Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-03-26

Meylan The Bobbs- Merrill company
Indianapolis.
For solid grasp Of the facts OF actual
| life and their portrayal at once faithful
| ana inspiring, this Is incomparaDlN the
most full-blooded and vigorous work of
fiction published In a long time.
As are many other great novels, this
| is primarily the story Of one mans life.
A life fun OF trouble and acquainted
with grief. yet knowing good deeds and
buuuly CONSCIOUS Always lhdt some
where the stars are shining. IL is "a full
life, too. and therefore many men ana
women circle about II. or cross its pain,
influencing and being Influenced; lead
ing or beng led; giving or taking, as
In the real human comedy. The read
er's itcrest is seized at the very out
set OF the story and not released until
he has paid the toll OF the last WORD,
and yet the intention Of the plot is dis
closed with great elaboration. The au-
thor has invited the reader to take
long journey with him, and SO makes
generous preparation at the outset.
This Is as IL should be. II Is artistic,
II creates a feeling OF confidence, OF
sureness; 1t gives a sense OF size ana
dignity But only the few among the
many who write can, apparently, make
these elaborate preparations and make
them at the same time interesting.
I
few. Once the preparations are COM
pleted and the journey begun, the read
or finds himself not an onloOker, but
one Of the travellers, sharing the COM
forts and discomforts the joys and sor-
rows OF his imaginary companions; lm-
aginary yet so real that tor the hour
they assume a living shape and are
more actual than the familiars OF our
daily life From this one the way Is
clearly marked. the plot unfolds itself
with skilful assurance. though II is
more a plot Of character than of incl
dent. There are incidents, inevitable
and in plenty but IL is the effect Of in
cidcnt on character that interests US,
rather than the incident itself
The story plot grows and develops as
the characters grow and develop. IL Is
all logical, and natural and Inevitable
The climax Is reached, not by fnai
bound, but by "a pyramiding of trresisti
Bile events until there is no escaping the
apex During this construction there
are many dramatic moments, many
stirring scenes; over against which are
quiet hours OF the silence OF the night.
Through them all. and by virtue of
them. the story marches to It's upltft-
ing and most satisfying C4d. The
book is in no way didactic, though IT
Is written for a purpose, though IT
breaches a sermon, though IL points
anew the ancient warning that the
wages OF sin is death. and reviVcs
again the blessed promise that he that
is steadfast to the end shall be saved
The Beauty" by Mrs. Wilson Wood
row, author Of The Silver Butterfly
illustrated by VIII Crete. The Eobbs-
Merrill company, Indianapolis
The striking things about this story
are the two main ideas that II exploits.
The utter disgust OF a woman who Is
nj lAT trff hfa at
titude OF all the world toward her as
beauty. merely; and then the tiresome-
ness OF gratifying ones tastes. ones
whims even. without the slightest f
fort This pretty woman had both eX
periences, and, being woman of
brain. she found them both wearisome.
She did not, which Is another striking
thing about the story in these days OF
the passionate and the untrammeled
In literature. find her salvation in
Illicit love; but. after a period OF re-
bellion and OF freedom, came back 20
an appreciation Of the value OF her
natural relations This action OF hers
is striking In modern literature, i'm life
II is what nIne-tenths of the women
who have waves ~ dissatisfaction
doubtless do So. while the story is I'm
that sense commonplace, IL is so far
from the usual treatment by the novel;
list as 10 seem exceedingly original.
The author throws all her forces in
to the development OF the plot ana the
side. Of dccency She does not make us
like the artist With an his destinations,
with all his fame and with all his self
pity. SO much as NE do the husband
who Is a mere millionaire. with but 1T
tie that Is romantic about him. and
with scarcely any power OF expression.
There Is considerable quiet humor dis
played In the contrast drawn between
these two men, as there Is throughout
the book Indeed all the characters are
carefully done, and the llSenesses OF
them are vital and vivid Every per
son In the book Is likable too. which
counts for much In the pleasure with
which one reads a. The heroine Is
charming always. The author Is evil
IDENTIFY familiar with good society. and
does not find Il all House Of Mirthish
either which Is pleasant and doubles
also true. In short. The Beauty" is
entertaining. clean. wise and clever
a pretty and penetrating study Of one
phase OF feminine unrest II adds ma
terially to Mrs. Wilson Woodrows al
ready we'll established reputation as a
delightful story teller