Frenchman's Creek (Virago Modern Classics Book 112)

A radio commentator raved about this book as a book equal to The English Patient. So I thought it would be an interesting read. It's a pretty juvenile book. Rich lady is bored, goes to the country house, pirate has been staying in the country house, she finds out and invites him to dinner, you get the picture.

I stopped there because nothing appeared to be historically accurate. The story could have featured a bored housewife from 1950 and been exactly the same.

This is not equal to The English Patient.

*spoilers*

It saddens me to give only 3 stars for a Daphne du Maurier novel (and even this is pushing it), but Frenchman's Creek just isn't in the same league as Rebecca and Jamaica Inn. It's much more of a straightforward romance, but the attraction between the main characters lacked spark. The suspense/adventure aspects of the novel picked up towards the end, but not enough to redeem the novel.

The book opens as Lady Dona St Columb leaves London with her 2 children for the solitude of her husband's country estate in Cornwall. She is fleeing the city because she's disgusted with the shallow, hedonistic and immoral life she's fallen into. Most of all, she's disgusted with herself and what she's become. She doesn't love her husband and is on the cusp of an affair with his best friend, even though she despises the man. She's so bored with her existence that she's taken to pulling stupid, childish pranks to get some thrills.

We learn quickly that she is a free spirit who feels suffocated by social conventions and longs to break free. She loves her young children but feels shackled by motherhood and has always wanted to have the same freedoms as a man. When she finds a pirate ship hidden in a secret river on her property, captained by an enchanting member of the aristocracy who also grew bored with his conventional existence, she is finally able to experience real passion and adventure.

The gender politics of this book are interesting, and many have commented that du Maurier seems to have written about her own dissatisfaction with marriage and motherhood. The ending is much bleaker than Jamaica Inn because in that far superior book Mary Yellen chose to snub her nose at society and follow her heart, while Dona is trapped in her loveless existence and has to watch her pirate sail off without her.

I realised while reading Frenchman's Creek that I like my 'bad boys' to have some rough edges and a bit of street cred, which is why I was much more taken with Jem in Jamaica Inn than I was with the pirate in this book. It was hard to have much respect for a wealthy man who decided to embark on a life of pillage and plunder because he was bored. He needed a lot more depth for this to work. It was also hard to become invested in the suspenseful scenes or care about the fates of these characters when all of the drama was completely self-created. There was no reason for any of the events to happen other than the fact that they put themselves in these perilous situations for kicks.

I assumed this was one of du Maurier's earlier books so it was surprising to find out it was written after Rebecca and Jamaica Inn. It would have been very easy for her to overcome the problems I've mentioned so it's baffling that such a skilled writer would fall into these traps. There were also other inconsistencies which made it seem amateurish. For example, when Dona decides to send her husband and children away from Navron so she is free to help the French pirate escape from jail, she doesn't even give him a reason, and he simply accepts this. When she's helping the pirate to escape, he says her real name in front of multiple witnesses. Another thing that bugged me about this book was the use of the words "god damn it" by Dona's husband Harry. I'm no expert, but it seems unlikely this phrase would have been used in 17th century England.

On the positive side, the scenes at Navron when Dona rediscovered nature and the descriptions of the creek are quite lovely. I can see what du Maurier was trying to achieve with this novel, but sadly I don't think she pulled it off

Described as a modern classic. I recognised the author's name having watched the film, Rebecca a number of times.

Lady Dona St Columb is trapped in a loveless marriage and in societal routines that she detests. She has a streak of recklessness and always a strong desire to escape her circumstances should the opportunity arise. On a whim, she retires alone to their second residence for a break from life. There she chances upon Frenchman's Creek, a favourite spot for pirates, and meets the French philosopher pirate Jean Aubrey.

The author is a brilliant story-teller. Her scenes are vividly drawn and I could easily picture the beauty of the surroundings as they were described. The pace is about right as the relationships are developed and suspense is built.

This novel will appeal to all those who desire to escape from reality and pursue a dream world of their own imagination. However, as a Christian, I found it difficult to enjoy knowing that the heroine was already married and thereby engaging in infidelity by pursuing another. Some might excuse her behaviour, she had entered the original match naively, perhaps. But, this wasn't an arranged marriage, she had agreed to marry her husband and should therefore be faithful to him.

Despite innuendo, there is not really any sexual content in this book. There is some violence as several characters are killed. There is some mild bad language and some blasphemy.

I enjoyed the flow of the writing but cannot rate this more than a 3 on principle as it implies that extra-marital affairs are normal, even acceptable.

