The Loving Spirit

by Daphne du Maurier, Alix d'Unienville (Traducteur)

Born in turn of the century Cornwall, Janet Coombe longs to share in the excitement of to travel, to have adventures, to know freedom. But constrained by the times, she marries her cousin Thomas, a boat builder, and settles down to raise a family. Janet's loving spirit -- her passionate yearning for adventure and love -- is passed down to her son, and through him to his children's children. As generations of the family struggle against hardship and loss, their intricately plotted history is set against the greater backdrop of war and social change in Britain. Her debut novel, The Loving Spirit established du Maurier's reputation and style with an inimitable blend of romance, history and adventure. "Daphne du Maurier has no equal."-Sunday Telegraph

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Romance, Historical, Gothic, British Literature

466 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1931

About the author

Daphne du Maurier was born on 13 May 1907 at 24 Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, London, the middle of three daughters of prominent actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and actress Muriel, née Beaumont. In many ways her life resembles a fairy tale. Born into a family with a rich artistic and historical background, her paternal grandfather was author and Punch cartoonist George du Maurier, who created the character of Svengali in the 1894 novel Trilby, and her mother was a maternal niece of journalist, author, and lecturer Comyns Beaumont. She and her sisters were indulged as a children and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental restraint. Her elder sister, Angela du Maurier, also became a writer, and her younger sister Jeanne was a painter.

She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories. Her family connections helped her establish her literary career, and she published some of her early work in Beaumont's Bystander magazine. A prestigious publishing house accepted her first novel when she was in her early twenties, and its publication brought her not only fame but the attentions of a handsome soldier, Major (later Lieutenant-General Sir) Frederick Browning, whom she married.

She continued writing under her maiden name, and her subsequent novels became bestsellers, earning her enormous wealth and fame. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn, and the short stories The Birds and Don't Look Now/Not After Midnight. While Alfred Hitchcock's films based upon her novels proceeded to make her one of the best-known authors in the world, she enjoyed the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called Menabilly, which served as the model for Manderley in Rebecca.

Daphne du Maurier was obsessed with the past. She intensively researched the lives of Francis and Anthony Bacon, the history of Cornwall, the Regency period, and nineteenth-century France and England. Above all, however, she was obsessed with her own family history, which she chronicled in Gerald: A Portrait, a biography of her father; The du Mauriers, a study of her family which focused on her grandfather, George du Maurier, the novelist and illustrator for Punch; The Glassblowers, a novel based upon the lives of her du Maurier ancestors; and Growing Pains, an autobiography that ignores nearly 50 years of her life in favour of the joyful and more romantic period of her youth. Daphne du Maurier can best be understood in terms of her remarkable and paradoxical family, the ghosts which haunted her life and fiction.

While contemporary writers were dealing critically with such subjects as the war, alienation, religion, poverty, Marxism, psychology and art, and experimenting with new techniques such as the stream of consciousness, du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.

In some of her novels, however, she went beyond the technique of the formulaic romance to achieve a powerful psychological realism reflecting her intense feelings about her father, and to a lesser degree, her mother. This vision, which underlies Julius, Rebecca and The Parasites, is that of an author overwhelmed by the memory of her father's commanding presence. In Julius and The Parasites, for example, she introduces the image of a domineering but deadly father and the daring subject of incest.

In Rebecca, on the other hand, du Maurier fuses psychological realism with a sophisticated version of the Cinderella story.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't realise when I ordered this, but this was Du Maurier's very first novel, which was first published in 1931. This was my sixth novel of Du Maurier's, and even though I must declare that Rebecca is my favourite, this particular novel comes in at a very close second.

I was captivated by this book, and that encouraged me to do some additional research about it, and I discovered that Du Maurier started writing this book in 1929, in a holiday home called Ferryside, in Bodinnick, Cornwall. It is a beautiful home, set on the banks of the river, which I'm sure was on sale a few years ago. It stirs excitement within me to know that this is where Du Maurier sat, and penned down her very first novel;



It feels almost ironic that The Loving Spirit is indeed set on the coasts of Cornwall, as that is also a place that I love to spend time at. It has been a few years, but this book has given me the reminder and incentive to return.

This year, I've read a couple of family saga's which in short, ended disastrously, and also, after reading a couple of terribly negative reviews on here about this book, I wasn't expecting a lot. Well, I'm kind of glad I didn't expect much, as this was entirely captivating, and yet again, Du Maurier hasn't disappointed me.

I was thrilled reading the introduction to discover that this book was inspired by Emily Brontë, and actually, 'The Loving Spirit' is from one of Brontë's notable poems. Throughout the book are gorgeous snippets of Brontë's poetry, which I obviously appreciated no end, because I love Brontë's works.

As for the story, I can honestly say, Janet Coombe is one of my favourite fictional characters, mainly because she reminds me of myself, if course. She is obstinate, determined, and likeable but most of all, she wanted to break the barrier of what was expected of a woman. She was a unbreakable force, that had a solid influence on the generations of family that continued on after her departing. She grew up as a wild, and free spirit, but ended up conforming with society's expectations by marrying her cousin. She loved her family (that was obvious) and but she felt like the sea was calling her all of her life, and because that wildness within her never faltered, she felt like she needed to satisfy that calling.

There are many characters involved in this book, and usually, when an author decides to do that, the characters can get lost in plot and they end up having no real role, but with Du Maurier; you live and breathe alongside these wonderous beings. They all had their own deep complexities, along with hidden flaws that one would never had worked out before the end.

I loved all of the characters, and I enjoyed how the book travels through the generations of the Coombe family. In fact, when it was time to move on, I felt quite torn about it, because I was enjoying time with those particular characters.



The prose is eloquent and quite unlike any other I've read. Du Maurier had a great love for Cornwall and it's spectacular countryside, which is obvious when she describes it with such care and beauty. She is able to make the reader feel like you're actually there, standing upon the coastline with the wind in your hair, and the sea crashing down below.

I love the feminist tones within this, and I could resonate with each and every one of them. The breaking of the shackles that bind us as women expecting us to conform, to stay at home, cleaning, making dinner, and giving birth.

The way in which this book centres around the homely comfort of the countryside, and then there is the unknown, which is the sea, is wonderful. I believe this book is about taking that risk, and getting out of that rut.

I loved everything about this book, the setting, the writing and the inner-strength and exquisiteness of the characters. I will definitely come back to this in a few years.

[Nikola · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I came across a documentary of Daphne Du Maurier called ‘The make believe world of Daphne Du Maurier’ where she says that she always believed that she lived in a world of make believe. To her, Cornwall where she was born was alive with things and characters that didn’t exist. And something about the way she describes Plyn that made the magical realism seem to almost come alive for me.

Plyn doesn’t exist, but Ferryside does. Where Daphne spent her summer holidays. A place that inspired her to pen down her first novel. The loving spirit. From the very start, her love for the Cornish countryside is so apparent. Wide open spaces, the sprawling blue skies overhead, the tiny swaying sails in the distance: I could almost feel the grass bend and the stalks break under my bare feet. Such is the elegance and dexterity of her prose. And even though her voice here isn’t as refined as in her later novels, especially Rebecca, it is strong with a whiff of the greatness it will ultimately mould into.

