Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (1936, 302 pages)

Jamaica Inn is the third novel by Daphne du Maurier (1907 to 1989-UK) that I have read and posted on this year.   Rebecca, by far her most famous work, was my first du Maurier.    Everyone seems to really like it and I did for sure.   It kept my attention to the end.      The consensus second best of her novels seemed to be My Cousin Rachael so I read it next.     I liked it also though I found the lead male character very irritating at times. I began to do a bit of research to find a 3rd novel.    There seemed no real consensus as to what a 3rd best du Maurier novel might be.    The choices seemed to be either Frenchman's Creek or  Jamaica Inn.    I decided to read Jamaica Inn as I wanted to read another tale set in Cornwall, England  where the author spent much of her life.     

I found Jamaica Inn to keep my interest and to be an exciting read.   As the story begins young Mary is going to live in the Jamaica Inn with her aunt and uncle as her own mother has recently passed away.    The inn has a sinister reputation in the area.    Her aunt, a once beautiful and vibrant woman has shrunk to a poor shadow of her old self.      Her uncle is a brutish thug of the worst sort.    Mary knows something very evil is going on at the Inn but she at first does not know what it is.    

One of the best things I liked about Jamaica Inn was the use of the landscape of the moors in the story.    A moor is a marshland subject to flooding which has many bogs which can drown those not familiar with the area.    In the time of the story, the moors would have been completely pitch black at night.    I also liked getting a look at the poor side of Cornwall, the world outside the mansions.

I did not find the characters as well developed in this story as in the other two books by her I read.   I did not find the primary love story real credible and it seemed almost that du Maurier just added it as she knew her readers at the time would expect a love story.     It also seemed to be almost a Gothic overkill at times.   There is a movie based on the novel.

This is my last post I think for the Daphne du Maurier Reading Challenge which I thank Chrisbookarama for hosting.       To me this was a fun challenge as it introduced me to a new to me writer.    She may not be a Bronte but she kept my attention and parts of her prose are really well done.

I would endorse her books to any one who enjoys a good story well told.      

Du Maurier is a GLBT author.    

If anyone has any suggestions for a 4th of her novels, please leave a comment.

Mel u

"My Cousin Rachel" by Daphne du Maurier

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier (1951, 335 pages)

I wish to thank Jov  of Bibliojunkie for her great kindness in sending me this book.   

My Cousin Rachel is the second work of Daphne du Maurier (1907 to 1981-UK) that I have read.   My first of her works  was Rebecca, her consensus best work.    Like Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel centers on a  sinister seeming woman who uses her wiles to deceive a wealthy but naive man into endowing her with wealth.   Both of the women have nefarious men in their pasts who intrude into the future.    

I do not wish to give away much at all of the plot of My Cousin Rachel.   I loved the way du Maurier created the almost misogynistic atmosphere in the opening chapters of the book.   Much of the book is beautifully written and there are some simply stunning sentences and turns of phrases.     The lead male character, Philip was brought up by his  wealthy bachelor uncle after his parents die.   Uncle Ambrose, in his forties as the story begins, seems never to have had any but limited social contact with women.    His nephew, in his early twenties also has had no contact with women other than social relations of a very proper sort.    He does say at one point that he is not moved by the idea of any other sort of relationships with women.    There is a great affection and bond between Ambrose and his ward and nephew Philip.    The story is set on  a stately mansion, just like Rebecca is,  on the coast  in England.      

At every turn as the plot advanced I knew something terrible was going to eventually happen.    I was sucked into the plot lines so well I was shocked by the ending.    At  the end I could see how everything was tied together though I was left with some unanswered question, not a bad thing in itself.

I did at times have trouble understanding why Rachel was so attractive to both Ambrose and Philip and I think this is not really well conveyed in the book.    Maybe we are just meant to accept that they are and use our imagination to figure out why.    I admit as I was reading  I became very impatient with what seemed like the incredible naivety of the lead male character, twenty four year old Philip.

I enjoyed My Cousin Rachel a lot.     If  you are new to du Maurier as I am, then read Rebecca first.   If you really like that a lot then I would say My Cousin Rachel would also be something you would enjoy.   

It seems that du Maurier's early works (pre-1952 or so) are considered her best work.   I would like to read one more of her novels soon and would appreciate any suggestions as to my next read.    I read her The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte in early 2008.     

Mel u

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (1938, 386 pages)

Rebecca is the first book by Daphne Du Maurier (1907 to 1989-London) I have now had the extreme pleasure of reading.   I was sucked into the world of Manderley (the English estate where the novel is set) from the very start.     I loved the prose style much more than I thought I would.    I was kept completely in suspense as one shocking mystery after another was revealed.    Some of the characters at first seemed not totally developed but I think maybe that is because Du Maurier is so subtle in how she does things.    I do not want to give away any of the plot of this wonderful book.   Even though it has sold millions of copies and been translated into 25 languages there are still millions of people who have not yet read it and I hate spoilers in posts myself.     The story is told from the point of view of the second wife of Mr Maxim de Winter, his first wife being the deceased Rebecca.

I would have liked to know more about Rebecca and her secret life, I admit.    It seemed strange at first how everyone smoked but this is a product of the time of the novel (1938).    Some will find the portrayal of a mentally handicapped character infelicitous.   I have not yet seen the Alfred Hitchcock movie based on this book but I could visualize it making a great movie with panoramic shots of the estate and the sea coast  and close ups of the marvelously evil Rebecca.        I found the scenes where the second wife of the husband of Rebecca (the narrator of the story) first came to live at the estate to be really well done.   The novel had a very Gothic feel to it with evil servants, mysterious pasts, sea fogs and people who are not quite who they seem to be.    


Du Maurier wrote over 30 novels.   Rebecca is the most highly regarded one, it seems.     The action of the book is easy to follow.   The style is good old fashioned story telling.   The quality of the prose is good, in places really good and in places seems like it was written in a hurry (she did write a novel a year).    I liked this book a really lot and endorse it for anyone who likes a good mystery centering on interesting people.    It is not a heavy intellectual book and it does not break new literary grounds.   It entertained me, drew me into its world and made  me sorry when it was over and some of the prose was wonderfully done.    I enjoyed all of the minor characters and I was never able to second guess her plot developments.  


Du Maurier came from an interesting literary family.   Her father was a novelist and a Punch cartoonist.   


I am participating in two reading challenges for which this book can be counted.


The Daphne Du Maurier Challenge hosted by Books-a-Rama


The 1930's Challenge hosted by Things Mean a Lot


I want to read at least two more books by Du Maurier soon and would appreciate any suggestions.   


Mel u