About this title: One of Daphne Du Maurier's Cornish novels. Dick Young experiments with a new drug and is transported back to the 14th century. After witnessing the vivid life of the manor of Tywardreath, and becoming obsessed with the magnetic Isolda - he resents the time he must spend in the modern world.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Edition: First Avon Edition
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Avon Books, New York, NY, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1970
Description: Good. 12mo-over 6¾"-7¾" tall. Cover is a bit worn and soiled, with a crease to front cover, hinge and creasing to spine. Pages are tanned, otherwise appear near fine. SYNOPSIS: "On vacation at an ancient manor house, a young man takes an experimental drug that transports him 600 years into the past-while leaving his body in the present! " read more
Edition: Book Club Edition.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Doubleday, New York
Date Published: 1969
Description: Very good in good dust jacket. 298 p. Tan cloth over boards with pink lettering on spine. Book itself is in beautiful near-mint condition. Spotless inside & out. Corners sharp. Bottom of spine just slightly bumped. DJ has a number of tears & chips along edges, a few spots. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Doubleday, Garden City, N.Y.
Date Published: 1969
Description: Very good in good dust jacket. 298 p. geneal. table. 22 cm. Includes Genealogical tables. Book shows very minor bumping and dj has afew small scuffs and tears but overall good read more
"Dick Young engages in some experimenting with a psychedelic drug that transports him from the 1960's to the fourteenth century, only to find himself more and more drawn to the medieval time while more and more dissatisfied with his 20th century real life. I found this book disappointing in comparison with the usually imaginative Du Maurier's best, _Rebecca_ and _My Cousin Rachel_. Dick is a lackluster hero and the writing lacks suspense and drama. Three stars should be 2 1/2."
"In this later du Maurier story, Dick Young is given the opportunity to live in a friend's home. In return he serves a as a guinea pig to Magnus, a biochemist who has created a liquid that allows one to mentally travel back in time. Unable to interact with people in the past, Dick's experiences with time traveling become increasingly more exciting for him as he falls in love with a woman in the 14th century. Each time returning to his own time he is more and more confused and anxious, and his behaviors are not easily overlooked by his wife and stepsons who have joined him in Cornwall.
Had I read this du Maurier first I may have been turned off by her completely. Luckily I read Rebecca, loved it and therefore will read anything else by her, despite how poorly it might be written. The House on the Strand, though perhaps not poorly written, does not live up to the expectations set by Rebecca. Du Maurier tries to a write from the perspective of Dick, but does not write a man's perspective very well. For the first third of the book I honestly thought it was being told from a woman's perspective, and even after realizing this is meant to be Dick's story I struggled to keep that straight in my head. Dick himself is not a very likable character, so I had trouble caring much what happened to him in either the past or his present. His friend, Magnus, was an interesting character but even there was very little character development. Rebecca was a much more solid book, a much better page-turner. I could appreciate what du Maurier was trying to accomplish with The House on the Strand but it was such a disappointment in follow-up to Rebecca."
"I absolutely could not remember who was who from the 14th century. Every single one of them had names that started with O, C, or B, and every single one of them was related, married, and/or having an affair with another one.
Other than that, I learned several things from this book: 1. If husbands really feel this way about their wives, I'm not getting married
2. People drank A LOT in the sixties
3. No other character ever has denied being gay more times than Richard Young
4. The drug our protagonist was taking obviously included Claire's spine melting medicine from Russia."
"Dull, dull, dull, dull, dull..... Having previously loved Rebecca I though I'd give this a try and wish I hadn't. The story line is a great idea, but never followed through as one would hope. Firstly in Dick's relationship with Magnus where a strong bond is implied, Magnus dies at the one moment where, as a reader, you are awaiting with anticipation, how they react together with Vita. Secondly, in Dick's link with the past, where he is apparently emotionally bound to Roger and Isolde, two characters that are barely touched upon and somewhat vacant. In all honesty, I can even be arsed to finish this review having wasted a week on this book!"
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