The central point of the story is Janet Coombe: the eye of the storm, the point of origin of the centrifugal force that pulls in and binds the four generations of the ship building family of Coombe. The inspiration for this character was found in a shipwreck named Jane Slade that fascinated the young Daphne and the matriarch’s footprint can be found resonating throughout the book, even after her death. She is the loving spirit.

Janet Coombe is a young girl more fascinated with the sea than with the wordly obessions of her contemporaries and community. She is a free spirit who longs to merge her soul with the sea but ends up conforming to social designs and marries her cousin. But her spirit, reflecting the mighty waves hidden just under the surface of the calm ripples, never fades away. Even through the birth of her children, her spirit remains wild and ultimately it takes the form of her son, Joseph. Joseph embodies the spirit of Janet and being a man succumbs to his love for the uncharted waters. It is in him, that Janet finds her respite. And after her death, it is through him and the ship that she lives on. Like a benevolent ghost and a tempestuous spirit.

The brushstrokes of feminism paint deftly. From the matriarch who pines for the sea but finds the cover, the shield of being a woman in countryside Plyn invisible iron bars and heavy shackles that drag her landward, to her progeny who deftly lifts the veil to come into her own.

There is an element of duality. The land versus the sea. The old versus the new. That which is known and familiar and comfortable and binding versus the ever shifting and unreliable and the sly. The story reflects the changes in Cornwall from the arrival of the Industrial Revolution on its shores. The fear of the unknown, the need for the comfort of a familiar embrace and finally the slow and gradual shift into a new age.

“Alas-the countless links are strong
That binds us to our clay,
The loving spirit lingers long,
And would not pass away.”

[Alex.andthebooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Nie będzie to moja ulubiona książka Daphne, ale stworzyła „klamrę pokoleniową”. Nie mogę odmówić jej niewiarygodnego talentu.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

'She longed for the other one to be with her tonight, he who was part of her with his dark hair and his dark eyes so like her own'

Good grief, this is one of the most uncomfortably creepy accounts of mother love I have ever had the misfortune to read. All I could think of whilst Janet had her 'thing ' for her son was "Call the social services".

I know I sometimes used to wish my mum would have been slightly more affectionate but for Heaven's sake, control yourself madam. Very odd, very odd.

Janet Coombe's creepy adoration of her second son and his obsession with her gave this whole book a veneer of yeuch even though she was dead by page 100 and he had popped his clogs by page 195 leaving almost another 200 pages to cleanse the palate. Nevertheless I could never expunge the frankly weird relationship from my mind.

As a result, the supposed 'creation on the grand scale.....a rich vein of humour and satire, Really, please do point that out observation,Okay I can give you that one sympathy, mehhh courage,maybe, of sorts a sense of the romanticyeah but it is the wrong people being romantic with each other, I would resort to the normal 'Get a room' but in this case. horribly, I think they just might are here' would not be a quotation with which I could wholly concur.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wieder einmal eine solide Leistung von Frau Maurier. Eine opulente und großartige Familiengeschichte über vier Generationen und mehr als hundert Jahre. Sie beschreibt, wie sich eine narzisstische Kränkung eines Buben, der dann als Erwachsener richtig fies und bösartig wird, sogar noch auf die Ur-Enkel auswirkt.

Alle Figuren sind tief und sehr glaubwürdig entwickelt. Thomas Combe heiratet seine große Liebe Janet, hat Erfolg mit seiner Werft und auch in der Familie läuft alles sehr gut. Janet ist ein Freigeist und fühlt sich von den vielen Kindern und ihren Pflichten der Familie gegenüber oft überfordert. Aber sie ist eine sehr gute Mutter, wenngleich sie manchmal träumt, frei auf einem Schiff über die Meere zu segeln. Bei ihren Kindern bevorzugt sie ein bisschen ihren Lieblingssohn Joseph der so ähnlich wie sie ein Träumer ist, Hummeln im Hintern hat und auch sonst ein bisschen schwierig ist. Er braucht aber auch mehr Zuwendung, denn er hat es oft nicht leicht, seine Emotionen unter Kontrolle zu halten. Neben den anderen Kindern, die sehr gut zurecht kommen, gibt es auch noch den verschlossenen und zu Intrigen neigenden Phillip, der irgendwie der zweite Fremdkörper unter den Geschwistern ist, dem aber keiner viel Aufmerksamkeit schenkt. Weder die Mutter bemerkt, dass auch Phillip mehr Zuwendung braucht, noch die Geschwister fangen den Buben auf, da sie ihn nicht leiden können. So entwickelt Phillip aus einer narzisstischen Kränkung heraus einen regelrechten Hass auf seinen Bruder Joseph, der alle Aufmerksamkeit der Mutter auf sich zieht und nährt auch seine große Antipathie gegen seine Geschwister. Er will es allen heimzahlen.

Als Vater Thomas stirbt, reißt Phillip sich durch Tricks und Wucher die Schiffsanteile von Joseph unter den Nagel und versucht auch die Werftanteile seiner zwei Brüder zu übernehmen. Joseph treibt er durch eine Intrige zum Totschlag an seiner großen Liebe, dann lässt er seinen Bruder jahrelang in einer Irren-Anstalt verrotten, die Josph auch noch mit seinen Schiffsanteilen bezahlen muss. Als die Geschwister dahinterkommen und Joseph bei sich aufnehmen, versucht Phillip seinen Bruder wieder zu zerstören, indem er ihn durch eine Lüge von seinem Sohn Christopher entfremdet. Alle Kontaktversuche von Christopher zu seinem Vater werden vereitelt. Doch Philiips Rachefeldzug ist noch lange nicht zu Ende. Steinreich geworden, versucht er seine anderen Brüder, alle Nichten und Neffen wirtschaftlich zu zerstören. Als Christoper nach dem Tod seines Vaters zurückkehrt und in die Werft einsteigt, versetzt er dem Unternehmen seiner Familie den Todesstoß durch einen ganz fiesen Vertragsbruch - fast schon einen Betrug, den die anderen Mitglieder leider juristisch nicht nachweisen können. An diesem Tag stirbt Christoper bei einer Rettungsaktion und seine Frau und Tochter müssen komplett ruiniert aus Plyn wieder wegziehen.

Nach 20 Jahren kehrt Christophers Tochter Jennifer zurück, der alte fiese Phillip lebt noch immer, ist etwas einsam, da er von der restlichen Familie wegen all seiner Aktionen geschnitten wird. Jennifer nähert sich dem alten, einsamen Urgroßonkel an und führt ihm den Haushalt. Ein bisschen versucht sie den alten Geizhals auch zu ärgern, da sie durch den Zugriff auf die Haushaltskasse auch ein bisschen caritative Aktivitäten entwickelt, indem sie recht freizügig Spenden im Namen von Phillip verteilt. Der doch recht friedliche Anschein trügt aber. Phillips Hass auf alle Nachkommen von Joseph brennt unabänderlich in ihm und er versucht, in einem furiosen Finale Jennifer zu töten.