What a treat. From the very first sentence you are drawn into the scene with descriptions of the sea and the Cornwall Coast that becomes a character in the story.
“When the east wind blows up Helford River the shining waters become troubled and disturbed and little waves beat angrily upon the sandy shores.”
Du Maurier infuses the story of an English aristocratic woman in the 1800’s, a caged bird, who yearns to escape the stilted trappings of court life in London. Dona yearns to be a man with all the privledges and freedom accorded her brothers and for adventure and romance. She is an intelligent, beautiful woman who wields power over her husband, but still yearns to escape the confines of her marriage. She meets the Frenchman, a pirate by trade, who spends hours doing sketches of birds. He takes her with him on a raid and lets her spread her adventurous wings. She falls in love with a mirror image of the spirit within her that yearns to be free. I was not happy with the ending because I would have let my heart lead the way. But, this story is set in time when women were struggling for emotional and financial independence. Still, the writing is superb with insights into the human dilemma, marvelous descriptions that place you at sea and in the forest where you smell the moss and dark earth. Plus, an intriguing plot filled with suspense. I have much to learn from this great writer

4+ Stars. Daphne du Maurier brings her true love of boating and the sea to life in this most enjoyable 17th century atmospheric tale of swashbuckling fun.

The excitement begins soon after Lady Dona leaves London society....and her (foolish) baronet husband.....for their country home and a much needed respite away from everyday boredom and loveless marriage.

With two children, and nanny in tow, Dona is finally free to avail herself of sun and solace with long walks in the woods and thoughts of a younger self in a time long past when an unexpected encounter.... with a notorious and most appealing pirate.... give her life new meaning.

FRENCHMAN'S CREEK is an intriguing adventure story with dangerous escapades and just the right touch of emotion and romance amidst great characters......and no, it's not My Cousin Rachel or Rebecca, but it's still a dam entertaining read!

This was a fantastic story! On the face of it this is a dashing romantic adventure, and yet there are some very deep, subtle undercurrants which seem to be a theme in du Maurier works.

I think you would need to have children to really understand the internal struggle the main character goes through and the theme of dissatisfaction that runs throughout the book. The main character is going through a time of crisis, she is finding her life unbearable and is questioning her purpose as a wife, a mother, a human. At a time when she is most desperate to escape the humdrum, enter handsome frenchman, pirate, adventurer, lover. He offers our heroine life, love and opportunity. Unsurprisingly she takes it with both hands, and what follows is a brief foray into the dangerous but exhilarating world of piracy. All the while our heroine struggles with what seems to be the two different people, two different lives; the pirate's lover and the woman who is a wife and mother.

But as her two lives begin to merge, the danger increases and finally our heroine must decide between who she has to be, and who she wants to be.

I think one of the reasons I believe I love this book, is that it could be anyone in the story. Our heroine was looking for an escape, which (I am thinking as a I ponder the plot) is what all of us, to some degree, look for. As readers we escape into fiction, and I am sure if our own romanic pirate sailed into being that there would be many who would take his outstretched hand and never look back. But for most of us, the book is finished or put down at some point and there are children to feed, work to do, responsibilities to resume. In the end, I think the heroine's decision shows that, just as we balance pleasure with responsibility, escape with reality, she has accepted that the two woman who were warring within, can be one in the same. I admire her courage and I would like to think that she found her balance.

“...I will shed no more tears, like a spoilt child. For whatever happens we have had what we have had. No one can take that from us. And I have been alive, who was never alive before.”

For those of you who only know Daphne Du Maurer as the author of “Rebecca” or perhaps “The Birds”; she also wrote many other books including this one. This story of Lady Dona St. Columb, a bored lady of the 17th century who retires to her husband’s country estate to get away from the life of parties, drinking and debauchery of the wealthy class. While here she reconnects with her children and discovers a simpler life, where mirrors don’t matter and nature revives her.

She also meets a handsome pirate Jean-Benoit Aubery who is purging the local gentry of their goods. Jean-Benoit changes her views on many things and when the locals call for his blood, she must risk all to save him.

This book is beautifully written and the descriptions of Cornwall and sailing the seas are enthralling. I had a little problem with the narrator John Castle who tended to make some characters a bit grating on my nerves. For the most part, he did a wonderful job.

This book was originally written in the 1940’s but it stands the test of time today. I had read it many years ago and wanted to try it again. I’m very happy I did.

