The New York herald., 1922-03-12
pANNA GoDDEN. BY Sheila Kaye
Smith. E. r. Dutton & Co.

"HEIsE are writers who are
like a tree-an oak deep
rooted in its soil. drawing
from it all the Life and sustenance
and beauty it requires for its nobIs
spread OF boughs and green canopy
OF leaves. Here is no need of wan
derins. no necessity to seek strange
men and customs. Here is the heart
OF life. and it is enough.
Sheila Kaye-Smith is such a
writer, and the books she gives US
are sound and fine. fit fruit to spring
from steadfast growth. They have
the breath of the land In them, the
truth Of life deeply felt and inti-
mately known. the beauty that is
born OF such a source. Her men
and women are true creations OF the
imagination. living an actual life
within the scope OF the story. and
going on into your own life. to be-
come a part of your experience.
She is a remarkable writer and the
five books to her credit are distinct
addition to the novels OF our genera
ton This latest OF the number,
Joanna Godden." Is the best where
all are good. AS the author goes on
in her art she loses a certain stiff
ness Of style and she plunges more
deeply into the fuInan heart. while
her humor grows more luminous,
shining through the whole work as
a yelled lamp glows softly in q room.
Illuminating everything but not
sharply defined in any one spot.
There is a ripeness about Joanna
Golden" which the earlier books have
not quito attained.
The story is OF a woman's middle
years. from twenty-odd to near forty.
and Of the farm she owns and man.
ages and the folk round about il.
It tells OF her first love and it's tragic
outcome. II tells OF her last love
and what came of that And in the
telling Of these it puts before you a
whole community, a countryside and
method OF life and manner of
thought.
You grow to love Joanna deeply
before the story ends. She Is crea-
ture full Of faults. quick tempered.
rather bumptious. sure of herself,
overbearing in getting her own way.
She irritates you enormously at
times. you know that She could en-
rage YOU But you would love her
through Ii all Martin Trevor.
thinking her over. beginning to like
her. told himself that she was good,
common stuff. She was like some
sterling homespun piece. strong and
sweet Smeiling-she was like q plot
Of the marsh earth. soft and rich
and alive. lie had forgotten her
barbaTic tendency. the eccentricity of
looks and conduct which had at first
repelled him-that aspect had melted
in the unsuspected warmth and soft
ness ne had found in her. He had
been mistaken as to her sexlessness
she was alive all through She
was stiIl far removed from his type.
but her fundamental simplicity had
brought her nearer to it. =
TAN was Joanna and strong. with
a golden warm glow to her. color in
her cheeks and warm blue eyes.
When her father died--and II Is his
funeral ~e meet as We ofeu the book
She decided that she would herself
carry on the farm he had left her.
one of the finest in the fiat marsh
country. Little Ansdore. with 500
acres Of pasture dappied over with
big Kent sheep. Great indeed Is
tho disapprovaI OF the neighbors. No
xoman'S work was this. AMI the
prophecies OF disaster were frequent
and hopeful She'd be forever med
ding with the strange notions she
had. and what man would work for
her7
NEEDLE she does. and fight shs
does. and fail she does not. She
makes her mistakes. And they arr
the mistakes Of a woman she
keeps on a locker" as they cal
the shepherd In the marsh country