Fazit: Opulente großartige Geschichte gut gezeichnete Figuren und spachlich auch recht gut, manchmal könnte das Tempo im Plot ein bisschen rasanter sein. Wenn ich mir aber dann vor Augen halte, dass dies der Debütroman der Autorin ist, muss ich mich vor dieser Leistung verbeugen. Leseempfehlung! Daphne du Maurier ist immer eine gute Idee.

Nachtrag: Ach ja hab grad in ein paar anderen Rezensionen nicht von meinen Goodreads Freunden sondern von der Allgemeinen Community von disgusting und widerlicher Inzestgeschichte gelesen. Weil sich Jennifer in ihren Groß-Groß-Cousin verliebt hat. Herrschaftszeiten, kommt auf den Boden der Tatsachen! Cousins 2. und 3. Grades dürfen sogar heute ohne Probleme heiraten. Wo sollten denn in den britischen Minidörfern auf dem Land in Cornwall im Jahr 1930 die Kinder herkommen, wenn die Ehepartner überhaupt kein Fuzzelchen miteinander verwandt sein dürfen. Da sitzen die Leute in den 20er Jahren des neuen Jahrtausends in der Großstadt und mokieren sich darüber, was auch in Waldviertler oder Tiroler oder anderen österreichischen Bergdörfern zumindest bis in die 80er-Jahre aber auch noch heute manchmal Realität ist. Und ein Cousin 3. Grades ist so weit entfernt von Inzest, dass es atemberaubend ist.

So einen Fall gabs übrigens vor ein paar Jahren in einer Gentest Gruppe, dass zwei einander völlig unbekannte und auch im Prinzip verfeindete Menschen, die eine hatte palästinensische Wurzeln und der andere war Israeli, Cousin und Cousine 2. Grades waren. Jeder, der so einen Inzest Stuss von sich gibt, sollte mal bei so einem Gen-Experiment mitmachen und dann draufkommen, wo die Cousins 2. und 3. Grades von einem selbst tatsächlich auf dem Erdball sitzen. Da werden nämlich einige Bio-Deutsche und Bio-Österreicher Bauklötze staunen.

[Krysia o książkach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jak na debiut to niezwykle intrygująca historia i gdyby była wydawana teraz to uważam, że powinna mieć napis "niesamowity debiut roku".

Saga rodzinna, cztery pokolenia rodziny Coombe. Postać Janet jest wykreowana wspaniale, kobieta, która ma dobrego męża, kocha swoje życie, spełnia się w roli matki i żony, a jednak pragnie czegoś więcej, niespokojny duch daje o sobie znać. Dalej śledzimy losy jej syna i kolejnych pokoleń.

Jestem zachwycona tą lekturą, mimo że nie wszytko mi się w niej podobało. Nie wiem do końca jaki był cel, brakuje jakiejś puenty, relacja Janet z jej synem Josephem jest co najmniej dziwna, nie rozumiem też do końca motywacji Philipa.

Nie mniej uważam, że to świetna lektura, wahałam się czy nie dać pięciu gwiazdek mimo wad, bo nikt nie potrafi tak imersyjnie przedstawić i żywo odmalować wewnętrznych krajobrazów postaci jak Daphne du Maurier.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Published in 1931, The Loving Spirit is Daphne du Maurier's first novel.

Although Mrs. du Maurier is one of my favorite author's, I have to admit that this one is a bit bland.

The novel follows four generations of the Combe family, beginning with Janet and Thomas Combe, boat builders from Plyn.
They have a son named Joseph, who seems to be in love with his mother.

Joseph talking to Janet
You'll be in command an' I'll obey your wishes...The winds'll blow because of you an' the seas laugh for joy..when they see your figure at my side upon the deck, an' your hair a' tossin' out behind you like a veil, an' the stars in heaven shamed by the light o' your eyes."

🤔 This kind of description was given for a good half of the book. Joseph wasn't able to love his wife fully because she didn't compare in beauty and stature to that of his mother. What was strange is that Janet felt similarly about her son.

The Combe family, for generations, were drawn to the sea.

Do you love the sea and a ship so well? ..It's something that's stronger than myself at times.

The villain of the story is Janet's son, Phillip, who never felt that Janet loved him the way that she loved Joseph. He spent many decades in retribution, making the lives of the Combe family miserable until he meets Jennifer Combe(granddaughter of Janet), who finally gets vengeance for her family.

[Natalie Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

It pains me to admit that this was not a book I really enjoyed reading, but it is du Maurier`s first novel and she definitely got better the more books she wrote.

[T.D. Whittle · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Plot spoilers ahead*
Recently, I read this review by Mark Monday, in which he rated the writing separately from the story (and indeed even rated the writer as a person!). Since I never met Daphne du Maurier, I will refrain from rating her as a human being, but I think MM's idea of separating the quality of the writing from the story itself is useful for me in reviewing The Loving Spirit. The writing is first rate, in my opinion; even though this is her first novel, her prose flows effortlessly and her voice is as clear and confident as in her later books. As with Rebecca, The Loving Spirit's opening paragraph beckons the reader with gentle romance:

Janet Coombe stood on the hill above Plyn, looking down upon the harbour. Although the sun was already high in the heavens, the little town was still wrapped in an early morning mist. It clung to Plyn like a thin pale blanket, lending to the place a faint whisper of unreality as if the whole had been blessed by the touch of ghostly fingers. The tide was ebbing, the quiet waters escaped silently from the harbour and became one with the sea, unruffled and undisturbed. No straggling cloud, no hollow wind broke the calm beauty of the still white sky. For one instant a gull hovered in the air, stretching his wide wings to the sun, then cried suddenly and dived, losing itself in the mist below. It seemed to Janet that this hillside was her own world, a small planet of strange clarity and understanding: where all troublous thoughts and queer wonderings of the heart became soothed and at rest.

For the quality of her prose, I adore Du Maurier and always enjoy reading her. But, then there's the story itself. While I did find the book as un-put-downable as Rebecca, the story is peculiar―not in a good way― especially in first two books within the book. (The novel is divided into four books, each one telling the tale of a particular member of the Coombes family of Cornwall.) The author writes of an obsessive, mad passion between two people that reminds me of nothing so much as the destructive love of Heathcliff and Catherine in Wuthering Heights. Du Maurier herself provokes the reader's memory of this by quoting Emily Bronte's poetry at the beginning of each book; the title of the book is taken from one such poem.

