Daphne Du Maurier - can you recommend?
missmaisie
Posts: 170 Forum Member
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I have read a couple of Daphne Du Maurier's books (Jamaica Inn and Rebecca), and much enjoyed them. Over the weekend I managed to pick up a lovely hardback set of 12 for only ten quid 
I am not familiar with most of them though, and wondered if anyone can recommend a title from my list to kick off with ...
Mary Anne
The King's General
The House on the Strand
The Glass-Blowers
My Cousin Rachel
The Parasites
Hungry Hill
The Flight of the Falcon
Frenchman's Creek
The Scapegoat
Cheers
I am not familiar with most of them though, and wondered if anyone can recommend a title from my list to kick off with ...
Mary Anne
The King's General
The House on the Strand
The Glass-Blowers
My Cousin Rachel
The Parasites
Hungry Hill
The Flight of the Falcon
Frenchman's Creek
The Scapegoat
Cheers
0
Comments
Flight of the Falcon is EXCELLENT - very tense and exciting (I thought) and keeps you page turning to find out what the hell is going on and how on EARTH it could end. I could not put it down.
The Glass Blowers is more of a family saga during the French Revolution. I found it really interesting, but I do already know a little bit about the French Revolution. There were quite a lot of characters to get to know, but once you've got your head round those, I found it really enjoyable.
Looks like I have got myself a real little treasure chest
The only thing I was annoyed with was the copy I read second time round (Virago edition) had an intro explaining all the undercurrents and background of the story - this was the attitude of teachers at school who told you what to think before you read something.
She's done at least one book of short stories, all brilliant.
If you like them, try and find Somerset Maugham's books of short stories - he's out of fashion at the moment, and they are possibly a bit dated, but a damn good read.
I've got a collection of short stories by Du Maurier which are excellent. They include The Birds and Don't Look Now which were both made into films but are both just short stories. All the stories in the collection are absolute gems. Its called 'Classics of the Macabre' and is well named.
Good writer.
I had a book with Don't Look Now in it, but not The Birds, so must have been a different collection
Don't Look Now scared me a bit though, I wouldn't read it at night if you're a scaredy cat like me :eek::o
Yes, I agree, Don't Look Now is very atmospheric and a bit spooky.
Did your collection have the story in about the woman who gets her eyes operated on and then starts seeing everyone with animal's heads? Its called Blue Lenses, great story, very clever and imaginative.