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Castle Dor
A spellbinding love story, Castle Dor was the unfinished last novel of the British novelist Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, better known as "Q." The novel was passed on to Daphne du Maurier by his daughter, who was sure that du Maurier's storytelling skills were perfectly suited to completing the tale.
The result is a magical, compelling retelling of Tristan and Iseult, the star-crossed lovers transplanted in time to the Cornwall of the last century. A chance encounter between the Breton onion-seller, Amyot Trestane, and the newly-wed Linnet Lewarne launches their tragic story, taking them in the fateful footsteps of the doomed lovers of Cornish legend.
The result is a magical, compelling retelling of Tristan and Iseult, the star-crossed lovers transplanted in time to the Cornwall of the last century. A chance encounter between the Breton onion-seller, Amyot Trestane, and the newly-wed Linnet Lewarne launches their tragic story, taking them in the fateful footsteps of the doomed lovers of Cornish legend.
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 1961
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2067 people want to read
About the author
Daphne du Maurier
430 books10.1k followersDaphne 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
April 13, 2022
Taking the mythical Western European doomed lovers story of 'Tristan and Iseult' and taking a nod at the multiple versions of that legend, 19th century characters find themselves reliving the drama compelled by seldom referenced or acknowledged undesignated magical forces. At heart it's just about a young bride married to a very old man almost instantaneously falling for, of all things, a Brecon (French Brecon) onion seller. The cool thing about the book is how the bride is not painted as a 'fallen' or 'bad' woman by most of the cast and the writer, but as one who is a slave to her emotions. The downside is the almost complete disregard for what compels the couple to fall for one another. Dare I say this is a book that du Maurier fans could afford to miss.
It was only on completion of this book and when I read up on it, did I discover that it was started by du Maurier's father, a celebrity in his lifetime 'Q'', Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, but left unfinished; in time the publishers handed it over to Daphne to complete. The beginning of the book was such hard work, that I had to read the first 75 pages (Q's?) twice over! 5 out of 12.
Daphne du Maurier
2022 read
It was only on completion of this book and when I read up on it, did I discover that it was started by du Maurier's father, a celebrity in his lifetime 'Q'', Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, but left unfinished; in time the publishers handed it over to Daphne to complete. The beginning of the book was such hard work, that I had to read the first 75 pages (Q's?) twice over! 5 out of 12.
Daphne du Maurier
2022 read
March 17, 2018
The legend of Tristan, the Cornish knight, and his doomed love for Iseult, the wife of King Mark, is an ancient one, appearing in many variations for hundreds of years. Castle Dor is a retelling of that story set in Cornwall in the 1840s. It was begun by Arthur Quiller-Couch, a British novelist who wrote under the pen name “Q,” but left unfinished mid-chapter. Many years after his death, his daughter asked Daphne du Maurier to complete it.
Daphne du Maurier, queen of the Gothic novel, would seem like the perfect person to take on this tale. Star-crossed lovers, betrayal, the dark and rocky Cornish coast, hints of the supernatural - it’s a story that is right in her wheelhouse.
Unfortunately, the book never recovers from Q’s beginning. We don’t know exactly where Quiller-Couch stopped writing and du Maurier began, but I feel certain she had no part in this description:
“This most ancient cirque of Castle Dor, deserted, bramble-grown, was the very nipple of a huge breast in pain, aching for discharge.”
Huh?
The pages and pages of florid description and stilted conversation, punctuated by an occasional ill-considered metaphor and painfully obvious info dumping, are mind-numbing after a while.
Maybe a little more than a third of the way through, things get better. This line, which refers to the legend of Tristan and Iseult, seems to be a sly hint that there is someone new steering the ship:
“It is a curious coincidence that no poet, or shall we call him investigator, has ever lived to conclude this particular story. His work has always been finished by another.”
The change in style is gradual. By the end of the novel it is a much more enjoyable book, but it never overcomes its beginning. The character’s motivations are far-fetched. If she had set it up from the start, I think du Maurier might have pulled off the explanation for their actions, but it never really works. Daphne du Maurier wrote many better books than this one. It may be worth reading for dedicated du Maurier fans, but most should probably give it a miss.
Daphne du Maurier, queen of the Gothic novel, would seem like the perfect person to take on this tale. Star-crossed lovers, betrayal, the dark and rocky Cornish coast, hints of the supernatural - it’s a story that is right in her wheelhouse.
