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51st out of 139 books
—
46 voters
Castle Dor
Both a spellbinding love story and a superb evocation of Cornwall's mythic past, Castle Dor is a book with unique and fascinating origins. It began life as the unfinished last novel of Sir Arthur Quiller- Couch, the celebrated 'Q', and was passed by his daughter to Daphne du Maurier whose storytelling skills were perfectly suited to the task of completing the old master's...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
June 3rd 2004
by Virago
(first published 1962)
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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 duMaur...more
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 duMaur...more
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"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...more
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...more
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...more
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...more
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Synopsis: "The castle and the hills around it had seen a doomed love affair before, but the impulsive young woman and the impressionable young lad from Brittany with whom she discovered a love heretofore denied her knew nothing of the past. They knew only the present--a present suddenly alive with enchantment, love and danger.
Linnet Lewarne at nineteen was married to a crotchety, wealthy man forty years her senior. One day there came to the seaport town where they lived a Breton, named Amyot Tre...more
Linnet Lewarne at nineteen was married to a crotchety, wealthy man forty years her senior. One day there came to the seaport town where they lived a Breton, named Amyot Tre...more
"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...more
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...more
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This book sets itself out as a Tristan & Isolde retelling. But it's kind of meta, for it doesn't just retell the story in a more modern setting (1840s Cornwall), it also discusses the original texts from the Middle Ages we still possess nowadays. So, this book is very T & I overkill. If you're familiar with the medieval texts, it's fun spotting the references. I think I got most of them, but then I am currently studying those exact texts at the moment. If you're not familiar with them.....more
It was ok. I usually love Du Maurier books so it was probably the fact that it was only about half her book that meant I didn't enjoy it as much.
I couldn't really get into it until at least half way through and even then I didn't feel that the story or characters gripped me. Because it didn't grip me meant I was reading it quickly and probably missing things as a result.
The introductions and development of the characters were lacking as even after finishing it I didn't feel as though I engaged w...more
I couldn't really get into it until at least half way through and even then I didn't feel that the story or characters gripped me. Because it didn't grip me meant I was reading it quickly and probably missing things as a result.
The introductions and development of the characters were lacking as even after finishing it I didn't feel as though I engaged w...more
Mar 21, 2011
Luckngrace
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
mystery-thriller
I began this book because I saw that Daphne DuMaurier had finished the last book of Mr. Quiller-Couch who had died. Aside from a few delightful superstitions and anecdotes, I just couldn't get into the book. I had trouble deciphering the very old way of speaking or writing. I may try it again sometime but for now it just didn't work.
Set in the mythic past of Cornwall this book was right up Daphne du Maurier's alley. Started by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, Daphne du Maurier finished it and it is almost impossible to see where the change in author occurs. I didn't think it was one of Daphne's best, but it was definitely her style of book.
A trajic love story centuries old repeated itself on the very lands where it previously occurred. Despite the efforts of Dr. Carfax to stop its progress - then came - just as with Tristan and Isuelt but for Amyst and Linnet.
As soon as Daphne Du Maurier took up the story I knew I would love this book. It is sweet and moody at the same time, full of the beauty of Cornwall. To not read "Tristan and Iseult" after this would be to deny myself joy.
I just couldn't get into the book. I had trouble deciphering the very old way of speaking or writing and eventually had to give up.
Story of Tristan & Iseult which was relived by Linnet and Amyot 1300 years later. A bit spooky. I love Cornwall and you could imagine it's lanes & ancient sites.
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.
In my opinion, Athur Thomas was able to write only the first part of this book, since I recognized the unmistakable style of Dame du Maurier in the beginning of part 2. Any other guess??
If you like the Tristan & Isolde series, you might like this .
Started by du Maurier's father and completed by her upon his death it is almost impossible to tell where he finished and she picked it up, so flawlessly does she imitate his style. The moderate update to an old story, that of Tristan and Iseult, is well done except I struggled to engage with Linnet, the Iseult to onion-seller Amyot Trestane's Tristan. As always I enjoyed du Maurier's writing style but failed to fully sympahise with the characters, Linnet seems immature and selfish making Amyot's...more
An interesting version of Tristan and Iseult. I quite like Daphne's writing.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with this novel as it was du Maurier’s collaboration with Arthur Quiller-Couch - she finished writing it after his death. The subject matter was interesting enough but it certainly picked up when du Maurier’s storytelling kicked in. Sadly, there were several silly spelling mistakes throughout, including the misspelling of characters’ names, which was a shame. I didn’t find it as compulsively readable as du Maurier’s other novels, but I think that may just be b...more
I know Daphne took over this project and finished a part written novel, but I suspect she rewrote most of it but stuck to the rather silly idea. I am not sure that she would have started this project and I am surprised she took it on. Perhaps she felt obliged. All in all Tristan and Isolde are reborn and re die in the 18th or 19th Century.
Not the usual Du Maurier fare, I found this turgid and unengaging - I forced myself to finish it. If Tristan and Iseult is one of the greatest love stories in literature - this was one of the worst. Its only charm is the evocation of historic Cornwall that Du Maurier does so well.
Another retelling of Tristam and Isolde.
If you enjoy the story of Tristan and Isolde then you will enjoy this book. It wasn't my favorite Daphne Du Maurier book (she co-authored it). But it was still a fun read. It is set in the 1840's but it reaches through time to tell a timeless love story.
A retelling of the Tristan and Isolde tale, not very good and hard to get into. Daphne Du Maurier worked on finishing this book for the author so I thought I would read it, the story gets better once she picks up the writing.
Daphne du Maurier's books are wonderful. They are all mainly set in Cornwall, the county she loved and called her home. They so descriptive and captivating.
retelling of the story of Tristan and Isolde by the masterful duMaurier
May 13, 2013
Adam Chamberlain
marked it as to-read
May 12, 2013
Cherie Theodosiou
marked it as to-read
May 05, 2013
Liz Mallott
marked it as to-read
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If Daphne du Maurier had written only Rebecca, she would still be one of the great shapers of popular culture and the modern imagination. Few writers have created more magical and mysterious places than Jamaica Inn and Manderley, buildings invested with a rich character that gives them a memorable life of their own.
In many ways the life of Daphne du Maurier resembles that of a fairy tale. Born int...more
More about Daphne du Maurier...
In many ways the life of Daphne du Maurier resembles that of a fairy tale. Born int...more
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