Evening star., 1934-01-21

knowledge
neSc scene about which she writes is so thor
ough that every detail enhances the vigor and
style lies in its perfect simplicity its chronicle
quality. perhaps partly derived from her study
of the Chinese classics.
YOUTH CAN'T BE SERVED. By Norah Hoult.
New York: Harper g. Bros.
a FIER two years of living entirely to HIM
self, IN London and elsewhere, Ronald
Boyce at %, decides that getting bit more
sense" is a slow and painful process and that it
is all nonsense about youth must be served
and that stuff. Slow going" Independence,
without money, a brilliant mind. a pro-
fesson of any distinction, had certainly been
SLOW going" for Ronald since the Sunday eve
ming when he decided that he could stand his
parents dull suburban home in Melton
longer and forthwith departed and acquired
"dggings' Of his own in London. The dig
gingS" turned out to be an lll-ktpt. not over
clean room in a rooming house in Pinllico. The
independence consisted of muddle of Com
muniSm and women The BOyCeS are not in
any way unusual family. They are not in
teresting even to themselves, they all dis
contented and they all have their longings for
what they think life ought to bring them. Mr..
Boyce making a limited but fairly adequate in
come and providing a reasonably good home for
his family. thinks life should have given him
more warmth and appreciation. Mrs. Boyce
wishes she had husband with whom She
could talk things over instead of one who is
always either indifferent or sarcastic, and chill
dren who were grateful for all she has done
for them. Eileen wants to get away from home,
thinks she wants a job, but really wants love.
Jean is the only who is smugly satisfied
she has succeeded in becoming engaged to a
commonplace but devoted young man of the
village, tries to be a bit modern but asks only
to be married and to settle down dOmeSticity
as soon as possible.
When the Boyces are introduced at tea on a
huShed Sunday afternoon, their tempers are
all near the breaking point. They feel that
something simply must happen. Ronald starts
things by announcing his intention leave
home A few days later Eileen eXtOrtS from her
father money enough for brief course in a
London dramatic school. Jean rebels at the
approaching family holiday and goes off alone
with her Francis in his car for two weeks. Mr.
Boyce. bored by the nuisances which are his
children and by his wife's critical attitude
kisses the maid, whereupon Mrs. Boyce takes
the first bus to London and registers at the
Strand Castle Hotel. What follows in the lives
of the BoyceS is the story Of Youth Can't Be
Served The epilogue shows the family to-
gether again at Melton, two years later Jean
is married and as SNUG as ever Mr.. and Mrs
B0yce have rediSc0vered what once interested
them in each other-in fact, have become some-
thing of a Darby and Joan couple. Ronald
and Eileen, after treadlng very close to the
brink of dangerous places, are somewhat sober
ed, but are still unhappiy cropping for some
thing which shall make life worth while Norah
Hout author of Poor Women Closing
Hour" and Apartments to Let" has remark
able insight into the minds of all ages, and
comprehension of the antagonisms which may
become so acute between the sexes between
parents and children, and between sisters. In
this novel she has made study of all these
antagonsms against background Of English
middle class suburban life