Unfortunately, the book never recovers from Q’s beginning. We don’t know exactly where Quiller-Couch stopped writing and du Maurier began, but I feel certain she had no part in this description:
“This most ancient cirque of Castle Dor, deserted, bramble-grown, was the very nipple of a huge breast in pain, aching for discharge.”
Huh?
The pages and pages of florid description and stilted conversation, punctuated by an occasional ill-considered metaphor and painfully obvious info dumping, are mind-numbing after a while.
Maybe a little more than a third of the way through, things get better. This line, which refers to the legend of Tristan and Iseult, seems to be a sly hint that there is someone new steering the ship:
“It is a curious coincidence that no poet, or shall we call him investigator, has ever lived to conclude this particular story. His work has always been finished by another.”
The change in style is gradual. By the end of the novel it is a much more enjoyable book, but it never overcomes its beginning. The character’s motivations are far-fetched. If she had set it up from the start, I think du Maurier might have pulled off the explanation for their actions, but it never really works. Daphne du Maurier wrote many better books than this one. It may be worth reading for dedicated du Maurier fans, but most should probably give it a miss.
September 20, 2020
The story is a retelling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde, and is actually written by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and only finished by Daphne du Maurier after his death. It has none of her flair or style and is positively boring in places. I found the end both expected and unmoving. In fact, none of the characters interested me in the least. By three-quarters through I was fighting the urge to just lay it aside.
July 8, 2020
Castle Dor turned out to be a retelling of the Tristan and Isolde legend, only set in XIX century Cornwall.
It was written, though never finished because of his death, by Arthur Quiller-Couch. I first found out about him because he was mentioned in 84, Charing Cross Road as Helene Hanff's mentor. Quiller-Couch's daughter, after his death, asked Daphne du Maurier to finish the novel. I couldn't tell where his writing stopped, and hers began. Which is a good thing, considering.
Still, I was not impressed by the book. The plot didn't grip me. The retelling was too straightforward to be particularly interesting; there wasn't much of a twist to it. If you have any familiarity with the legend, you know what's going to happen, and it just - happens. To make things cheesier, a side character keeps pointing out the similarities of every situation in the novel with the Tristan and Isolde legend. Why I'll never know. There was a feeble attempt to create some suspense at the end, but it failed.
The characters were weak, too. Linnet was shallow and vain, her husband cartoonishly despicable, Amyot seemed just hot and dull-witted. None of these characters inspired sympathy. To me, Daphne du Maurier's strongest trait is her ability to write insightful, complex, ambiguous characters. Castle Dor completely lacked these. The doctor side-character never justified occupying pages of the book - I kept waiting to discover a compelling reason for him being there, but it never arrived.
The star-crossed romance was lackluster as well. It felt less like a story of love, and more like a story of two attractive young people meeting a hot person their age for the first time, and immediately applying all their energy to get into each other's pants before even getting acquainted. They didn't get to know each other, and there wasn't much to know anyway since they were both flat and boring characters.
The book didn't offer anything else either, so I have no redeeming qualities to list. It wasn't torturous to read, that's all.
It was written, though never finished because of his death, by Arthur Quiller-Couch. I first found out about him because he was mentioned in 84, Charing Cross Road as Helene Hanff's mentor. Quiller-Couch's daughter, after his death, asked Daphne du Maurier to finish the novel. I couldn't tell where his writing stopped, and hers began. Which is a good thing, considering.
Still, I was not impressed by the book. The plot didn't grip me. The retelling was too straightforward to be particularly interesting; there wasn't much of a twist to it. If you have any familiarity with the legend, you know what's going to happen, and it just - happens. To make things cheesier, a side character keeps pointing out the similarities of every situation in the novel with the Tristan and Isolde legend. Why I'll never know. There was a feeble attempt to create some suspense at the end, but it failed.
The characters were weak, too. Linnet was shallow and vain, her husband cartoonishly despicable, Amyot seemed just hot and dull-witted. None of these characters inspired sympathy. To me, Daphne du Maurier's strongest trait is her ability to write insightful, complex, ambiguous characters. Castle Dor completely lacked these. The doctor side-character never justified occupying pages of the book - I kept waiting to discover a compelling reason for him being there, but it never arrived.
