Mary up at Gaffries. By S. C. Nethersole. (Mills and
Boon- 6s.)—The reader who is endowed with patience will find this a very charming novel. The beginning is not particularly attractive, but the moment the Mary of the title grows up the book improves. The plot is more concerned with the development of character than with a series of dramatic events, and the real charm of the story is the account of the quiet country life at the old-fashioned farm of Gaffries. „The fault of the story is that the hero, who rejoices in the ridiculous name of Olinthus, would not have been likely to give up his lady love to his deformed brother when she had just declared her love for him. The episode seems unnecessary, although it provides the brother with an almost equal opportunity of self-sacrifice. Mary herself is a delightful person, and the reader who follows her story through the whole volume will feel quite affectionate towards her by the time he turns the last page. No one who is in search of sensational events and adventures should read this novel; but by those people who want a quiet account of country doings it will be found very restful and quite sufficiently entertaining.
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