.Redlands; or, Home Temper. By Harriette Bowra. 2 vols. (Hodder
and Stoughton.)—It is no fault of ours if we have to repeat ad nauseant the same criticism. As long as authors or publishers—for where the fault lies is more than we can say—will spread the matter of a single volume over two or three, we must continue to remonstrate. Miss Bowra contents herselfait is true, with two volumes; but then they are very good measure indeed, and hold at least as much as three of the ordinary kind. There is really very little in the book beyond the fact that a young woman gets into great trouble through her temper, and ultimately gets out of it. And Miss Bowra, though she writes pleasantly and makes her people talk in a natural, easy way, has not quite the skill to spin a great work out of these scanty materials. Still, when we have said that the book occupies about double the space which should have been assigned, we have no further fault to find. It is quite readable, and of the best tone, and not without a fair show of literary skill. To anyone who wants a " serious " tale that is not too serious we can recommend Home Temper.
Previous page
