The Awakening of Helena Richie. By Margaret Deland. (Harper and
Brothers. 6s.)—Readers who are fond of Mrs. Deland's books will be glad to meet with "Dr. Lavender" once more in her new novel. He performs for Mrs. Deland's characters the part of the Chorus in a Greek tragedy, though it must be confessed that he has far more influence on their conduct than the Chorus usually exerts. Mrs. Deland's present book is not, and is not intended to be, altogether pleasant reading. It is the story of the reclaiming of a woman who has recon- ciled her conscience to .seeking happiness in her own way. Helena Riehie's gradual understanding of the fact that sins ,against the marriage law are sins against the whole community is drawn with a delicate analysis which makes her ultimate "awakening" inevitable in the eyes of the reader. The figure of David, the little boy whom Mrs. Richie adopts, is quite charming, and it is very difficult to read without emotion the account of the dawning conviction in Helena's mind that she is not a fit person to bring up the child. Dr. Lavender, as usual, is the god from the machine, and the reader will heave a sigh of relief when David is restored to his adopted mother. , Although the character-drawing in this book is not so impressive as in Mrs. Deland's other old Chester stories, it yet contains some vigorous portraits. The old man, Benjamin Wright, and his son and grandson are finely given, but Helena, Dr. Lavender, and the child really dominate the book. Except for the pictures, the reader would imagine the date of tho story to be the present day, though the illustrations- record the costumes of the "fifties" and " sixties " ; but why this should be so it is not easy to see. Helena is an attractive figure, weak and selfish as she is at the beginning of the book. Readers of Mrs. Deland's novel will hardly require the assurance that the writing is full of charm and distinction.
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