THE SULLEN BELL
Sir,-Mr. David Hall’s review of Dan Davin’s The Sullen Bell strives to be fair, but unconcealed irritation clouds for once his judgment. To damn the novel because "no religion is mentioned" is naive, and ignores the author’s compassionate insight into the troubled lives of a group of New Zealanders in a real situation (not "a goldfish bowl’). Mr. Hall’s chatter about "goodies" and "bad New Zealanders" is childish. Most of the characters are a subtle blend of good and bad qualities, manners and humours. Of course they are not all lovable, But then Mr. Davin is not a sentimentalist.
JOHN
MILLER
(Wellington)
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19560921.2.12.6
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 894, 21 September 1956, Page 5
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105THE SULLEN BELL New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 894, 21 September 1956, Page 5
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