Title: Moral Disorder by Margaret Atwood
Genre: Short stories
Rating: 9/10
Comments: Both a collection of short stories and a complete novel in itself, Moral Disorder is a collection of vinaigrettes from the life of Nell, a Canadian woman who, like Atwood, was born in the 1930s. The stories are mixed up in time - the first is set when she is an elderly woman,the last when she is the middle-age carer of her own mother suffering dementia, and in between we get a peek into her love life, houses and relationship she has with her much younger sister.
Compelling, funny and poignant, Margaret Atwood's light touch conceals a much deeper commentary on the universal experiences of many women.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Castle Dor by Sir Arthur Qulller-Couch and Daphne du Maurier - Book 73, 2009
Title: Castle Dor by Sir Arthur Qulller-Couch and Daphne du Maurier
Genre: Historical romance
Rating: 7.5/10
Comments: Begun by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and completed by Daphne du Maurier, Castle Dor is a retelling of the legend of Tristan and Iseult, set in 19th century Cornwell. Linnet, the young wife of a much older wealthy tavern owner has a chance encounter with a mistreated sailor Amyot and the pair throw caution to the wind, drawn together as if by a mystical force from a former time.
While it is impossible to identify the exact point where du Maurier took over the writing, there is no doubt that the second half is far more readable and faster moving than the first and made me wish she had written the entire book. An interesting twist on an old legend.
Genre: Historical romance
Rating: 7.5/10
Comments: Begun by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and completed by Daphne du Maurier, Castle Dor is a retelling of the legend of Tristan and Iseult, set in 19th century Cornwell. Linnet, the young wife of a much older wealthy tavern owner has a chance encounter with a mistreated sailor Amyot and the pair throw caution to the wind, drawn together as if by a mystical force from a former time.
While it is impossible to identify the exact point where du Maurier took over the writing, there is no doubt that the second half is far more readable and faster moving than the first and made me wish she had written the entire book. An interesting twist on an old legend.
Monday, 23 November 2009
I'll Never Be Young Again by Daphne du Maurier - Book 72, 2009
Title: I'll Never Be Young Again by Daphne du Maurier
Genre: coming-of-age novel
Rating: 7/10
Comments: Daphne du Maurier's second novel is written in the voice of Dick, the only son of a famous but cold father, who at the age of 21 is determined to kill himself until caught by Jake, a slightly older man who has just come out of prison for killing a former friend. The pair immediately bond and form an unlikely friendship and begin the ultimate road trip, finding passage as sailors on a boat to Scandinavia and travelling across the Swedish mountains on horseback.
While the book is very well-written, Dick is ultimately a self-absorbed and unlikable character with no real redeeming qualities. It is difficult to understand why Jake, who has the maturity and wisdom that come with the passing years, puts up with him. When Dick moves onto Paris and begins a self-absorbed love affair with a talented musical student, he demonstrates all the selfishness and faults of Jake's former friend.
While I'll Never Be Young Again is a fantastic example of the technical skill and quality of Daphne du Maurier's writing even at a very young age (she was only 23 when she penned this book), I found the storyline and main character too unlikable to fully enjoy this book.
Genre: coming-of-age novel
Rating: 7/10
Comments: Daphne du Maurier's second novel is written in the voice of Dick, the only son of a famous but cold father, who at the age of 21 is determined to kill himself until caught by Jake, a slightly older man who has just come out of prison for killing a former friend. The pair immediately bond and form an unlikely friendship and begin the ultimate road trip, finding passage as sailors on a boat to Scandinavia and travelling across the Swedish mountains on horseback.
While the book is very well-written, Dick is ultimately a self-absorbed and unlikable character with no real redeeming qualities. It is difficult to understand why Jake, who has the maturity and wisdom that come with the passing years, puts up with him. When Dick moves onto Paris and begins a self-absorbed love affair with a talented musical student, he demonstrates all the selfishness and faults of Jake's former friend.
While I'll Never Be Young Again is a fantastic example of the technical skill and quality of Daphne du Maurier's writing even at a very young age (she was only 23 when she penned this book), I found the storyline and main character too unlikable to fully enjoy this book.
