MARIANA

There is a particularly timely value to this, for it is a story of the Aland Islands -- in times of peace, to be sure, but with so vivid a picture of the people and the life that no longer are those much discussed islands mere places on the map. The story has more actual plot, more conflict than its predecessor, Katrina, but one cannot care for Mariana in the same way, nor feel the sense of power and strength that made Katrina a memorable figure. Mariana is the somewhat spoiled younger daughter of a farm family; she manages to escape the brunt of the work, she is on intimate terms with the island squire's family, she marries the man of her choice and almost wrecks their marriage -- but she finds herself in time to save ultimate disaster. Sally Salminen, remember, is the girl who wrote a prize-winner on her time off, on scratch pads, while holding down a job as a domestic servant. She went back to her native country, and has written this second book on the scene of the story.