The first problem is that the "loving spirit" (Janet Coombes) is not very loving. She is entirely self-absorbed and her great love affair of her heart and soul is with her own son, and he with her. It's a profound emotional incest which we are meant to understand goes beyond the here-and-now and resides in their eternal souls. It is also grotesquely incestuous in its expression, stopping short of actual sex, but including such passages as this:

"... You'd come alone, without father, without Sam or the others―you alone, for me."
"You wouldn't be sorry to be back?"
"What d'you think?"
He was silent a while, then spoke again, chewing his straw.
"I've in my mind's eye the model of my ship. I can picture the shear of her, an' the long graceful lines. Her sails spread to the wind. She'd run like a devil if I let her, laughing' with the joy of escape, but a touch of my hand an' she'd understand, obeyin' my will, recognisin' I was her master an' lovin' me for it."
He leant over and watched Janet with narrow eyes, sweeping the whole of her.
"What is it, Joseph?" she asked, conscious of his gaze.
He laughed, and spitting out his straw upon the ground, he reached for her hand.
"Women are like ships," he said.
(Book I, chapter X, p.61)

The flirting is overt and the physical eroticism between the pair as obvious as with any famous lovers. One gets the impression from the first narrative (that of Janet) that we are going to see some legacy of this forbidden mother-son rapture ... perhaps because one expects these things to go badly and because of the obvious Heathcliff and Cathy allusions. But no, the overarching narrative is about how this spirit of Janet Coombe remains earthbound (or, in this case, shipbound) beyond death, in order to watch over, guide, and protect her loved ones. Her loved ones to whom she is committed beyond the grave include only those she deemed worthy of her in life, which is those who are like herself: Joseph, her second-born son; his eldest son Christopher (to a lesser degree); Christopher's nephew Tom; and finally, Christopher's daughter Jennifer, with whose life we end the novel.

The actual presence of this "loving" spirit though is hardly noticed at all once Janet dies, so it's a bit of a weak premise to build a book around. The novel is really just a family saga spanning four generations, with only occasional episodes of the supernatural breaking through, focused on four people who share a similar spirit and a pathological obsession with their blood relative who is most similar to themselves. It could be titled Narcissists In Love but that would imply a mockery that Du Maurier never seems to adopt. The notion of love in the book is perhaps best understood if one imagines two people facing one another, holding hands, gazing into each other's eyes, and seeing themselves reflected back at them, in a flattering light. Whatever is present in the other that does not look like themselves is their blind spot. It is an adolescent's view of love, in which the other represents, in essence, a "second self"― which is precisely how Janet thinks of her son.

Emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and erotically, Janet and Joseph are a couple; Joseph goes on to have another kind of obsession with his own son Christopher that leads to a psychotic breakdown when Christopher fails to become a seaman, like himself; Christopher adores his own daughter Jennifer to distraction, and she feels the same about him. The spouses and other children are swept aside, at least emotionally.

So, you might think that all this parent-child obsessiveness would be the thing that leads to the family's downfall? Nope. What leads to their near downfall (it's not a tragedy, in the end) is the jealousy of Joseph's younger brother, Philip, who hates Joseph firstly because, well, mother Janet had been his first great love too, of course. Here's a glimpse into Philip's thoughts when he first meets his adult grand-niece, Jennifer:

There were no more years, no time, no grim and satisfying death; this was Janet herself who stood before him, Janet who flamed in the bows of her vessel, Janet as he had seen her in his dreams as a boy, Janet who had preferred Joseph to himself. (Book IV, chapter IX, p. 276.)

It seems Philip is fated to lose his women to Joseph, as Joseph later sweeps Philip's intended wife right out from under him. Philip seeks his revenge in the only way he can, by bringing financial ruin upon Joseph and his heirs.

There is never any implication in the novel that the passion between the sets of lovers is actually a huge problem that needs to be subdued rather than cultivated. At least, by the end, Jennifer has forged a genuine emotional bond with a man who is not her (now deceased) father ... Of course, he is her first cousin who reminds her of her dad, but that's some kind of progress in this family!

It's a weird book and yet, I could not stop reading it. The main characters are sometimes likeable, but often not; Jennifer rather redeems it for the rest of them. Overall, it was an exhilarating read but not at all what I expected. I thought it would be more like The House on the Strand but no; its family relationships are twisted enough to rival Faulkner. I love Faulkner, though, and Du Maurier too. This is simply not her best book.

The depth of compassion one feels reading about, say, Quentin's incestuous obsession for his sister Caddy in The Sound and the Fury, ("Did you love them Caddy did you love them? When they touched me I died.”) could never be evoked by Janet and Joseph. Caddy is a gorgeous character, as written by Faulkner and viewed through the distorted vision of her three brothers; we get the sense of her, and recognise her as a great heroine of the Southern Gothic tradition. But Janet is not a gorgeous character and not all that well realised. We are told she is beautiful and wild at heart blah blah blah ... but she's an obnoxious ass much of the time. As for the relationship, well, it's grotesque not only because they are mother and son, but because they feed this frenzy in one another. They are both kind of jerks and Joseph is capable of being much worse than a jerk, becoming something of a monster later on in the story.

Anyway, overall, I am going to cast five shiny stars into the ring for the gorgeous writing but only two for the story. I am going to read the rest of her novels that I've not yet read though, so I am assuming this is probably the worst of them.

[Laura B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my third book of Daphne du Maurier this year (and it’s only March), however it’s not near as good as My Cousin Rachel nor Rebecca. The Loving Spirit is her first novel, and it shows.

The book tells a story of four generations of a family, and is divided into four parts, one for each generation. First Janet, then her son, Joseph, then his son, Christopher, and then Christopher’s daughter, Jennifer.

The first two parts, those of Janet and Joseph were the best ones of the whole book. Part three which was of Christopher’s story was my least favorite, it just seemed to drag the story down. However, it did pick up in the fourth part, but it took halfway through Jennifer’s story in order for it to get interesting again.

The author’s intention seemed to display each character’s adventurous spirit as they go through life, having both ups and downs, trials and happy times. But the whole point of the story was lost on me; it seemed to lack any substance, and I wondered why I even bothered to read it to begin with.

I chose to read it because the premise intrigued me and absolutely loved the two I previously read. I just wished the story had a point to make, and if there was one, the dragging middle of it lost all the substance, and took away from really enjoying this novel.

Most of the characters were well written, however, Christopher’s character was my least favorite, I just didn’t understand his behavior, and attitudes regarding things, especially his greedy uncle. Christopher lacked a backbone, which is probably why I disliked him so.

I give this 3⭐⭐⭐ stars because the first half was enjoyable, as was the last few chapters of the story. However, even with all the flaws of this book, it will not be my last Daphne du Maurier book. I plan on reading others of her, because My Cousin Rachel and Rebecca were so good, and I have heard wonderful things about Jamaica Inn.

[Leo · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read quite a few books by Daphne Du Maurier and usually I enjoy them quite a lot. Like her writing stile and her way of creating a story. But this one did not work for me at all. I kept hoping that my reading experience would change as I got further in the story but unfortunately it did not. The plot nor the characters where intriguing and got tedious to read at times. It feels awful to dislike a book so much from an author I usually enjoy from but I guess I can't love/like everything. Need to do a reread a Rebecca though remember giving it 5 stars the first time I read it but it changed drastically after seeing the new movie on Netflix and didn't rate it at all. Probably time for a reread

[Jola (czytanienaplatanie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Niespokojny duch” Daphne du Maurier jest moją dwudziestą książką wydaną w zachwycającej oprawie Serii butikowej przez Wydawnictwo Albatros i ósmą powieścią Autorki, tym bardziej wyjątkową, że jest to jej debiut literacki dotychczas niepublikowany w Polsce.

I choć moją liderką pozostaje „Rebeka”, to nie wyobrażałam sobie, by nie sięgnąć po tę gratkę i nie przekonać się, czy da się wyczuć w niej ten tak charakterystyczny dla twórczości Autorki styl, tę lekkość w snuciu opowieści i mrok tajemnicy, który niezmiennie im towarzyszy. I tak, to jest po prostu Daphne du Maurier, którą uwielbiam, choć jeszcze nie tak wyrazista, może nie tak pewna swego pióra, jak w kolejnych powieściach.