The King's General by Daphne du Maurier - Book 71, 2009
Title: The King's General by Daphne du Maurier
Genre: Historical romance
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Passionate, proud, arrogant, selfish and cruel, Richard Greville, a brilliant soldier, is his own worst enemy. His story, narrated by his one-time fiancé Honor Harris - a spirited and intelligent woman who is crippled in a freak accident the day before their planned wedding, takes place during the time of the English Civil War (1642-1646). Honor remains devoted to Richard despite clearly seeing his many faults - but refuses to marry him, while Richard maintains his passion for her mind and body, brushing aside the reality of her damaged legs with all the brusqueness and self-absorption he demonstrates towards anything he doesn't see as relevent. Richard creates havoc with - but also pays a heavy price for - his arrogance and lack of empathy for others. The King's General is not just a a work of historical fiction but brutally and accurately portrays the heavy cost on individuals and families of a senseless war. It was inspired by the history of the house where Daphne du Maurier was living at the time of writing.
Genre: Historical romance
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Passionate, proud, arrogant, selfish and cruel, Richard Greville, a brilliant soldier, is his own worst enemy. His story, narrated by his one-time fiancé Honor Harris - a spirited and intelligent woman who is crippled in a freak accident the day before their planned wedding, takes place during the time of the English Civil War (1642-1646). Honor remains devoted to Richard despite clearly seeing his many faults - but refuses to marry him, while Richard maintains his passion for her mind and body, brushing aside the reality of her damaged legs with all the brusqueness and self-absorption he demonstrates towards anything he doesn't see as relevent. Richard creates havoc with - but also pays a heavy price for - his arrogance and lack of empathy for others. The King's General is not just a a work of historical fiction but brutally and accurately portrays the heavy cost on individuals and families of a senseless war. It was inspired by the history of the house where Daphne du Maurier was living at the time of writing.
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Neverland: J.M. Barrie, the du Mauriers, and the Dark Side of Peter Pan by Piers Dudgeon - Book 70, 2009
Title: Neverland: J.M. Barrie, the du Mauriers, and the Dark Side of Peter Pan by Piers Dudgeon
Genre: Biography
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Once you read this book, you will never be able to see Peter Pan in the same way again. Few people realise that the initial story was much darker and definitely not for children. Subtitled "The Boy Who Hated Mothers", the original demon-child Peter Pan spirited children away in the night and changed sides in the fight with the pirates of Neverland. But somehow it evolved into a much lighter child-friendly pantomime when staged and this is the story we all know and love today.
I'm going to put in links to some very good articles about this book because it is way too complex to cover in a mere plot summary.
Genre: Biography
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Once you read this book, you will never be able to see Peter Pan in the same way again. Few people realise that the initial story was much darker and definitely not for children. Subtitled "The Boy Who Hated Mothers", the original demon-child Peter Pan spirited children away in the night and changed sides in the fight with the pirates of Neverland. But somehow it evolved into a much lighter child-friendly pantomime when staged and this is the story we all know and love today.
I'm going to put in links to some very good articles about this book because it is way too complex to cover in a mere plot summary.
An obsessive stalker, an impotent husband, a lover of young boys... to some, the creator of 'Peter Pan' was an evil genius; to others, a misunderstood ingenue.
Justine Picardie, The Telegraph, 13 July 2008
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/donotmigrate/3556421/How-bad-was-J.M.-Barrie.html
Piers Dudgeon definitely falls in the "evil genius" camp, seizing on a poignant phrase by writer DH Lawrence who upon hearing of one of Barrie's charges' deaths: "J. M Barrie has a fatal touch for those he loves. They die."
Warped since childhood following the death of his favoured brother (that he may or may not have been involved in) & rejection by his mother, J.M. Barrie was by all accounts an unusual and lonely hero-worshipper who created a fantasy life for himself and sought the company of children over adults. According to Dudgeon he had a malevolent impact on those he encountered, leaving behind a trail of depression, defeat and death.