The star-crossed romance was lackluster as well. It felt less like a story of love, and more like a story of two attractive young people meeting a hot person their age for the first time, and immediately applying all their energy to get into each other's pants before even getting acquainted. They didn't get to know each other, and there wasn't much to know anyway since they were both flat and boring characters.
The book didn't offer anything else either, so I have no redeeming qualities to list. It wasn't torturous to read, that's all.
October 1, 2012
A rather less read du Maurier book -- fascinating, seeing her continuing someone else's work. And I agree with the introduction that it's hard to tell where she picked up the story: there's a shift somewhere, I think, in the tone of the beginning and the tone of the end, but it all flows smoothly enough.
I can't really give it four stars in terms of enjoyment, because I thought some of the parallels with the Tristan and Iseult story were overlaboured, and all the details of geography meant little to me (you'd think it would be more interesting to me, given my research into the Arthurian legends, but actually I have very little interest in whether they're fact or fiction) -- it didn't add to the story, for me, because I didn't need to think that Linnet was somehow descended from La Belle Iseut's family or that Mary might be descended from Isolde of the White Hands. I quite like the replaying-old-stories trope, and to me it's closeness of feeling and mindset that works best to connect the characters, not blood kinship diluted over hundreds of years.
Anyway, despite that, I actually found it more of a page turner than most of du Maurier's other works. I'd open it up and look up what I thought was five minutes later to discover that an hour had somehow passed. I can't put my finger on exactly why this was, but I enjoyed the book, anyway.
I can't really give it four stars in terms of enjoyment, because I thought some of the parallels with the Tristan and Iseult story were overlaboured, and all the details of geography meant little to me (you'd think it would be more interesting to me, given my research into the Arthurian legends, but actually I have very little interest in whether they're fact or fiction) -- it didn't add to the story, for me, because I didn't need to think that Linnet was somehow descended from La Belle Iseut's family or that Mary might be descended from Isolde of the White Hands. I quite like the replaying-old-stories trope, and to me it's closeness of feeling and mindset that works best to connect the characters, not blood kinship diluted over hundreds of years.
Anyway, despite that, I actually found it more of a page turner than most of du Maurier's other works. I'd open it up and look up what I thought was five minutes later to discover that an hour had somehow passed. I can't put my finger on exactly why this was, but I enjoyed the book, anyway.
November 6, 2019
This is a story originally started by another author, Sir Arthur Quiller_Couch, best known as Q and passed to Daphne to complete upon his death by his daughter. I couldn't find Daphne anywhere in this book and did not enjoy it at all.
February 7, 2011
Set in 1860's Cronwall, Castle Dor weaves the boring tale of Amyot (a young Breton sailor) and Linnet (the young and beautiful wife of an extremely old man). How the pair meet, love and ultimately live out the tragic end of their fabled counterparts (Tristan & Iseult) makes for a snooze fest of epic proportions.
Hard to imagine Daphne duMaurier co-authored this book. IMO, Arthur Quiller-Couch wrote the majority of it, since it was extremely dry and esoteric, and I know for a fact that duMaurier's writing style is anything but. How anyone could make a retelling of the story of Tristan and Iseult boring is beyond me, but alas, it happened here for me.
Highly recommended for readers who need to fall asleep, but don't want the effects of medication to make that happen.
2 stars because the writing (in some parts) is pretty lovely and lyrical. Must have been Daphne's lines...
Hard to imagine Daphne duMaurier co-authored this book. IMO, Arthur Quiller-Couch wrote the majority of it, since it was extremely dry and esoteric, and I know for a fact that duMaurier's writing style is anything but. How anyone could make a retelling of the story of Tristan and Iseult boring is beyond me, but alas, it happened here for me.
Highly recommended for readers who need to fall asleep, but don't want the effects of medication to make that happen.
2 stars because the writing (in some parts) is pretty lovely and lyrical. Must have been Daphne's lines...
November 16, 2015
I'm not going to do a proper review, I just want to share the first description of the titular castle that you see in the book:
“This most ancient cirque of Castle Dor, deserted, bramble-grown, was the very nipple of a huge breast in pain, aching for discharge.”
That's all.
“This most ancient cirque of Castle Dor, deserted, bramble-grown, was the very nipple of a huge breast in pain, aching for discharge.”
