My Cousin Rachel - Daphne Du Maurier

Ambrose, Philip's guardian since the loss of both parents at an early age, travels abroad to Italy for the sake of his health where he meets, falls in love with and marries "my cousin Rachel". Months later, Philip receives a disturbing letter from Ambrose concerning the state of his health, which also hints at Rachel's involvement in his illness. On travelling to Italy to investigate, Philip finds Ambrose dead, and Rachael has departed. Philip returns ...
...he has now inherited from Ambrose. Shortly thereafter Rachel invites herself to come and stay with Philip in the house which she would have shared with Ambrose had he lived. Philip accepts, with the intention that he will question Rachel on her involvement in Ambrose's death and mete out her punishment accordingly. However, on meeting Rachel, Philip becomes enthralled with her and will entertain no doubts as to her character and honour. The remainder ...

chcouper 21.02.2007 · Read full review
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Review of My Cousin Rachel - Daphne Du Maurier

"They used to hang murderers at Four Turnings in the old days. Not any more though". The first sentence captures your attention, and as you move through this beautifully written 1951 novel, it's difficult to tear yourself away. Even though the pace slows in the middle, by then you'll want to stay with it to find out what happens. Philip Ashley has been brought up by his cousin Ambrose. As his parents are dead, Ambrose is everything to him: father, ...
...travels to Italy in the hope that the climate will be good for his health. While there, he meets Rachel, a distant relative, and they marry. While he seems happy at first, the tone of his letters home becomes increasingly disturbing. His health deteriorates, and Philip becomes frantic with worry. When he dies, Rachel returns to England, and Philip is deeply suspicious of her. However, she is not what he expects. Despite his very limited experience ...

joycarole 28.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of My Cousin Rachel - Daphne Du Maurier

My Cousin Rachel is a wonderful novel: chillingly atmospheric, underpinned by heartstopping plotline, a theme of jealousy, suspicion, emotional and sexual enchantment. Du Maurier assumed a male authorial voice as the narrator, Philip Ashley in keeping with her own bisexual nature. She based the spellbinding Rachel character on Ellen Doubleday, the wife of her American publisher, with whom she, Du Maurier , fell hopelessly in love from the moment of their first meeting. Like Philip, she was enchanted by Ellen's exquisite petite tough/fragile and foxily feminine persona. The gender play in this otherwise oldfashioned tale is cutting-edge modern. Why this marvellous writer (and this masterful novel in particular) has never been treated seriously by the literary establishment is beyond me. ...

Lazio 01.11.2007
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Review of My Cousin Rachel - Daphne Du Maurier