The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-05-01
.eVERENA IN THE MIDsTn

By F. V. Lucas. George H. Doran Com
 pany. Publishers. New York City.
 "A Kind of a Story" this ingenious subtitle with which MT. Lucas launches his first book of fiction since The Yer million Box, rather prepares us for the novelty of a story told entirely in let ters. Not word of direct description, and yet after the first few pages you know all the various and assorted char acters of this romance so well that you pick them out crowded street. The romance centers around Verena Raby. temporarily an invalid and the lovers, friends and otherwise who seek to en- certain, amuse or use her and who re- veal themselves, their lives and Verena's own in their letters. Chief among them is Richard Haven of "The Nermilion Box memory, such amusing things as he thinks of among them a collection of epitaph poems for Verena to go to sleep by The charming Irish reader, the mpecunious relatives, the very different nieces and Nicholas Devose, traveller and artist and the scent of old romance re- leased like the scent of sweet lavender in his letters. A book of charming whimscality, no loud mirth but smile and a chuckle on every page-typical Lucas humor, Aside from the story the letters all dated in the past year, give a very interesting picture of life in England after the war as 1t is seen by many different kinds of people The Beguiler or the Invalid's Friend" Ve- renas young niece's contribution. is a gem of juvenile composition, irresistably amusing.
 Mir LucaSs most recent book of eS- says Adventures and Enthusiasms' was published in September. His novels in clude, "The Vermilion Box Over Bemerton's," etc. He is at present con- tributing a weekly London letter to the Evening Post literary supplement- He is associate editor of London Punch and the author of many books of travel
 THE LITTLE WARRIOR'
 By Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
 George H. Doran Company, Publish
 CTS, New York City.
 Once more Mr. Wodehouse spins a tale of delicious humor, romance and fantastic adventure-the story of pretty Jill, who runs away from the unhappi- ness of her life in England to make her way on the American stage, the inimi- table Freddie. who blunders through life with the happy insouciance of child and the devotion of knight errant of romance. Derel and his ap- palling Mamma. a host of the whimsi- cal, delightful folk that MT. Wode- house knows so well and draws so charmingly
 The Chicago Tribune says: "P. G.. Wodehouse has that delicate quality of insouciance that was the charm of Os- car Wilde. Added to that he has the genius for complicated situations in his plots. And they are all so frittering and foolish and wholly amusing. never find a Wodehouse book dull. either printed or sung or spoken. That same quickness of repartee that makes his musical comedies certain hits makes his stories best sellers
 THE CAPTIvEs''
 By Hugh Walpole. George H. Doran
 Company. Publishers. New York City.
 Mir. Walpoe tells us that for him this is one of the most absorbing stories that he nas ever undertaken. It will remind many of "Fortitude;' much of the same impressive beauty, touched with greater maturity of outlook, and the di- vine quality of laughter. 'The Cap lives is the story of Maggie Cardinals $ life and her love for Martin Wariock- The scene is England, remote Glebshire, the seashore and London. Spiritually speaking. the background is the emo tional atmosphere of curious religious sect which for Maggie Cardinal was per sonified in her Aunt Ann and for Martin Warlock in his father, the prophet Of Kingscote Brethren. Maggie Cardinals s charm is not at all that of a superfi- cially interesting character of book you just want to hug her to your heart Her strength and fineness, tho youth and sincerity of her, so wholly unduled by conventional education and the gloss of little social amenities, shine out of her plain face. Then there is her love for Martin. so touchingly sin,- pie. strong, and unquestioning and Mar tin rough. savage. tender his sensitive soul tortured with self fear. his love of his father to which he could not yield.
 Maggie Cardinal, fresh from soli- tary life in the country, goes to live with her aunts in rather terrifying house in London. She finds herself un- able to submit and yet subtly bound to the emotional religious atmosphere with which they are, surrounded. She rebels and becomes engaged to Martin Warlock Old MT. Warlock dies, Martin believ- ing himself responsible. filings off in de- spair to his old life of wild adventur- ing. Maggie is befriended by Katherine Trenchard (of f~"The Green Mirror') who contrives her marriage with a good-na- tured. stubborn clergyman of the Church of England. There are two stiffling years in a little watering place, perse- cution by jealous sister-in-law. and then Martin returns. Maggies dogged