That's all.
March 14, 2025
This was a story begun by Arthur Quiller Couch, and finished by Daphne du Maurier. It leans heavily on the ancient story of Tristan and Isolde. All of Daphne’s skill cannot save it from being a bit ploddy in parts. Not DDM’s best.
July 18, 2015
“She’s dearer than life itself, that’s all I know”
WTF did I just read?
Like seriously, I have no idea. I started this book and the prologue was weird, but I thought ‘hey, it’s just the prologue…’ haha silly me thinking it would get better. Nope, it only got worse.
I picked this book believing it was only written by Daphne Du Maurier. I’m not that into the Tristan and Isolde myth, but I thought if Daphne Du Maurier with her haunting storytelling takes on that legend, it can only be good and atmospheric. What my book edition didn’t tell me however is the fact that this book is not only written by Daphne, but majorly by Sir Arthur Quiller-Crouch. It was originally his story and writing, sadly he died before he could finish it and it was his daughter’s wish for Du Maurier to finish it, which she did. There are traces of Daphne’s usual writing style in this book, but it is mostly blink and you miss it. Most of the writing seems still to be Quiller-Crouch’s (or Daphne did a fabulous job writing like him, I don’t know I have never read anything by him) and let me tell you it is just not mine.
The writing seems more like a scientific report than an actual novel, it is artificial, gives you only rough descriptions of everything that is going on, including characters and setting, there is no atmosphere at all and for a retelling of a tragic love story one important thing is missing, the actual love.
There is no build up, no charm, no passion, no feelings. There are just two characters or rather “names” (because for an actual character I demand a personality) and they fall in love and it is forbidden because she is married. Also there are a bunch of other names.
The author(‘s) reference the original tale of Tristan and Isolde a lot and to me that seemed weird. Meta can be good, but in a story that is promoted as an actual ‘modern’ retelling, the Meta aspects felt highly out of place.
There is a lot of esoteric stuff in the book as well which is simply not my cup of tea.
I hardly ever stop reading a book before finishing it, but I gave up on this one about 150 pages into the story. There was nothing that kept my interest for the slightest and continuing reading it would seem like a waste of time.
Conclusion: Love story without love. Odd writing style. Just not mine.
Recommendation: I wouldn’t even recommend it to hardcore Daphne Du Maurier fans, because it hardly seemed to be her writing at all. The style is very different, I mean I think it could be good for some people, but I just don’t get it.
WTF did I just read?
Like seriously, I have no idea. I started this book and the prologue was weird, but I thought ‘hey, it’s just the prologue…’ haha silly me thinking it would get better. Nope, it only got worse.
I picked this book believing it was only written by Daphne Du Maurier. I’m not that into the Tristan and Isolde myth, but I thought if Daphne Du Maurier with her haunting storytelling takes on that legend, it can only be good and atmospheric. What my book edition didn’t tell me however is the fact that this book is not only written by Daphne, but majorly by Sir Arthur Quiller-Crouch. It was originally his story and writing, sadly he died before he could finish it and it was his daughter’s wish for Du Maurier to finish it, which she did. There are traces of Daphne’s usual writing style in this book, but it is mostly blink and you miss it. Most of the writing seems still to be Quiller-Crouch’s (or Daphne did a fabulous job writing like him, I don’t know I have never read anything by him) and let me tell you it is just not mine.
The writing seems more like a scientific report than an actual novel, it is artificial, gives you only rough descriptions of everything that is going on, including characters and setting, there is no atmosphere at all and for a retelling of a tragic love story one important thing is missing, the actual love.
There is no build up, no charm, no passion, no feelings. There are just two characters or rather “names” (because for an actual character I demand a personality) and they fall in love and it is forbidden because she is married. Also there are a bunch of other names.
The author(‘s) reference the original tale of Tristan and Isolde a lot and to me that seemed weird. Meta can be good, but in a story that is promoted as an actual ‘modern’ retelling, the Meta aspects felt highly out of place.
There is a lot of esoteric stuff in the book as well which is simply not my cup of tea.
I hardly ever stop reading a book before finishing it, but I gave up on this one about 150 pages into the story. There was nothing that kept my interest for the slightest and continuing reading it would seem like a waste of time.
Conclusion: Love story without love. Odd writing style. Just not mine.
