human
Via Crucis,
gpt
Saracinesca,
human
Marion Crawford's latest story, 'In the Palace of the King,' is quite up to the level of his best works for cleverness, grace of style, and sustained interest. It is, besides, to some extent a historical story, the scene being the royal palace at Madrid, and the author drawing the characters of Philip II. and Don John of Austria with an attempt, in a broad, impressionist way, at historic faithfulness. His reproduction of the life at the Spanish court is as brilliant and picturesque as any of his Italian scenes, and in minute study of detail is, in a real and valuable sense, true history.
gpt
Mr. Crawford has taken a love story of vital interest and has related the web of facts simply, swiftly, and with moderation ... a story as brilliant as it is romantic in its setting. Here his genius for story telling is seen at its best.
human
For sustained intensity and graphic description Marion Crawford's new novel is inapproachable in the field of recent fiction.
gpt
Don John of Austria's secret marriage with the daughter of one of King Philip's officers is the culminating point of this story.... An assassination, a near approach to a palace revolution, a great scandal, and some very pretty love-making, besides much planning and plotting, take place.
human
Mr. Crawford wastes no time in trying to re-create history, but puts his reader into the midst of those bygone scenes and makes him live in them.... In scenes of stirring dramatic intensity.... It all seems intensely real so long as one is under the novelist's spell.
gpt
No man lives who can endow a love tale with a rarer charm than Crawford.
human
No book of the season has been more eagerly anticipated, and none has given more complete satisfaction ... a drama of marvellous power and exceptional brilliancy, forceful and striking ... holding the reader's interest spell-bound from the first page of the story to the last, reached all too soon.
gpt
The Forest Lovers,
human
Little Novels of Italy,
gpt
The hero of Mr. Hewlett's latest novel is Richard Coeur de Lion, whose character is peculiarly suited to the author's style. It is on a much wider plan than 'The Forest Lovers,' and while not historical in the sense of attempting to follow events with utmost exactness, it will be found to give an accurate portrayal of the life of the day, such as might well be expected from the author's previous work. There is a varied and brilliant background, the scene shifting from France to England, and also to Palestine. In a picturesque way, and a way that compels the sympathies of his readers, Mr. Hewlett reads into the heart of King Richard Coeur de Lion, showing how he was torn by two natures and how the title 'Yea and Nay' was peculiarly significant of his character.
human
The tale by itself is marvellously told; full of luminous poetry; intensely human in its passion; its style, forceful and picturesque; its background, a picture of beauty and mysterious loveliness; the whole, radiant with the very spirit of romanticism as lofty in tone and as serious in purpose as an epic poem. It is a book that stands head and shoulders above the common herd of novels--the work of a master hand.
gpt
Mr. Hewlett has done one of the most notable things in recent literature, a thing to talk about with abated breath, as a bit of master-craftsmanship touched by the splendid dignity of real creation.