Fiction
Sunset Over France. By Stephen Lister. (Peter Davies. 8s. 6d.) IF for the constant novel-reader there is now nothing new under sun, and one week's library list has become indistinguishable fro the next, perhaps, by very reason of his addiction, he has o himself to blame ; for it is possible that the exercise of selecti abstention on his part might help him to develop a palate, taste—might even change a passive habit into an active pleas But if there must be a new fiction, good or bad, to turn to for hour or so after the nine o'clock news, then there is much to be s for the informative type of novel which can bring home to us, eff tively and more or less truthfully, the characters and customs remote peoples and places.
The writings of Mrs. Buck have given many westerners a so sympathetic acquaintance with rural and humble Chinese li Hitherto I confess I have been defeated by this novelist ; a page two of her quasi-Biblical style and I have simply been too bored go on. But Dragon Seed—an off-putting title by the way—is abo the coming of the Japanese invasion to the country about Nan in 1937, and the story is carried forward to the autumn of 1941; is a steady, unflinching narration of tragedy, with nothing burked courage or doubt or stoicism or demoralisation. It makes top: reading, in fact, and is very much to the point for everyone. plot is centred in the household of a farmer called Ling Tan, a lives in patriarchal simplicity with his wife, sons, daughters grandchildren, tilling and loving the land of his fathers. We shown what le war does to the possessions, hopes and charact of all these people and some others. Mrs. Buck is nowhere sen tional, but she is quite ruthless in showing us what the unprepar common people of China had to endure from their conquerors, deeply acquainted with the nation she writes of, she is able to let share their fears and weaknesses as well as their extraordin oignity and courage. She uses humour tactfully also, and wri with a pleasant, naturalistic tenderness of marital love and domes life.
Mr. Robert Payne also writes of the Chinese. His is a chroni novel, running from 1909 to 1941. It deals with the fortunes of family of the rich merchant class, and in particular narrates life of one of them, Ti—afterwards called by the family name Cheong—from babyhood to middle age. Ti is born in the provi of Hunan, but when he is six his family transfers itself to Singa and grows rich there in the timber trade. He grows up rat cloudily among a great many erratically sketched characters. author has an untidy, over-worded manner and leaves many 1 ends to his too many themes, but the interest of the book is in pictures of Chinese family life and the details we gather of rich complicated traditions. Also we get a vivid impression of Sin pore and various strata of its life -and some interesting chap! about the building of the ill-starred Naval Base. Through mat of attractive detail we follow, somewhat languorously, the anon° growth and anxieties of Cheong, his love affair with a charm maidservant in the house, his correct marriage, his ove for children and for his cultured old grandfather. And at last, as knew he would, he is forced by news of war and of new runes go back to China. We leave him, ecstatic and emotional, but honourable and brave, preparing to lead a guerilla attack on Japanese from the once happy valley of his own childhood. SunsetOver France can also claim to be a bit in the news, 5 it is a rather naive illustration of the corruption of Frenclunen, high places, and tells a boyish tale of smuggling and treachery 21 the Riviera during 194o. Those who feel. lonely for the Corn' and the Littorale may derive some pleasure from the setting
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