Recommendation: I wouldn’t even recommend it to hardcore Daphne Du Maurier fans, because it hardly seemed to be her writing at all. The style is very different, I mean I think it could be good for some people, but I just don’t get it.
September 24, 2024
I am a romantic but a truly hopeless one when it comes to fated loves from times past and especially of knights and their lady loves, which was Castle Dor but with an 1840 twist but finished 1961 The story is neither hard or easy read but it does need an attentive mind. I was amazed after reading the foreword, that Daphne was asked by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch's daughter to finish his book. The story flowed like one author had written this, Daphne knew Sir Arthur from childhood and this might have helped her achieve this feat. It is always interesting when an author's incomplete work is completed by another. Since Tristan and Iseult's story has different versions, until the last chapter I had no idea how it would end. Daphne's The House on the Strand had some kind of time travel to times long ago which was also a great read, as I read more and more of her novels I see her genius in storytelling.
January 12, 2022
I wonder how this novel would have turned out if it was solely written by Du Maurier and not a continuation of Quiller-Couch. I found the concept intriguing and certain parts were quite clear and direct. Other sections it was like reading through fog. However, overall, it was an enjoyable read. But one I would recommend only for die hard fans. 3 stars
November 22, 2022
I admire Daphne du Maurier. However, this book was an utter bore to me. I didn't care for the story or the characters, and I guess this is the first of her novels I've read that were not set in the present day. For whatever number of reasons - another probably being that this was not originally hers, but the unfinished work of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch which she was selected to complete and revise - it just didn't do anything for me. Shame, because I was absolutely swept away by her marvellous collection of short stories, The Breaking Point, last year, and that was written only two years before this.
August 12, 2014
As a child I remember my maternal grandfather had a reasonably well stocked library and in it included most of the works of Arthur Quiller-Couch (Q). So it was with some interest that I discovered that this book had been started by Q and finished by du Maurier at the behest of Q's daughter so was intrigued as to how this collaboration would work.
Firstly let me say that it appears seamless and it is hard to see which author wrote what (good or bad depending on your taste) although there did seem a noticeable quickening in the pace towards the end.
A chance meeting between Linnette LeWarne,a pretty but haughty young woman recently married to a much older man but still with dreams of romance, and a Bretton onion seller Amyot leads to an unlikely romance when Amyot rescues Linnette and her husband from a run-away coach accident with predictably disastrous results. This is interspersed with some good old Arthurian legends of a similar love affair between Tristan and Iseult.
The prose was generally excellent,the Cornish scenery was wonderfully portrayed particularly as the mist descends for the final curtain call as was the evocative easy going way of life therein. Although being Cornish myself may have some reflection on my opinion here. But that said at times it was fairly pedestrian almost scholarly in pace at times.The characters were generally only sketchily and there did seem to be an over reliance of an interest and knowledge of the Tristan Iseult affair all of which held back the overall feel of the novel IMHO.
On the whole I found this was an interesting collaboration if nor overly gripping one.
Firstly let me say that it appears seamless and it is hard to see which author wrote what (good or bad depending on your taste) although there did seem a noticeable quickening in the pace towards the end.
A chance meeting between Linnette LeWarne,a pretty but haughty young woman recently married to a much older man but still with dreams of romance, and a Bretton onion seller Amyot leads to an unlikely romance when Amyot rescues Linnette and her husband from a run-away coach accident with predictably disastrous results. This is interspersed with some good old Arthurian legends of a similar love affair between Tristan and Iseult.
The prose was generally excellent,the Cornish scenery was wonderfully portrayed particularly as the mist descends for the final curtain call as was the evocative easy going way of life therein. Although being Cornish myself may have some reflection on my opinion here. But that said at times it was fairly pedestrian almost scholarly in pace at times.The characters were generally only sketchily and there did seem to be an over reliance of an interest and knowledge of the Tristan Iseult affair all of which held back the overall feel of the novel IMHO.
On the whole I found this was an interesting collaboration if nor overly gripping one.
March 5, 2010
"Not in your world.....but in some borderland of buried kings and lovers"
Linnette Lewarne, married to a much older man, meets Breton Amyot by pure chance and their fates are forever sealed as they begin to relive a past that has happened time and time again through the centuries - that of Tristan and Iseult. Doctor Carfax watches from the sidelines as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together with that of the legends and ends with a race against time to stop the legend from repeating itself into tragedy once again - all culminating in a on a very foggy Cornwall All Hallows E'en. Is the good Doctor in time or not?
