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May 07, 2018
Fergus, Weaver of Autistic Webs
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review of another edition
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classic-thriller
‘WHO KNOWS WHAT EVIL LURKS IN THE HEART OF MEN?’
‘The SHADOW Knows...’
(with assorted Backstage Evil Cackles)
- WWII-Era Radio Show.
Back in the J.F.K. Era, my grandmother belonged to the Book-of-the- Month Club. Is that still around?
Anyway, one December she got a new book everybody was raving about back then - The Scapegoat.
The deal was, if you didn’t mail the book back in time, it was yours.
But - to her - it seemed the perfect Christmas gift for my young self! I never knew WHY until I finally s ...more
‘The SHADOW Knows...’
(with assorted Backstage Evil Cackles)
- WWII-Era Radio Show.
Back in the J.F.K. Era, my grandmother belonged to the Book-of-the- Month Club. Is that still around?
Anyway, one December she got a new book everybody was raving about back then - The Scapegoat.
The deal was, if you didn’t mail the book back in time, it was yours.
But - to her - it seemed the perfect Christmas gift for my young self! I never knew WHY until I finally s ...more
No idea why this was showing as I had rated this book when I haven't even finished it.
Gee, I got so many likes when I was just having a whinge, I don't know why I'm bothering to write a review! 😁
Well, I do know why. This is one of the best books I've read this year - it is definitely the best fiction that is not a reread.
I read it as a straight doppelganger story and still found it wonderfully complex - & du Maurier's skilled writing made me believe the unbelievable. But ...more
Gee, I got so many likes when I was just having a whinge, I don't know why I'm bothering to write a review! 😁
Well, I do know why. This is one of the best books I've read this year - it is definitely the best fiction that is not a reread.
I read it as a straight doppelganger story and still found it wonderfully complex - & du Maurier's skilled writing made me believe the unbelievable. But ...more
Very clever and enjoyable! I am not sure what I can say about this that hasn't already been said in other reviews...but, I can tell you for certain that I loved it. So, I can add that to the others that truly enjoyed this novel. It was unexpected. It wasn't even what I thought it would be about when I had so many times passed it over for something else. I might not had read it had it not been for my reading group picking it as a buddy read and, well, I like to read with those gals.
The book has ...more
The book has ...more
The Scapegoat by Daphne DuMaurier hit me straight on, square between the eyes, eyebrows above hairline.
In the cabinet file drawers of my mind I had D DuMaurier filed under “read, mostly. Classic, so good in that classic way. Last reading in late teen years. Can’t remember anything specific except the name Rebecca.” Yep. Because of that if anyone had asked, I would have nodded and said, yep, done that already. Hell, no!!!! What a lie!
Late into the first chapter I was so irritated with the unnamed ...more
In the cabinet file drawers of my mind I had D DuMaurier filed under “read, mostly. Classic, so good in that classic way. Last reading in late teen years. Can’t remember anything specific except the name Rebecca.” Yep. Because of that if anyone had asked, I would have nodded and said, yep, done that already. Hell, no!!!! What a lie!
Late into the first chapter I was so irritated with the unnamed ...more
This classic novel has it all -- complex characters struggling in a bizarre situation, set in a historic chateau in the charming French countryside.
The riveting plot involves two identical men who meet by accident and one of them hoodwinks the other into changing places. John the Englishman becomes Jean the Frenchman, who owns the chateau. Since he speaks flawless French, the reader is expected to believe that John can step into his new role without detection -- and for the most part, he does. ...more
The riveting plot involves two identical men who meet by accident and one of them hoodwinks the other into changing places. John the Englishman becomes Jean the Frenchman, who owns the chateau. Since he speaks flawless French, the reader is expected to believe that John can step into his new role without detection -- and for the most part, he does. ...more
Sept 2018 Group read (reread) for Retro Reads group.
I looked back to see when I first read this and find it was 35 years ago, so no wonder I had forgotten so much. I did remember some key events but had forgotten exactly how it ended. I remember liking it but not how really, really good it was. I am a great du Maurier fan and now I think this may be my favorite, even rivaling Rebecca. I am so glad that I got around to rereading this after so long and especially doing a group read with so much g ...more
I looked back to see when I first read this and find it was 35 years ago, so no wonder I had forgotten so much. I did remember some key events but had forgotten exactly how it ended. I remember liking it but not how really, really good it was. I am a great du Maurier fan and now I think this may be my favorite, even rivaling Rebecca. I am so glad that I got around to rereading this after so long and especially doing a group read with so much g ...more
A very subtle psychological study of a dysfunctional family and the strange chance that changes all their lives.
Implausible, but she's such a good storyteller that it's easy to just go along with it.
...more
A spellbinding psychological novel. Daphne du Maurier was a master of the genre. She weaved the story and created complex characters that kept my attention to the end.
The concept for the book was a great idea for the exploration of family dynamics, the influences of other people on someone, the hidden guilt, and resentment, using bigger, outside events (wars, etc.) for personal profit, and many others.
Even an ambiguous ending was fascinating.
I read the author's novels which I loved more, but it ...more
The concept for the book was a great idea for the exploration of family dynamics, the influences of other people on someone, the hidden guilt, and resentment, using bigger, outside events (wars, etc.) for personal profit, and many others.
Even an ambiguous ending was fascinating.
I read the author's novels which I loved more, but it ...more
Jul 12, 2015
Tweety
marked it as to-read
Feb 28, 2016
Samanta
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Feb 06, 2017
Skye
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Apr 18, 2017
Melanie Haynes
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Feb 20, 2018
Lady An ☽
marked it as to-read
May 24, 2018
Anooja
added it
Jul 20, 2018
Helen
marked it as to-read
Sep 08, 2018
Barbara
marked it as to-read
Sep 30, 2018
Leslie
marked it as to-read
