THE FAIR BRIDE

by Bruce Marshall ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 10, 1953

The dullest book Bruce Marshall has published. Even his most ardent admirers will find this story of a Spanish priest whose fears and doubts come to a head during the Civil War pretty prosy reading. The days in 1936 were desperate ones for the Church, and Father Arturo, the chaplain, was not in sympathy with the determination of his Bishop to impose on him the transporation to safety of the relic of St. John's finger. His doubts of its validity -- his fears of the Communist rabble- made him a poor messenger and his mission failed. After a series of escapes, arrests, involvement in street riots, shifting the relic from one to another, Father Arturo turns it over to the dancer whom he refuses to violate- and is forced into a succession of marches and countermarches under Communist changes of front. The story comes full circle; the Franco forces are in the ascendant- with the relic in their hands- and Father Arturo is reconverted to the Church. But there's a lot of confusion and a lot of talk on route.

Pub Date: March 10, 1953

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton, Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1953

Categories: FICTION