Tym razem Autorka niespiesznie snuje opowieść o niespokojnych sercach i duchach, które przechodzą z pokolenia na pokolenie, uwięzione pomiędzy pragnieniem przygody, dążeniem za marzeniami, a prozą życia, obowiązkami rodzinnymi i dostosowaniem się do oczekiwań. Podzielona na cztery części historia ukazuje losy kolejnych pokoleń rodziny Coombe na tle zmieniającego się świata.

To opowieść o przemijaniu, o mgnieniu, które nazywamy życiem. O marzeniach, które często ulatują, schodzą w cień w zderzeniu z codziennością i znikają wraz z nami nie doczekawszy się spełnienia. Ale też tych realizowanych na przekór oczekiwaniom innych. O pragnieniu nieskrępowanej niczym wolności, jaką może dać tylko pływanie po bezkresnych morzach i duchu, który, choć stłamszony rutyną nigdy nie gaśnie.

To też opowieść, której na początku powinniśmy ofiarować nieco cierpliwości a odwdzięczy się w kolejnych rozdziałach budując wciągającą historię skomplikowanych relacji rodzinnych, emocji i marzeń, które nie znają granic czasu. Życie Janet, Josepha, Christophera i Jennifer to trakt pełen wybojów, wzlotów i upadków, trudnych wyborów i marzeń o wolności, a w ich losy angażowałam się bardziej z każdą kolejną stroną. Jednak najciekawszą postacią w moim odczuciu jest Philip przypominający skąpca z "Opowieści wigilijnej" Charlesa Dickensa, który swoimi intrygami i skąpstwem zatruwa życie swoich bliskich.

Jeśli lubicie wielowątkowe sagi rodzinne rozłożone na pokolenia, w których nie brak silnych emocji, tajemnic i poszukiwania własnego miejsca w świecie, to nie tracący na aktualności „Niespokojny duch” przyniesie Wam poczucie dobrze spędzonego czasu.

[Ewa (Fedra) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5
Nie lubię książek typu "kroniki" rodzinne, rozciągające się na przestrzeni kilkudziesięciu lat oraz zamknięte w jednym tomie. Pokazało mi to już "Pachinko", ale teraz jestem tego pewna i wiem, żeby więcej po tego typu pozycje nie sięgać, bo na pewno mi się nie spodobają.

Autorka pisze pięknie oraz sugestywnie, tworzy wyraziste postacie, które zawsze są "jakieś", nawet jeśli słabe bądź odpychające. Ale emocje wywołują. Tego jej nie odmówię.

Niestety muszę też przyznać, że się niemiłosiernie wynudziłam. W sensie, obraz rodziny Commbe, ukazujący przeróżne charaktery - niesforne, pragnące wolności, uległe, przebiegłe, itd. - był ciekawy, niektórym z bohaterów naprawdę bardzo współczułam kierunku, w którym potoczyły się ich losy oraz dopingowałam w ich dążeniu do pójścia własną drogą. Żadna z postaci nie zdobyła jednak mojego serca na tyle, abym z większym zainteresowaniem śledziła wydarzenia w jej życiu.

Relacji Janet i Josepha nie odczułam jako niezwykłej, a sam Joseph to po prostu paskudny charakter. Tyle. Tak uważam :)

[Anna Petruk · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't believe this was written by my beloved Daphne du Maurier, whose books and writing style I adore, whose characters are usually so complex and compelling. The Loving Spirit was a complete disaster for me.

1. It was creepy. Not in a thrilling, mysterious way I've come to associate with her books. In a sickening, disgusting, incestuous way.

The reason? Two of the main characters, whose undying love we are supposed to be witnessing through decades and generations, are mother and son. And the descriptions of their relationship were completely inappropriate. If I didn't know they were relatives, I'd think they were lovers. Some examples:

"He grasped her hands and kissed her hurriedly, roughly on her neck behind her ear. ‘I can’t find my speech somehow, ’ he muttered."

Okay, WHY would an 18-year-old son kiss his 47-year-old mother on the neck? Am I the only one who finds this WEIRD?

There is a calendar in the fo’c’sle, and I have marked with a red cross the 10th of April. The men here inquired of me the reason for doing this, and I told them that on that day I must be back in Plyn, for I had a tryst with the woman of my heart, and that the gales of the Atlantic could not gainsay me in the keeping of it.

That's how Joseph describes marking his mom's birthday on the calendar and his commitment to come visit on that day.

She knew that his thoughts and his soul were with her, but these were not enough for her pitiful human wants. She cursed the weakness of her flesh that hungered for his nearness and his touch, she fought against the demand of her eyes to dwell upon him. To touch his hands and his body that was part of herself, to smell the familiar scent of sea and earth and sun that clung to his clothes, to taste the salt spray that washed from his skin, all these she claimed; but they were taken from her, leaving her half-asleep and a shadow of a woman.

That's a description of a mom missing her son when he moved out of the house.

Joseph put out the lamp, and snuffed the candles. He drew aside the curtains, and the light of the moon made a white pattern on the carpet. Then he came across the room, and knelt beside Janet in the darkness.
‘Do you know how much I love you?’ he whispered.
‘Yes, Joseph.’ He held her fingers and kissed the hollows of her hands. ‘I reckon I’ve never realized before what the losin’ o’ you meant.’
She rested her head on his shoulder when he said this. ‘You won’t be losin’ me, Joseph. This baint a real partin’, ‘tes a reason for you to find yourself, an’ lead the life that’s suited to you.’
‘’Twon’t be a life away from you. ‘Twill be a misery an’ an anguish, turnin’ me to stone till I’m by your side again.’
He put out his hand and felt her chin. ‘I knew it would be stickin’ i’ the air,’ he smiled. ‘’Tisn’t no good, don’t let’s be brave for our last few hours together. Bravery’s no mortal use to me now. I want to lay here all night, and cry at your feet, and worship you in a still an’ silent way.’ He bent his head, and she laughed in the darkness, and kissed the back of his neck.

Mom and son are about to part. Totally normal description, right?

‘I’ve in my mind’s eye the model of my ship. I can picture the shear of her, an’ the long graceful lines. Her sails spread to the wind. She’d run like a devil if I let her, laughin’ with the joy of escape, but a touch of my hand an’ she’d understand, obeyin’ my will, recognizin’ I was her master an’ lovin’ me for it.’
He leant over and watched Janet with narrow eyes, sweeping the whole of her.
‘What is it, Joseph?’ she asked, conscious of his gaze. He laughed, and spitting out his straw upon the ground, he reached for her hand.
‘Women are like ships,’ he said.

That's a totally normal, non-flirty description of a conversation between a mom and son about a ship he'll build, name after her, and have her sculpture for the ship's figurehead.

This happened constantly. All of these would be fine if they were a couple instead of mother and son. But I just couldn't get over it, time and time again. It's not even a book about incest. Those innuendos are all written in a passing way, with no special attention to it. The author treats all of this as if it's completely normal and natural, and there's no reason to dwell here. I still don't understand why, how, and for what purpose was this written this way?

