Warwick Deeping seems to have a style all his own. His prose is very deliberate; in other words, allow yourself time to linger on passages. He builds up a rich inner life for his characters. This book took me a while to finish, but in no way was it dull.
Benjamin Heriot is released after a couple years in prison. Full of self-loathing, he wonders if his life is even worthwhile. Eventually he buys an isolated, wooded piece of land and begins to build himself a cabin. He's seeking satisfaction in life the only way he can think of: hard work, and keeping a judicious distance from society. The hard work part is a success. The antisocial bit, not so much. It's impossible to avoid comradeship with a few of his neighbors. It proves equally impossible to avoid strife, with one neighbor in particular. Throw in a bit of British-Roman amateur archaeology and you have the story. Everything in this story lives and breathes; it's enjoyable reading. ( )