Daphne: A Novel
Daphne: A Novel by Justine Picardie
Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA;(August 4, 2009)
ISBN-10: 1596913401
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From Booklist
Literary allusions, references, and mysteries pile up in this book-lover’s dream of a novel inside a biography, inside a novel, inside a biography. Three, or maybe more, stories intersect and inform each other. The first is a biography of writer Daphne du Maurier in the 1950s as she struggles with family ghosts and writing a biography of Branwell Brontë, the long-neglected brother of the Bronte sisters. Years later, a nameless, orphaned graduate student, clearly meant to echo the narrator of du Maurier’s Rebecca, follows du Maurier’s work, to the distaste of the student’s older husband and the fascination of his beautiful ex-wife. Also in the middle of this is the du Maurier family’s relationship with J. M. Barrie and the Lleweyn Davies family of Peter Pan fame, as well as a possible literary forgery involving the Brontës. Exposition of all the relevant novel plots and literary relations slows down the beginning of the book. However, like a du Maurier novel, mystery and gothic plotting make the remainder of the novel a page-turner. A novel for anyone who loves novels
Well, I guess that without realizing it I do like books with some mystery in them that have names that are familiar to me. In this case Daphne du Maurier.
The story is fiction. Most of the people and places are real, along with some historical facts, which makes the story very interesting.
Many references are made to Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel throughout the book, and I would say that you’d enjoy the book more if you had read them ..at least Rebecca, or seen the movie and so knew the story.
I think it takes a special talent to use real people and places and put them into a tale of fiction and make it read as if it were all true. I think that Ms Picardie has done just that.. and done it very well indeed.
Although the book was not some fast paced adventure that wouldn’t let you put the book down it was a book held my interest, and in so doing I found it calling to me each time I sat in the chair next to it.
There are other books which have held my interest (Drood) in such a way as this one did and I find there are just enough truths in them to make you wonder which things are NOT the truth?
If I may quote a Star Trek actor about how I feel for this book: “Fascinating”.
I think if Daphne du Maurier and the Bronte family are of interest to you I would say you’d enjoy this book.
posted by DesLily | 1:40 PM
8 Comments:
Sounds like a good read! I still need to read Drood, it's one that I think I would really love.
I read something about this book some time ago--I cannot remember what the reviewer said, BUT, I do remember feeling that using real people in a fictional setting is a rather confusing thing to do. One wonders how many people just decide that it is 'the truth', though it is listed as a novel. I think it is pretty ballsy of the writer to do this and I'm not sure I think it is a good thing. I know, these days, it seems to be done, more and more by writers.....I can certainly see the appeal of doing that, but I'm not sure that it is really fair thing to do.
Becky: I loved Drood!! and I have to say this book was done very well and I liked it alot.
Naomi: I seem to really like the books that use people you know.. I loved Drood and that was fiction about Wilke Collins and Charles Dickens..all the Oscar Wilde murders I am reading now are fiction and mention Conan Doyle in them too and I really enjoy them..and I totally enjoyed this one.. you are right, if done well you come out wondering what parts were true and what were not... but that's what makes me then read more about those people!!
Glad you loved this one so much, Pat. I plan to read it at some stage but I take note of what you say about Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel and will read those first. Can't remember if I've ever read Rebecca, lol. Seen the movie obviously.
If you're interested in Daphne there's a *lovely* little autobiography by her called 'Myself When Young' about her childhood and how her family discovered Cornwall. Keep an eye out in your secondhand bookstore, you might just get lucky.
cath: if you saw the movie, you know the story that's all you really need.. my cousin rachel, well there isn't a "lot" of reference to it.. you'd be ok if you saw Rebecca though. Hmmm, I'll keep an eye out on the Daphne autobiography..lord knows my tbr is up to 145 now!
I so agree with you! It has to be hard to write a novel based on fact. Think I need to bump this one up on the TBR shelf now!! You know…you mentioned Drood…I've been DYING to read one of Dan Simmons novels but the sheer length of them scares the crap out of me, lol. That's the only reason I haven't read any of them yet!!
chris I guess I like books like this.. Drood, as you know, I loved. I really enjoyed this one too..the oscar wilde murders I'm reading I am enjoying (not as much as those two books but still enjoying them) because I know who oscar wilde is and conan doyle and others of that period of time get mentioned. The ya books that have nicholas flamel (by michael scott) in I totally enjoy also, so I think some of the appeal is already knowing the names..but many do this and only a few "do it right" ..so right you tend to think it's real..that's good writing!
I read this book a few months ago and enjoyed it! I had read Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel last year so the connections between those books and this novel were apparent to me. I am glad I gave it a read!
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