2. The characters were frankly weak. Janet was a total Mary Sue. A free spirit in a village of close-minded, respectable people in XIX century. She wants to read and run around and wear pants and sail on a ship! She's very original and everyone else is stupid and boring! Sigh.

Philip, another one of Janet's sons, is a total mustache-twirling villain with no complexity at all. Other characters were no better.

3. Janet was a jerk to her husband, her multitude of children (except Joseph, of course!). She bosses everyone around, and they all adore her for it and revel in it! She embarrasses and commands her husband in front of his workers, orders the employees of the shipyard with no authority to do so, and everyone is happy to comply. And the whole time, all she cares about and all she thinks about is Joseph. She just got on my nerves.

4. Overall it was boring and reading it was a chore. But I kept reading to see if this bizarre thing would be in some way explained or would somehow pay off in the end, but no.

5. At the end of the book, when the plot left Janet&Joseph behind, I breathed more easily. The characters who became central were tolerable (but still not great) and their story okay, if overly sentimental. Still, none of it was remotely enough to budge the feeling of the utter disaster that was everything else in this book.

Conclusion: VERY BAD WITH NO REDEEMING QUALITIES

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the best book I have ever read. I am currently searching for more books by this author. The transgenerational and "loving sprit" of this story is remarkable. I love reading stories of women, who much like myself, have lived a trying life, only to rise above all turmoil and really see life for what it is. Most rewarding read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a real gem of a debut novel and as far as du Maurier is concerned, this is probably one of her most underrated works. Those who read this book for the first time in 1931 must have wondered at the skill this new writer had in conjuring up haunting descriptions of the Cornish landscape, of being able to create absorbing but very real characters of the fictional town of Plyn, as well as that underlying supernatural element infused in the book which is so characteristic of du Maurier’s style of writing. If the book did nothing to hint at the author’s later greatness in the early days of its publication, then it certainly can inspire a generation of readers to look back over the legacy of work and appreciate how much talent and promise du Maurier evinced from the start.

If I can be honest, I wasn’t even sure I was going to like this book initially. There wasn’t much by way of plot - simply it covers the life story of four generations of a shipbuilding family in a Cornish fishing village. But it’s precisely that “lack” of plot that allows for a truly powerful character study of four separate individuals that make up a generation within the Coombe family, each searching for his or her own way in the world, that missing part of their soul which completes them. The pace is slow, but never does it slacken to the point of stagnation. You feel like you have to keep reading, which is again, something which you will often find yourself doing when you pick up a du Maurier novel. I’m amazed at du Maurier’s ability to convey the concept of the loving spirit in what are essentially four very different characters, all within the backdrop of great social changes in England. As an aspiring novelist myself, it seems almost crazy to think that she wanted to tackle four major character growth arcs within the same book without interrupting the flow of the theme of the loving spirit, and yet she pulled it off beautifully.

While there is plenty of drama, humour and poignancy in each of our characters’ tales, there is also a great deal of spirituality in the novel itself, as if it were in part, an exercise of self-discovery on du Maurier’s part. Despite the suffering undergone by the characters with the passing of years, there is a great sense of hope, compassion and equanimity that fills the reader with an uplifting sense of purpose in the world. I only wonder at how the readers of the 30s must have felt when they first read it, but it has stood the test of time remarkably well and I feel it will continue to do so for many years to come, given its fundamental themes of love and seeking for completion and peace in something greater than yourself.

Highly recommended, but given its slow pace it's probably better suited for du Maurier fans.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started Daphne du Maurier’s debut novel on my flight to the UK for my first ever trip to Cornwall—I ended up reading a good chunk of it in a cozy room at the Jamaica Inn, while the rain was pelting down on the windswept moor outside—and I couldn’t have chosen a more fitting read. Cornwall often feels like its own character in du Maurier’s novels, but in no other have I felt the great love she holds for its spectacular countryside quite as strongly as in The Loving Spirit. Her prose is already strong and elegant, with hints of the refined deftness her later works would possess; so vivid, you can almost taste the salty air, feel the tall grass brush against your ankles, hear the waves breaking on the shore, and see the rugged coastline stretch into the distance.

“Janet Coombe stood on the hill above Plyn, looking down upon the harbour. Although the sun was already high in the heavens, the little town was still wrapped in an early morning mist. It clung to Plyn like a thin pale blanket, lending to the place a faint whisper of unreality as if the whole had been blessed by the touch of ghostly fingers. The tide was ebbing, the quiet waters escaped silently from the harbour and became one with the sea, unruffled and undisturbed. No straggling cloud, no hollow wind broke the calm beauty of the still white sky. For one instant a gull hovered in the air, stretching his wide wings to the sun, then cried suddenly and dived, losing itself in the mist below. It seemed to Janet that this hillside was her own world, a small planet of strange clarity and understanding: where all troublous thoughts and queer wonderings of the heart became soothed and at rest.”

The Loving Spirit is historical fiction with just a dash of magical realism and the supernatural, telling the story of the Coombe family over four generations. It’s based on real events and people—in fact, the church in which Janet Coombe gets married is where the family members upon which the novel’s characters are based are buried, and du Maurier herself married Frederick Browning in that same church two years after the book’s publication—he had been so impressed by it that he travelled to Cornwall to find and court her!

In the early 19th century, fictional Plyn is an active, lively port town, and Janet Coombe, the titular loving spirit that would go on to bind her family together through the coming century, fiercely yearns for the excitement and freedom of seafaring. However, constrained by the times, she conforms instead, and settles down to raise a family with her husband, a boat builder. Her free spirit is however passed down to her favorite son, Joseph, who, being a man, gets to live the life his mother had wished for herself aboard the family ship built and named after her.

“She felt the fact of her sex to be like a chain to her feet, as bad as the hampering petticoats around her ankles.”

To be perfectly frank, Janet and Joseph’s relationship was utterly inappropriate, and made me deeply uncomfortable. It’s creepily obsessive on both sides, just half a step short of being incestuous, and just about any sentence taken out of context sounds like it’s about two lovers in the throes of frenzied passion. The novel’s “villain” is Janet’s other son Philip, who never gets over his grudge against his brother, who he felt was better loved… and while it doesn’t justify his actions, there’s no arguing that his mother didn’t care for him (or her other children and husband, for that matter) as much as she did for Joseph, who was a pest as a child, and grew into a detestable man. I was glad when the both of them were dead and buried; the second half of the novel, focused on Joseph’s son and granddaughter, was a welcome palate cleanser, but I could never fully shake the ick their grotesque adoration gave me, because there wasn’t a single moment when this relationship was in any way condemned as being abnormal. Rather, this love is so pure and strong that it’s what ends up binding Janet’s spirit to earth so she can watch over her son and his offspring even after being flung off this mortal coil. Yikes.

“Hencefoward Janet Coombe would be a little name carved on a still grey tombstone, until the winds and rain of many years should bring it to obscurity, and then covered with moss and the tangled roots of ivy the letters would fade away, and she would be as unremembered as the fallen trodden leaves of past summer and the melted snow of a vanished winter.“

Four stars for the writing and stunningly evocative descriptions of du Maurier’s beloved Cornwall, but only (barely) two stars for the story, so let’s make it a generous three. While not a terrible effort, especially for a debut, it is her worst novel, mostly saved by beautiful prose.

