THE COBWEB

An intense first novel grapples with some major motives- love and self-love, patronage and power, responsibility and guilt, through the personnel at a small clinic for nervous disorders in Nebraska. There, Stewart McIver, the new Assistant Director, contributes some more forceful guidance since liquor has loosened the control of Devereux, the Director. It is a small matter, a question of new draperies, which accentuates and accelerates the schism between McIver, Meg Rinehart- the psychotherapist with whom he falls in love, and the old order. The draperies- which are to be a patients' project — are used by Karen McIver as a means to go behind her husband's back- and over his head- with Devereux; Steve Holt, McIver's patient, feels betrayed, escapes, and is thought to have suicided; McIver's marriage is broken- but not his determination, and he asserts his authority over Devereux- over Karen- and makes the choice to throw in his life with Meg at the sacrifice of the children he loves.... The personal and professional issues here are handled with more virility than subtlety- and this is a drama which externalizes rather than suggests its points of discord and decision. The publishers promise strong support but conservatives may wish to exercise restraint.