THE SECRET GLORY

This strange little book depicts the ghastly utilitarian world of the pompous, ostentatiously Christian public school, obsessed with team spirit and spiced with sadism, and contrasts it with true spirituality, exemplified by the voices of nature and the survival of ancient traditions in the obscure hill of Wales. The school boy Andrew finds himself intensely drawn toward the old traditions, and we follow him on his journey toward a spiritual coming of age. The ending of the book comes suddenly, with a hint of ritual sacrifice, and, although this suddenness may intensify the narrative's power, it also mars its completeness. Nonetheless, although it never quite equals The Hill of Dreams, it is still a worthy companion to that great work, for it is written in Machen's finest style. (Goodreads)