Well you know me, I don't tell. Castle Dor, unfinished at the death of author Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch ("Q"), was completed by Du Maurier at the request of his daughter. A bit slow and dry at the start (I've not read anything from "Q" before, nor am I all that familiar with the legends of Tristan and Iseult), but a good finish, albeit not the strongest. If you're big into the legends of T&I I'd go for it, but Du Maurier fans will probably be disappointed - the parts she contributed at the end are minimal and not her usual style. 3/5 stars.
Linnette Lewarne, married to a much older man, meets Breton Amyot by pure chance and their fates are forever sealed as they begin to relive a past that has happened time and time again through the centuries - that of Tristan and Iseult. Doctor Carfax watches from the sidelines as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together with that of the legends and ends with a race against time to stop the legend from repeating itself into tragedy once again - all culminating in a on a very foggy Cornwall All Hallows E'en. Is the good Doctor in time or not?
Well you know me, I don't tell. Castle Dor, unfinished at the death of author Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch ("Q"), was completed by Du Maurier at the request of his daughter. A bit slow and dry at the start (I've not read anything from "Q" before, nor am I all that familiar with the legends of Tristan and Iseult), but a good finish, albeit not the strongest. If you're big into the legends of T&I I'd go for it, but Du Maurier fans will probably be disappointed - the parts she contributed at the end are minimal and not her usual style. 3/5 stars.
December 2, 2020
I liked this more than most reviewers. Starting with the florid language of Sir Arthur it gradually changes into much more digestible Du Maurier. The story is a retelling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde and DM turns it from a supernatural story to a more mysterious idea of whether we can escape our destiny. I couldn’t find the exact join between the 2 but knew when it was true Q and definite DM- very clever on her part. I also enjoyed the discussion of the possible endings by Doctor Carfax and finally the realisation that whatever happened it might not be what I wanted. Yes ok it’s not her best book but I am full of admiration that she took on the project after Q died and didn’t say I will just start again!
March 23, 2024
It took two people to write this pile of crap. DNF
July 26, 2025
I first read this short novel way back in 1962, at a time when I had been working my way through a number of Daphne du Maurier’s novels, which were very popular at the time. I’ve been revisiting her novels over the past couple of years, to see how well they’ve aged. Several, notably The King's General and Rebecca, have held up very well, while several of the others have not. I chose to have a fresh look at this one now primarily because it’s a bit of an oddity, having been started by Arthur Quiller-Couch and finished by du Maurier after the old fellow had passed on.
I suppose I was hoping to detect a spot in the novel where the torch was passed; no success to report on that score, as du Maurier seems to have seamlessly assumed the style and thought processes of “Q”. Which, I suppose is a neat trick, and shows respect for the original writer’s craft; but to be frank, I don’t think “Q” lives up to his reputation as a “distinguished gentleman of letters”. Or perhaps “Q” was more concerned with his craft than with his audience. In any case, the thing now comes across as stuffy and mannered, nowhere close to being du Maurier’s best work.
Aside from all that, one would need to have a compelling interest in history as well as a thorough knowledge of the old legend of Tristan and Iseult to fully appreciate this novel. Almost 2 stars.
I suppose I was hoping to detect a spot in the novel where the torch was passed; no success to report on that score, as du Maurier seems to have seamlessly assumed the style and thought processes of “Q”. Which, I suppose is a neat trick, and shows respect for the original writer’s craft; but to be frank, I don’t think “Q” lives up to his reputation as a “distinguished gentleman of letters”. Or perhaps “Q” was more concerned with his craft than with his audience. In any case, the thing now comes across as stuffy and mannered, nowhere close to being du Maurier’s best work.
Aside from all that, one would need to have a compelling interest in history as well as a thorough knowledge of the old legend of Tristan and Iseult to fully appreciate this novel. Almost 2 stars.
August 11, 2024
First half was so hard to follow what was even occurring??