[Marta Demianiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️ Czuć, że du Maurier miała zadatki na świetną pisarkę, ale potrzebowała jeszcze wprawy, doświadczenia.

Z jednej strony świetnie się tę książkę czytało, czuć było tego tytułowego niespokojnego ducha bardzo mocno. Z drugiej - miałam wrażenie jakichś niedoróbek, jakieś rozmemłanie fabuły, a kwestia złola mnie nie przekonuje. No i relacja matki z synem mnie trochę striggerowała. Ale że to saga rodzinna i debiut autorki, można przymknąć oko na to poczucie „niedorobienia” i po prostu cieszyć się lekturą, bo klimat miała świetny.

[Lucie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"High above the clustered houses and the grey harbour waters of Plyn, the loving spirit smiles and is free."

Here's the thing about me: I don't really like family sagas. I tried to read two of them in the past year or so, and every time, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. Going into The Loving Spirit, I was mainly curious to see if Daphne du Maurier could change my mind, but most importantly, I wanted to see what her debut novel was like, as I had already read My Cousin Rachel and Jamaica Inn.

Well. Let me tell you that: du Maurier got me there, for I absolutely loved this novel!

To be honest, the introduction made me look forward to the book so much, for it talked of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, how du Maurier had been inspired by her - as a matter of fact, the title The Loving Spirit comes from one of Emily's poems and it was complete with a few quotes, beautifully written, per usual. I actually noticed the similarities with Wuthering Heights that were pointed out and it even made me want to reread the book and then The Loving Spirit all over again.

Then, I started reading and I absolutely fell in love with the entire novel. As I'm fascinated by the sea, I could relate to Janet so much and I understood what called to her. She was such a strong and likeable character, it was a very good idea to start off with her. My only complaint was her relationship with her son, Joseph. I understand why the author wrote it that way, but it made me so uncomfortable. I just couldn't get past it, especially when he called her 'beloved' or 'my love', later in the novel. I get that du Maurier doesn't write their relationship to tell us that it's normal, but it made me very uncomfortable. Besides, I had a hard time buying Annie and Joseph's relationship when they fell for each other. That is all. [edit: despite that, I realised that I loved this novel way too much, so it's a five stars anyway.]

Anyhow, except for these relationships, the characters were so interesting, complex and deeply flawed. Every time I finished reading about one of them, I became so sad, because I didn't want to say goodbye, and then I read about the next generation and felt for them. In a way, the Coombe family became mine, as I was along them in their hardships, their joys, their pains, their dreams. It's hard for me to pick a favourite out of Janet, Joseph, Christopher and Jennifer, but I have to say that during Christopher's part, I cried a lot. It must be because I emphasized with some aspects of his story arc so well, who knows?

One of the things that shines in du Maurier's works is the setting. The Loving Spirit was set in Plyn Boat Yard, in Cornwall, and I could feel the sea whenever I was reading the book. It became an actual character in the novel (as well as something else I can't mention because spoilers!) and I loved it so much, since I'm obsessed with the sea.

I haven't even talked about the social context and how the Coombe family tried to fit in the change occurring in Great Britain at that time, but it was so well-done. As it's a family saga, we got to follow the family's company through generations and it definitely showed how everything changed at the turn of the 20th century and after World War One.

Overall, I absolutely loved The Loving Spirit, but some aspects of the relationships made me a little uncomfortable, which is why I didn't rate it five stars. Other than that, it's the first time I've loved a family saga, du Maurier's writing was as stunning as ever, the setting compelling and I already want to reread it. I shall miss the Coombe family greatly.

[Masteatro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pues me ha gustado mucho quizá porque no iba con las expectativas muy altas por ser la primera novela de la autora.

Es verdad que no es tan emocionante como "Rebeca" o "Jamaica Inn" pero en ella se ven ya muchas de las características que van a ser cruciales en la prosa de la autora como es el caso de las magníficas ambientaciones de las que nunca me canso. Parece que te transportan totalmente a la época y el lugar en cuestión.

Estamos ante una saga familiar. 100 años transcurren a lo largo de esta novela y durante sus páginas vamos conociendo a los distintos descendientes de la intrépida Janet Coombe, una mujer a la que le hubiera gustado ser hombre y hacerse a la mar pero que tuvo que conformarse con casarse, llevar su casa y cuidar a su familia. Algunos de sus descendientes heredarán su espíritu aventurero y otros no.

Muchos de los personajes, sobre todo los secundarios, están perfilados solamente a grandes rasgos, sin profundizar demasiado en sus personalidades pero en conjunto nos hacemos bien a la idea de cómo son cada uno de los componentes de esta saga familiar y nos centramos sobre todo en 4 de ellos, 2 hombres y 2 mujeres de sucesivas generaciones.

Si te gusta la forma de escribir y las ambientaciones de Daphne Du Maurier te recomiendo sin duda esta novela a pesar de que no sea su mejor obra. Ya quisieran muchos escritores haber escrito una primera novela como ésta.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

N'ayant lu que Rebecca de Daphné Du Maurier j'avais hâte de découvrir un autre roman et je n'ai pas été déçue ! Même si je n'ai pas eu le coup de coeur que j'avais eu pour Rebecca j'ai trouvé cette lecture très plaisante.

J'aime beaucoup la plume de Daphné Du Maurier, très fluide et poétique. On se laisse porter par les descriptions, on ressent la présence de la mer, des embruns salés et cela rend le roman très immersif.

J'ai beaucoup apprécié le fait de suivre ces quatre générations de personnages même si j'ai eu une grosse préférence pour Christopher et Jennifer. J'ai eu plus de mal avec Janet et Joseph, dont la relation m'a très vite mise à mal à l'aise par le côté un peu malsain qui s'en dégage... Joseph est un personnage très particulier mais avec lequel je n'ai pas du tout accroché. Il m'a paru bien trop égoïste, voire carrément détestable à certains moments, vis à vis de son entourage tout au long du roman.

En résumé, même si ce n'est pas forcément le roman que je vous conseillerais en premier pour découvrir Daphné du Maurier, cela reste une très bonne lecture.

[Asha Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I proclaim it for the hundredth time - You can never go wrong with a Maurier novel.
.
A family saga of the Coombes from Plyn in Cornwall across four generations.
Janet Coombe - Joseph Coombe - Christopher Coombe - Jennifer Coombe.
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Four stars and not five only because I felt that the reader could be spared the tedious descriptions of a regular day in the lives of the myriad characters in the novel.
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Review to follow soon.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was her first book (written in the 1930's). Having read all of Daphne's fiction, this one was a wonderful surprise. Not 'stodgy' or dry...........a page turner with wonderful characters that follow a genealogy line in Cornwall.

I'd re-read this again and again!

[Melania 🍒 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

[MaRysia (ostatnia_strona) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zastanawiałam się czy nie zrobić DNF, rozdziały gdzie pierwsze skrzypce grały postaci męskie dłużyły mi się niemiłosiernie. Finalnie uważam jednak, że jak na debiut to to jest bardzo ładnie napisana historia kilku pokoleń. Wiadomo, że nie wszyscy członkowie rodziny będą osobami ciekawymi czy dobrymi.