Dudgeon holds morally Barrie responsible for the early death and suicides of four of the five "lost boys" he befriended and informally adopted following the deaths of their parents Sylvia (nee du Maurier) & Arthur Llewellyn Davies; the disastrous second expedition of explorer Robert F Scott to the Antarctic and Daphne du Maurier's breakdowns. His claim is that Barrie used mesmeric techniques to live vicariously through others, dragging them in the process into his shadowy dreamworld. He suggests that Barrie deliberately wrote a play that led actor Gerald du Maurier to commit incest with his daughter, warping both their lives forevermore. In fact he finds a malevolent Barrie link with nearly everyone Barrie encountered.
It is hard to believe that anyone could be as black as Dudgeon paints Barrie, but his obsessive research does indicate that Barrie's life was far from the innocent charm of a Disneyfied Peter Pan.
For Starters, a Satanic Svengali
Wikipedia
Piers Dudgeon definitely falls in the "evil genius" camp, seizing on a poignant phrase by writer DH Lawrence who upon hearing of one of Barrie's charges' deaths: "J. M Barrie has a fatal touch for those he loves. They die."
Warped since childhood following the death of his favoured brother (that he may or may not have been involved in) & rejection by his mother, J.M. Barrie was by all accounts an unusual and lonely hero-worshipper who created a fantasy life for himself and sought the company of children over adults. According to Dudgeon he had a malevolent impact on those he encountered, leaving behind a trail of depression, defeat and death.
Dudgeon holds morally Barrie responsible for the early death and suicides of four of the five "lost boys" he befriended and informally adopted following the deaths of their parents Sylvia (nee du Maurier) & Arthur Llewellyn Davies; the disastrous second expedition of explorer Robert F Scott to the Antarctic and Daphne du Maurier's breakdowns. His claim is that Barrie used mesmeric techniques to live vicariously through others, dragging them in the process into his shadowy dreamworld. He suggests that Barrie deliberately wrote a play that led actor Gerald du Maurier to commit incest with his daughter, warping both their lives forevermore. In fact he finds a malevolent Barrie link with nearly everyone Barrie encountered.
It is hard to believe that anyone could be as black as Dudgeon paints Barrie, but his obsessive research does indicate that Barrie's life was far from the innocent charm of a Disneyfied Peter Pan.
For Starters, a Satanic Svengali
Wikipedia
Monday, 19 October 2009
False Prophet by Faye Kellerman - Book 69, 2009
Title: False Prophet by Faye Kellerman
Genre: Detective
Rating: 6.5/10
Plot summery: Lilah Brecht, the daughter of a famous actress is assaulted and raped while her mother's jewels and some important papers are stolen from her safe. She clings to Decker in a way that makes both Peter and Rina uneasy. As he delves into Lilah's life, Peter discovers a complex and dysfunctional pattern of behaviour between Lilah's mother and her children. Revelation follows revelation until Peter and his partner Marge finally put all of the pieces together.
Comments: A compelling page-turner somewhat ruined by a less-than satisfactory ending.
Genre: Detective
Rating: 6.5/10
Plot summery: Lilah Brecht, the daughter of a famous actress is assaulted and raped while her mother's jewels and some important papers are stolen from her safe. She clings to Decker in a way that makes both Peter and Rina uneasy. As he delves into Lilah's life, Peter discovers a complex and dysfunctional pattern of behaviour between Lilah's mother and her children. Revelation follows revelation until Peter and his partner Marge finally put all of the pieces together.
Comments: A compelling page-turner somewhat ruined by a less-than satisfactory ending.
The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman - Book 68, 2009
Title: The Mercedes Coffin by Faye Kellerman
Genre: Detective
Rating: 7/10
Plot summary: Peter Decker is asked to investigate a fifteen year old murder that is now a cold case, that of a very popular guidance counsellor from a Los Angeles school who was found in the trunk of his Mercedes shot in the back of the head execution style. Interest in the case has been raised because someone else has been murdered in the same fashion and found in the trunk of their Mercedes.
Comments: An enjoyable but ultimately forgettable read.