May 6, 2009
"Not in your world.....but in some borderland of buried kings and lovers"
Linnette Lewarne, married to a much older man, meets Breton Amyot by pure chance and their fates are forever sealed as they begin to relive a past that has happened time and time again through the centuries - that of Tristan and Iseult. Doctor Carfax watches from the sidelines as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together with that of the legends and ends with a race against time to stop the legend from repeating itself into tragedy once again - all culminating in a on a very foggy Cornwall All Hallows E'en. Is the good Doctor in time or not?
Well you know me, I don't tell. Castle Dor, unfinished at the death of author Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch ("Q"), was completed by Du Maurier at the request of his daughter. A bit slow and dry at the start (I've not read anything from "Q" before, nor am I all that familiar with the legends of Tristan and Iseult), but a good finish, albeit not the strongest. If you're big into the legends of T&I I'd go for it, but Du Maurier fans will probably be disappointed - the parts she contributed at the end are minimal and not her usual style. 3/5 stars.
Linnette Lewarne, married to a much older man, meets Breton Amyot by pure chance and their fates are forever sealed as they begin to relive a past that has happened time and time again through the centuries - that of Tristan and Iseult. Doctor Carfax watches from the sidelines as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together with that of the legends and ends with a race against time to stop the legend from repeating itself into tragedy once again - all culminating in a on a very foggy Cornwall All Hallows E'en. Is the good Doctor in time or not?
Well you know me, I don't tell. Castle Dor, unfinished at the death of author Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch ("Q"), was completed by Du Maurier at the request of his daughter. A bit slow and dry at the start (I've not read anything from "Q" before, nor am I all that familiar with the legends of Tristan and Iseult), but a good finish, albeit not the strongest. If you're big into the legends of T&I I'd go for it, but Du Maurier fans will probably be disappointed - the parts she contributed at the end are minimal and not her usual style. 3/5 stars.
July 5, 2023
I picked up this book for cheap at a garage sale because I enjoyed Daphne Du Maurier's other novel, Rebecca. I took a chance when I saw her name on this book. I actually only read about half of this story. I don't usually give up on books, but it just didn't catch my attention enough to cause me to want to read it further. Let me know if I made a mistake 😉
May 26, 2011
An interesting re-telling of the story of Tristan and Iseult. The countryside of Cornwall is beautifully rendered and there are many allusions to the original story, so I found it to be fascinating. Cornwall is now on my bucket list for travel.
June 17, 2025
This was a slow burn as it is so different to my favourite, Rebecca. The reason for this becomes clear in the explanation of how Du Maurier came to write it. As a reimagining of the Tristan and Isolde story, however, there are few to surpass it. Hold out for the end. It is exquisite.
January 18, 2018
Having read a lot of Daphne du Maurier in the past, I was intrigued to find a novel I had not read before. A story of love and loss, with links to story parallels from the past. I found the read interesting, but felt it was over complicated at times. So making me feel unconnected to the main characters and not as interested in the plot. However, interesting to fans of Daphne du Maurier.
Read
January 8, 2022Daphne du Maurier is one of my favorite authors, but be advised that she mostly didn’t write this book and it shows! Occasionally I felt I glimpsed her writing style and interest in the history or Cornwall, but everyone writing two-star reviews is right — unbelievable that someone could make the story of Tristan and Iseult boring but so they did.
October 19, 2025
Daphne du Maurier has, some time ago, become my comfort author. It does not matter what she chose to write. Horror, a parable, a thriller, a mystery, a nonfiction or, in this case, a historical fiction smudged with the supernatural. A retelling of the famous Arthurian legend, framed with some detective work used to explain and draw parallels, I found it a fitting autumnal read.
dnf
May 29, 2024really boring start and i feel justified in dnfing based on the reviews that it never recovers from its really boring start. daphne it’s not your fault you were tasked with finishing this book.. i will not hold it against you☝🏻
October 5, 2024
This book makes me feel like I could live for a thousand years. Like coastlines won’t crumble and collapse into themselves, like stories will never be forgotten. It feels like walking down the wooded lane near my grandparents’ house that leads to the sea. All mud and saltwater.
((Also - added to my list of novels ripe for a BBC adaptation, I’ll write the screenplay <3))
((Also - added to my list of novels ripe for a BBC adaptation, I’ll write the screenplay <3))
June 19, 2025
Easy to read, lovely retelling of Tristan and Iseult
Read
November 8, 2025DNF omg this stank
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