One of Us. By Ossip Schubin. Translated by Harriett F.
Powell. (David Stott.)—There is plot and good material enough
in this novel to make its numerous shortcomings disappointing.
It reads like the work of a young author whose fund of ideas both as to character and incident is far in excess of her power of
grouping and sense of proportion. The scene is laid in Rome, and the story is meant to set forth the prejudices of social rank in the little colony of Austrian society there, prejudices which have the effect of blighting the happiness of the heroine, and, through her, of costing her brother his life. In the course of the novel we are introduced to a number of personages who seem to have very little to do with the working out of the plot, and we are told an in- finity of useless little details about them ; while the principal actors are only emphasised by a little more detail of description, and are completely wanting in life and reality. With abundant opportunity for good situations, the author, beyond some descriptions which are not wanting in beauty, hurries us through the events of the story as if her one object was to tell it quickly, taking care to leave out nothing, with the inevitable result that when we arrive at the end, we ask ourselves if it was worth while losing our breath to reach it. There are some amusing incidents, which are often told with originality and vigour, but they tend to nothing; while the, main thread of the story is followed up with a dryness and a suc- cinctness which makes a task of mastering what might have been a readable tale. The style, too, is jerky and uncomfortable. How far this is owing generally, as it undoubtedly is in some particular places, to the translator, we have not the means before us of. judging. While acknowledging that this novel has merits, we are doubtful whether the English reading world has gained muth by the translation before us.
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