Genre: Detective
Rating: 7/10
Plot summary: Peter Decker is asked to investigate a fifteen year old murder that is now a cold case, that of a very popular guidance counsellor from a Los Angeles school who was found in the trunk of his Mercedes shot in the back of the head execution style. Interest in the case has been raised because someone else has been murdered in the same fashion and found in the trunk of their Mercedes.
Comments: An enjoyable but ultimately forgettable read.
Sunday, 11 October 2009
The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier - Book 67, 2009
Title: The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier
Genre: Science Fiction, historical, literature
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Possibly my favourite Daphne du Marier novel. Dick Young is staying at a holiday home owned by a friend who is also a biochemical researcher. He agrees to take an experimental drug developed by his friend and find it takes his mind - but not his body - 600 years into the past where he witnesses intrigue, adultery and murder. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the characters from the past and resents the time he must spend in the present world. Despite evidence of the dangers to his present day body and relationships, he can't resist taking just one more trip into the past.
Genre: Science Fiction, historical, literature
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Possibly my favourite Daphne du Marier novel. Dick Young is staying at a holiday home owned by a friend who is also a biochemical researcher. He agrees to take an experimental drug developed by his friend and find it takes his mind - but not his body - 600 years into the past where he witnesses intrigue, adultery and murder. He becomes increasingly obsessed with the characters from the past and resents the time he must spend in the present world. Despite evidence of the dangers to his present day body and relationships, he can't resist taking just one more trip into the past.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier: Book 66. 2009
Title: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Genre: suspense, literature
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Daphne du Maurier's most famous book, Rebecca is told through the eyes of the young second wife of Maxim de Winter. Previously an unworldly companion, she is intimidated by Maxim's house, servants, friends and, most of all, his first wife Rebecca, a beautiful, charming, talented woman who had died, apparently in a boating accident.
Genre: suspense, literature
Rating: 10/10
Comments: Daphne du Maurier's most famous book, Rebecca is told through the eyes of the young second wife of Maxim de Winter. Previously an unworldly companion, she is intimidated by Maxim's house, servants, friends and, most of all, his first wife Rebecca, a beautiful, charming, talented woman who had died, apparently in a boating accident.
Daphne du Maurier by Margaret Forster: book 65, 2009
Title: Daphne du Maurier by Margaret Forster
Genre: Biography
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Margaret Forster's well-researched biography comprehensively and sensitively attempts to portray the enigma of author Daphne du Maurier. The daughter of a renowned actor and theatre-manager and grand-daughter of a famous illustrator and novelist, Daphne inherits her forebears artistic talents but not their sociable nature. From an early age she prefers living on her own in a remote corner of Cornwell rather than partying with the debutantes of her day. Her first novel was inspired as much by finances as artistic talent - although her parents would always provide her with an allowance, her own income allowed her to live how and where she wanted. Yet she never defined herself a feminist. A passionate, prickly and troubled soul, Daphne spent her life confused by her bisexual feelings and need for solitude. Nonetheless she married and had a family but sadly continued her forebears tradition of favouring her son over her two daughters. Her talent and generosity, however, were renowned and she contributed almost as much to the preservation of her corner of Cornwell as to English literature.
Genre: Biography
Rating: 8/10
Comments: Margaret Forster's well-researched biography comprehensively and sensitively attempts to portray the enigma of author Daphne du Maurier. The daughter of a renowned actor and theatre-manager and grand-daughter of a famous illustrator and novelist, Daphne inherits her forebears artistic talents but not their sociable nature. From an early age she prefers living on her own in a remote corner of Cornwell rather than partying with the debutantes of her day. Her first novel was inspired as much by finances as artistic talent - although her parents would always provide her with an allowance, her own income allowed her to live how and where she wanted. Yet she never defined herself a feminist. A passionate, prickly and troubled soul, Daphne spent her life confused by her bisexual feelings and need for solitude. Nonetheless she married and had a family but sadly continued her forebears tradition of favouring her son over her two daughters. Her talent and generosity, however, were renowned and she contributed almost as much to the preservation of her corner of Cornwell as to English literature.
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