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THE LILTING HOUSE by Ruth Doan MacDougall

THE LILTING HOUSE

By

Publisher: Bobbs-Merrill

A story of growing up takes Celia Grover from the time she was eight to her senior year at college. It is a young novel in its reach for experience and of understanding. The author is more conscientious in her duty to detail than conscious of the need for energy or plot. Celia's conception of life turns a good deal about her friend Fish, who first comes into her life as an upstairs boarder. The stresses of her marriage to Johnny, (his interests are not up to those of Fish, who shares her love of poetry with Celia) give Celia cause to ponder the ways of love. ""You can't judge the imperfection of this life by the perfection of piece of art, ""Fish tells her, and with the momentous discoveries that adults question and grope too, that ""all you do is follow the path,"" Celia is ready to accept the prosaic devotion of Paul. The perspective here is more suitable to young adults.