[Théo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"La Chaîne d'Amour", premier roman de Daphné du Maurier, est également le premier livre que je lis de cette autrice. Ce fût une excellente découverte, et surtout, un énorme coup de cœur.

Mes a priori étaient nombreux lorsque je me suis lancé dans la lecture de ce roman : j'avais peur de trouver le style trop complexe, l'histoire peu intéressante , et au final de m'ennuyer pendant 500 pages (n'ayant lu aucuns "classiques" pour le plaisir, mon appréhension était au plus haut).

Mais heureusement pour moi, ces préoccupations ont été complètement balayées à la lecture de ce livre.
"La Chaîne d'amour", c'est l'histoire de la famille Coombe, une famille qui vit de la construction de bateaux dans le petit village de Plyn, en Cornouailles, et on va suivre celle-ci durant tout le roman, à travers 4 points de vue différents : celui de Janet Coombe tout d'abord, puis celui de Joseph, son fils, puis celui de Christopher, le fils de Joseph, enfin celui de Jennifer, la fille de Christopher.

Le roman s'étend sur la totalité du XIXème siècle, et Daphné du Maurier nous décrit parfaitement les évolutions "techniques" de cette époque. J'ai beaucoup aimé ce contexte, mais j'ai également adoré les cadres que l'autrice nous dépeint : le village de Plyn, un village côtier brumeux dans lequel le gros de l'histoire se déroule, mais aussi un Londres pluvieux, dans la grisaille, avec sa société bourgeoise. Le contraste entre les deux lieux est super intéressant dans l'histoire, et c'est une manière pour l'autrice de dévoiler son amour pour les villages de Cornouailles.

Tout ceci sert de toile de fond à une histoire dramatique mais pleine d'espoir, et surtout d'une richesse absolue. Je ne compte pas les thèmes passionnants abordés dans ce livre, ou les qualités qu'il détient et qui m'ont fait m'attacher profondément à l'histoire ; je vais tout de même essayer d'en faire ressortir quelques-unes ici :
- Le rythme est juste parfait : ni trop lent, ni trop rapide, j'ai réussi à faire tenir ma lecture 1 mois afin de le savourer au maximum.
- Les personnages sont très, très puissants. Ils sont tous dépeints avec justesse, sont tous extrêmement fournis et détaillés, et Daphné du Maurier nous sert en plus de ça les 4 personnages les plus attachants et complexes en guise de personnages principaux (j'ai personnellement adoré la première partie, et surtout la deuxième où l'on suit le personnage de Joseph pour cela).
- L'ambiance de ce récit est particulière ; malaisante, sombre mais avec des touches d'espoirs : c'est quelque chose que j'ai adoré, ainsi que la pointe de fantastique/onirique qui traverse le récit par moments. C'est vraiment une ambiance spéciale, et c'est un coup de maître de la part de l'autrice.
- Il y a des femmes fortes dans ce roman, et qu'est-ce que cela fait du bien pour un roman datant de la première moitié du XXème ! En particulier Janet, "l'héroïne" du livre, que j'ai beaucoup aimé dans sa détermination, et pour son féminisme sous-jacent.
- Beaucoup de thèmes sont abordés dans ce roman, et traités intelligemment, mais celui qui ressort principalement est l'amour. Daphné Du Maurier pose beaucoup de questions dans son livre : Pourquoi aimer ? Comment aimer ? L'amour peut-il être éternel ?

Bref, j'ai adoré. Ce livre est la deuxième claque de 2020 (la première étant Chroniques Martiennes de Ray Bradbury), doublée d'une énorme surprise (je peux dire que j'ai aimé un "classique" !!!!), et c'est un immense coup de cœur. Daphné du Maurier a la réputation qu'elle mérite, et je n'ai qu'une hâte : me plonger dans un autre de ces récits, et tous les dévorer. À lire absolument.

[Monica. A · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'ineluttabilità della vita in perpetuo movimento, dove tutto cambia eppure continua a ripetersi per generazioni.
Tutto è scontato, tutto è affidato al fato.
Si nasce, si cresce, ci si moltiplica e si muore. Degli abitanti della Casa Edera non resta altro che una lapide di pietra con un nome inciso sopra, anch'esso non è permanente, rimarrà solo fino a quando il vento e le intemperie non lo cancellerano.
Janet Coombe è la matriarca della famiglia. Non vedrà mai altro che la sua casa e la sua scogliera ma una forza sconosciuta la farà vagare e viaggiare altrove con la fantasia.
Joseph Coombe è uno dei suoi tanti figli, il più amato, il più simile a lei che potrà viaggiare diventando capitano e portando in mare la nave che porterà il nome della sua amata Janet e la polena fatta a sua immagine e somiglianza.
Cristopher è la pecora nera della famiglia, colui che disprezza e teme il mare, per questo rinnegato dal padre.
Jennifer, figlia di Cristopher, chiude il cerchio familiare riportando gli equilibri, ritornando alle sue radici d'infanzia richiamata a casa dal legame del sangue e della terra.
Il romanzo, questa saga familiare di piccoli armatori, è suddiviso in quattro libri, quattro epitaffi introdotti da una poesia di Emily Brönte.
Janet Combe, 33 anni.
Joseph Combe, 37 anni.
Cristopher Combe, 24 anni.
Jennifer Combe, 28 anni.
Madre, figlio, nipote, pronipote.
Quattro membri della stessa famiglia, gli unici in cui lo spirito e il carattere indomito di Janet si sia ripresentato.

Janet, Joseph, Critopher, Jennifer,  tutti legati fra loro da un amore strano e pieno di contrasti, che trasmetteva dall'uno all'altro il senso di irrequietezza e di sofferenza e quell'insopportabile desiderio di libertà e bellezza; tutti protesi alla ricerca di cose ignote, e tutti tranquilli solo a Plyn. Tutti costretti a essere fisicamente divisi dalla creatura diletta, e facenti tuttavia sempre parte di lei, avvinti da infiniti legami senza nome che nulla poteva spezzare, uniti l'uno all'altro dalla presenza di un saggio spirito amante.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe 2.5 stars? I definitely have mixed feelings about this, and it being her first novel, I wasn’t expecting much. I did like it more the further it went, but the first half was kind of awkward - an old timey narrative voice that doesn’t quite feel right, plus the mother son relationship that is described in romantic and sensual terms (which I knew to expect at some point in Du Maurier’s work, from reading her bio and learning about her similar relationship with her father.) Once we got to London things started picking up and the last character was my favorite. I did really enjoy seeing Du Maurier’s influences that pop up in Rebecca come in to play here - the locale and sailing, even destruction by fire. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone except die hard Du Maurier fans.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai eu un peu de mal à rentrer dans l'histoire, mais j'ai adoré et eu du mal à le lâcher une fois que c'était fait. J'ai vraiment l'impression que Janet reste le personnage principal de l'histoire, avec la mer bien sur. Ce roman m'a fait rêver de baisers salés et de nuits bercées par les vagues. A déguster.