“It has for background the social life of Rome which he depicts so well, and deals chiefly with the character—or rather conscience—of Maria Montalto, which is sustained through many years and various crises by religious conviction, causing her to expiate her sin at some length, in fact from cover to cover. Expiations and religious scruples at such length might easily become irritating, but here the author has shown his skill by making Maria’s struggles not only far from wearisome but so far interesting that the reader is pleased to leave her in the last pages still a sensible woman, who believes in the reward of virtue.”—Acad.
“The story is told well and smoothly, though without the deeply studied and vividly rendered psychology for which the characters give plenty of opportunity, so that they lack in some measure the vitality which such studies demand.”
+ – Acad. 71: 398. O. 20, ’06. 220w.
“Maria ... fails to be as convincing as some of the slighter characters who are depicted with more of Mr. Crawford’s usual vitality.”
+ – Ath. 1906, 2: 577. N. 10. 190w.
“It belongs distinctly in the first rank of Mr. Crawford’s novels ... even if it does not attain the standard set by the Saracinesca trilogy.” Frederic Taber Cooper.
+ + Bookm. 24: 388. D. ’06. 780w. + – Lond. Times. 5: 360. O. 26, ’06. 420w. + Nation. 83: 417. N. 15, ’06. 260w. + N. Y. Times. 11: 861. D. 8, ’06. 620w.
“Mr. Crawford’s usual freshness of invention seems to have deserted him in this story; but he is so skillful and thoroughly trained a novelist that he never fails to interest his readers. This story, however, cannot be ranked with his very successful ventures in fiction.”
+ – Outlook. 84: 712. N. 24, ’06. 200w.