▁the ▁book ▁were ▁C athol ics , ▁who ▁found ▁the ▁book ▁to ▁be ▁off ensive ▁in ▁many ▁ways , ▁not ▁least ▁in ▁being ▁an ▁apparent ▁attempt ▁to ▁cond one ▁ad ul tery ▁and ▁il leg it im acy . ▁ ▁The ▁novel ▁was ▁received ▁poor ly ▁by ▁the ▁critics . ▁The ▁Nation ▁called ▁it ▁an ▁' abs urd ▁book '; ▁' the ▁sort ▁of ▁sens ational ▁medi ocr ity ▁which ▁is ▁bound ▁to ▁appeal ▁to ▁the ▁vul gar .' ▁The ▁Out look ▁spoke ▁of ▁how ▁in ▁the ▁novel ▁' mel od ram atic ▁situations ▁and ▁t urg id ▁r het or ic ▁are ▁the ▁rule '; ▁' the ▁mixture ▁of ▁sentiment , ▁high - flow n ▁language , ▁and ▁unnecess arily ▁bold ▁discussion ▁of ▁the ▁marriage ▁relation ▁makes ▁reading ▁disag ree able ▁and ▁ted ious .' ▁However , ▁some ▁positive ▁reviews ▁were ▁received , ▁such ▁as ▁in ▁The ▁Liter ary ▁Dig est , ▁whose ▁review ▁began : ▁ ▁For ▁intensity ▁of ▁em otion , ▁detailed ▁analysis ▁of ▁psych ological ▁conditions , ▁and ▁passion ate ▁human ▁experiences , ▁the ▁reader ▁will ▁find ▁all ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁desired ▁from ▁the ▁pen ▁of ▁Hall ▁Ca ine . ▁Each ▁page ▁is ▁thro bb ing ▁with ▁em otion , ▁usually ▁in ▁the ▁super l ative ▁degree . ▁ ▁However , ▁despite ▁the ▁pre domin antly ▁negative ▁critical ▁reception , ▁and ▁in ▁part ▁thanks ▁to ▁the ▁fur ore ▁surrounding ▁the ▁book , ▁The ▁Woman ▁Th ou ▁G av est ▁Me ▁became ▁the ▁sevent h ▁best - s elling ▁novel