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[The Yellow Wave] [a review of the novel by Kenneth Mackay, 24 December 1895]

4 August 2022 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This review of The Yellow Wave (by Kenneth Mackay) is an extract from the “Book Notices” section published in The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW), 24 December 1895.]

[The Yellow Wave]

Mr. Kenneth Mackay, M.L.A., has written “The Yellow Wave.” It is readable; and more than that, although a novel, it is instructive.

Mr. Mackay may not be right in all his anticipations, which are ever liable to be upset by quantities not now apparent, the time being half a century ahead; but that he has chosen a great subject for his drama, and that this continent is specially interested in the relations of the yellow man to the Caucasian, there is not likely to be much conflict of opinion.

The story of the disappointed love of the Australian-born Russian, the deep devotion of Heather Cameron, the heroine of the story, the power of mesmerism or hypnotism over some sensitive characters, the pourtrayal of various phases of Australian life, the Australian in war, the effect of disciplined troops upon chivalrous but undisciplined men, are all well done. Some of the passages are worthy of almost any writer, and we wish Mr. Mackay good fortune in his venture.

The book is well got up by Bentley, and capitally illustrated by Frank Mahony. We can recommend it to our readers.



Source:
The Australian Star (Sydney, NSW), 24 December 1895, p. 2

Editor’s notes:
Frank Mahony = Francis (Frank) Mahony (1862-1916), an Australian artist; he was born in Melbourne in 1862, and died in Kensington (London, England) in 1916
See: 1) B. G. Andrews, “Mahony, Francis (Frank) (1862–1916)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography
2) “Frank P. Mahony”, Wikipedia

M.L.A. = Member of the Legislative Assembly

pourtrayal = an archaic spelling of “portrayal”

[Editor: The original text has been separated into paragraphs.]

Filed Under: articles Tagged With: 500x500, book review, Kenneth Mackay (subject) (1859-1935), SourceTrove, year1895

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