New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14
The Modern World Sim Fem Romance
Symposium of Expert A Human Story of an Age
Opinion Long Feud

CONQUEST. BY Gerald O'Donovan. Pub
lished by C. P. Putnams Sons. 81
HOLITICAL novels are always sub
ject to the suspicion Of propa-
ganda. They also, as do histori-
cal novels, labor under the difficulty o.
being required to serve two masters
Some of the most successful have
frankly been propaganda, and have
depended for success upon the popu-
larity OF the causes which they
espoused. Others, also successful, have
made politics incidental to romance
In the present case Mr.. O'Donovan has
boldly striven to serve the two mas
ters with equal fidelity, and to write
novel that is worth while simply as a
novel, a romance, q love story, and
that is also worth while as a portrayal
of conditions in Ireland and Of the
doings in that country during the Home
Rule campaign from Parnell to Red
mond, and the Ulster Covenant and the
Sim Fem uprsings, eliminating in
the Easter revolution.
In this ambitious attempt he has
succeeded to gratifying degree. Had
the scene been laid in some imaginary
land, and all the political plots and
counterplots been based upon sheer in
veAtion, it would be a charming love
story, and fascinating character
study. The principal actors, particu-
larly the women, are very much alive.
They act and talk as real people, and
are subject to the motives which COM
mon mortals know. There is a suf-
dciency of action, and perhaps an
suftciency Of conversation. 1t is
good art to make the characters rclat,
the occurrences of the drama, but
there should be a limit to their talk.
Mr. O'Donovan has them relate whole
chapters Of ancient history, not always
pertinent or at any rate, essential 10
the narrative, and tending to rctard
the action Of his drama. That is. how
ever, g minor fault. Generally his con-
yersation is illuminating, instinct with
fine humor that lghtens the gloom Of
lreland's tragedy and notably sponta-
neous and natural in tone The vari-
Gus characters are distinctly and con
sistcntly developed, and are invested
with strong appeal to human sympa-
thy.
Irish or Anglo-Irish politics are 50
often tingcd with violent passions that
novel dealing with them might be ex-
pected to be intensely partisan. But
this one is not. There is no mistakiny
the authors sympathy with Home Rule
ana his condemnation Of the misgov-
eminent Of which Ireland has so long
been the victim. But there is a fine
spirit Of tolerance running through it
all, with capacity for seeing with
equal clcarncss all sides OF even the
most vcxatiously complicated question.
With the exception of few cxtrem-
lists on both or all three sides, nobody
VIII take exception to the authors por-
trayals. The Sim F6incrs arc not all
midnight marauders and murdcrcrs.
the BLACK and Tans" are not all guilty
Of massacre, the Ulster Covcnantcrs
arc no. criminals per Sc Militant rep
resentat'vcs Of all parties meet, dino
together, and discuss the isucs Of tho
day with good hunor and nmicablc
philosophy. The Englishman who reads
the book Will have a more complete
and more favorable opinion of Ireland
than he had before, and the Irish Re
publican VINO reads it will be more in
clined TO believe in the justice which
the English people cherish in their
hearts and which they sincerely desire
TO exercise toward Ireland.