'The opening book deals with life in Nice amongst the fishermen, and the reader is taken to the court of Louis XIV of France, and afterwards to England in the time of Charles II. The characters stand out in a life-like manner, and the grim life on the boats of the pirates in the Mediterranean is depicted in a manner which holds the reader's attention. The descriptive writing is a masterpiece, particularly the portion descriptive of the destruction of the 'red fleet.' The underworld of Paris and the part played by Monsieur le Rat is a vivid bit of writing that haunts the reader.'
Source:
'Review', Illawarra Mercury, 13 July 1934, p.10.
