his Bister to live with an eccentrio, but kindly-hearted aunt,-, wlho plays the good angel to both. ' Anson Grayll has literary ambitions, but when' the war. comes he throws himself into.industrial' work, making buttons for soldiers', tunics,and releasing-for active service a'.bravo' ; young fellow to whose wife, a frivolous, ■ worthless mature,-his substitute pays • the wages he earns. There is a pleasant' incidental love motif, but the chief .in- ; terest of the story lies in its intimato studies, of the various Socialistic, pacificist, and other movements which.foi r 'a:' ; time impeded the prpgressof the Ameri-' can intervention in the wav. ' There is a,decided, originality in Mr. Black's style-, which makes the book one quite' out of the common.' Grnyll's fine 'idealistic' philosophy of life leads him into some curious experiences, bat he /' is •. a' • very lovable hero, and it is not to be wonder--i ed at tliat the'story should have made: a ; great hit in the States. The veteran Ameri-! ■ can novelist,. Mr." W. Dean Howells, regards it as "a new departure both in'; forn"i : and spirit," and says it "possesses the charm of very unoomifion- power." New Zealand readers of Mr. Black?s story will, I think, cordially coincide in-:Mr. Howell's eulogy of hisyoung compatriot's., work...'. • '"■■ ' 'v '■ '.-■:.. ■■-. j ■''.- "Hearts'.Haven." ; .;! "Hearts' Haven," bv Clara Louise Burnham (Constable, per the Australasian Publishing Co. and Whitcoinbe and Tombs), is a good cxamplo of tho ultra sehti-, . mental fiction' so popular with, the ' American novel-reading public. : : .It '■ is < the story of the patient suffering of a widowed mother, whose son goes to the city and'marries an under-bred, silly wife. "Poor May Ca'line," the'mother, had married, so her neighbours had ai-. ways said, the wrbiw man, but her son'. . proves himself, worthy of his mother,' and when evil days befall the latter, takes her into his modest home, where she has,. however, to contend against the jealousy and- spite of tho unspea'kablo, Gladys. In her son's employer -the' mother finds a lost lover of her youth, now a widower, and rejoices at being able to nurse his nervewrecked son back to health. Needless to say, the old attachment is resurrected, and "May Cu'lincV worries ,are "over. A motor accident conveniently ridding her son of his, by this time, openly un-'-faithful wife, _ there is a double' wedding, for tho millionaire who marries tho mother has a daughter who falls in love with "May Ca'line's boy." "Miss Burnham's employment of tho 'long arm of coincidence" will bo amusing to tho hardened novel reader, but the'story, fairly drenched though it be with sentiment, is prettily .told, and should find many admirers. - Margaret. l ' r The literary method employed by Mr. Alfred Clark in "My Friend Margaret" (Johu Lane, per Whitcombe and Tombs) is similar to that displayed in the same writer's "My Erratic Pal." The etory proper is, told in prose, but is .continually'interrupted, or, shall I say, enlarged by sets of ; verses,' many' of which are of unquestionably high poetic merit. The chief figures are. this time two young people, Peter and Margaret, who duly grow up and take part in •the-war. There is some pretty love-making-just a trifle too deliberately sweet, so some renders may think—and the story as a whole is possessed of a decided charm. Why Mr. Clark thought fit to introduce, almost as the story closes, the crudely melodraraatio incident provided by the mischievously obtrusive Peggy, an illegitimate sicter of tho heroine, is, however, difficult to conceive. I woulii, that space permitted tho quotation of some of tho verses. They are quite good enough for sepaTat© publication and would in that form probably be better appreciated. In the story proper they come too often as an unwelcome obstruction.' Mr. Clark ought to give us a really fine novel-some day sooner or later, for his work is full of promise. But I would ho would'divorce his poetic muee from her prose spouse. "Ousting Louise." "Ousting Louiso," by J. Morgan de Groot (Stanley Paul and Co.), makes a now departure on tho part or an author

whose previous novels have possessed la certain exotic flavour alike in scene , and style. Dr. de Groot now tells the story of. a successful playwright, his tl rather' foolish young wife, and an '- equally pretty young actress whose, e strong personality influences the huss .band's work, and who would fain oust » tin wife from her place. Neither husi- band nor wife is conspicuous for marital i wisdom, and for a time the whole edis fico of their, domestic" happiness threati ,ens to.erumblo away. In.; the long ? run, however, it is the wife who wins, l .A,vivaciously told, pleasant story;'which 1 might have been improved; however, by • a littl-a compression. - "The Soul.of Ann Ruflcdge," B Abe Lincoln ■' must ever rival Georgo an American national " hero, and a big public is always assured 1 for any novel m which the great states- ? man is introduced. "The Soul of Ann r Rutledg'e," by Bernie Babcock '(LippinJ cotts, per Whifcombe and- Tombs), is de- - scribed as "The Story of Lincoln's Ro- ' jnaiico." Mrs. Babcock shows us Lincoln as a youth, his struggle for cduca- " tion, his genius for distinguishing right from wrong, his determination'in warring " against injustice, and evil wherever lie ' found it, and, last but not least, his capacity for' true devotion to the .woman "- he loved... ■■The heroine, whose grand- • father was one of those who signed the Declaration of Independence, has. a rare j charm'of''manner, and although lier and ' Lincoln's romanco was doomed to be ! broken by.. a cruel, fate, there • can bo little doubt that she exercised no small 1 influence for good in the devoloprjent of 1 her lover's character. The story has its ' weaknesses—as indeed had Lincoln himself : —although Mrs. Babcock ignores- them— , but as'' a collection of sidelights on one ' of the greatest figures in American his- ; tpry.it is -well- worth reading. '.!'; | "A Maker of Saints." Mr., Hamilton Drumniond is by this . time'a well practised hand at semi-his-torical fictjon, and in "A . Mater of. i Saints" (Stanley, Paul and Co.), gives us a well-told story of art and life in medieval Italy, the Italy of Dante, who, by the way, appears as one of the characters in thedrama, of which the peasant sculptor Fieravanti is the hero in chief. ... -.Tliero.'is.a wealth of exciting incident ,in the-story,-,'the climax of which has a note of tragedy. A fine spirited romance, with np historical • flavour, which never savours.bf pedantic over-elaboration.