Frenchman’s Creek, Daphne du Maurier
This is not the typical novel that is written today. Looking at the style of the original cover, I would have turned away from it, and more’s the pity because I would have missed a book that demands an audience and perhaps a conversation about what we seek and how we live our lives. Written with a prose that is at once well-structured and coherent, it is also lyrical and sensitive. In Du Maurier’s novel about a place of refuge called Frenchman’s Creek, she achieves what most novels today, do not. Without crude language or vivid and graphic sex scenes, she elicits romance and adventure on almost every page. The lightness of the plot does not betray the beauty of its presentation.
Du Maurier introduces us to an enchanted area of Cornwall, England. This otherworldly locale from a time past, takes shape out of the shadows, near a hidden inlet. Lady Dona St Columb flees there to Navron House, in search of a different life than the one she was living in London as the wife of an aristocrat who was crude and fat, and no longer very appealing to her. She is ashamed of her previous behavior of cavorting with the men. She discovers Frenchman’s Creek on her property and it feels magical and mysterious. It is actually right there that a pirate, cut from a different mold, a pirate who is the antithesis of the swashbuckling crude pirate of fairy tales like Captain Hook, that Jean Benoit Aubéry, a Frenchman of ill repute, has made his place of respite for his crew and his ship called La Mouette, meaning the seagull; it is named for a bird that is gifted with flight and freedom, a bird that swoops down and steals from the water and the earth whatever it chooses in much the same way as this pirate does, this pirate who is painted as rather smooth talking and virile, which is a rather optimistic and romantic combination. Aubéry is no ordinary “yohoho” kind of pirate. Rather, he is a bit more sophisticated than that. I picture leading men like Errol Flynn and Clark Gable, heartthrobs from the past, playing his part. He is a pipe-smoking, poetry-reading pirate who is the stuff that dreams of young women are made of…the rake who carries them off to a land where they can fulfill their fantasies; he is the “prince” of their dreams and they immediately fall head over heels in love with this masculine soul with a heart and a mind, not just a handsome, strong body. Aubéry is not a cruel or coarse pirate. He is simply a man who wants to be free to move about at will, to live as he pleases without regard for anything else. He simply wants his adventure and he trusts to sheer good fortune for his survival. He is a bit arrogant, yet refined and courteous. It is his love of danger and excitement that propels him, and in his travels he discovered a secret cove that leads to Frenchman’s Creek, this hidden haven of safety where he and his mates could rest awhile. It is in that same sanctuary that the Dona and the pirate discover each other and their natural affinity for the same lifestyle unites them with a common bond as a romantic spark is ignited between them. Together they embark on a path that will change both of their lives forever.
Lady Dona St Columb in her attempt to run, actually enters another world that is similar to the world she runs from, and thus begins again a life of debauchery, but oh, a life that is so very much more exciting and romantic. Although her husband Harry adores her, and although she loves him, he holds no interest for her any longer; he is boring and pompous, weak and lacking in intellect. On the contrary, Jean is masculine and intriguing. She wants more from her life; her thirtieth birthday is nearing and she fears that her time is running out. She seeks to eat when she wishes, wear what she wishes and simply do as she wishes. She seeks more control of her own life. Her children are cared for by Prue, the able nanny, so that she is really no longer indispensable. Everyone, it would seem, is taken care of, but she herself is not. Her role is that of the caretaker and she no longer chooses it, rather she wants to be cared for in more than the mundane ways of the day. She wants to have fun and to finally and ultimately find love and to be loved and appreciated as more than just a female body. Isn’t it finally her turn to live? Thirty, after all, was fairly old in the time of Charles II.
In this novel, written in 1941, I found myself rooting for the “bad” guy and not for those that pretended to be on the side of right when it suited them. The villain was the more likable. The uptight, so-called upstanding citizens of the novel were a bit stodgy and obnoxious, demanding and self-righteous in a far different way than the pirate himself. He seemed to be good-natured in all of his attempts at piracy, albeit he was stealing from others. He was merely assuming the same rights as those pompous townspeople who were doing as they wished, ignoring the rights of those whose class was “beneath them”, basically stealing their lives from the labors of others. They were not portrayed as the brightest bulbs and so were easily duped by the pirate. He had simply turned the tables on them all. He ignored the rights of those he thought were behaving as if they were “above” him. And therein lies the rub, for both, behaving in similar ways, for different reasons which each justified, were capable of ignoring the rules and laws of society; and both believed in their right to do so as they ignored the rights of the other. How true it still is today as we justify our own behavior, which is often at the expense of others but which gratifies our own needs.
The characters banter with each other in a charming way. The humor is very subtle as they toy with each other, even in conversation, as they intuit their feelings and desires. The book is a wonderful examination of emotions and behavior, but it raises questions about the very nature of those sentiments and conduct. Was the Dona noble in her actions or self-serving, in the end? How many women could do as she did and never look back? Will she live to regret her choices, will the pirate? Was the ending satisfying?
DuMaurier takes the reader on a wonderful journey into the land of fantasy and romance, adventure and danger, and she does it with a certain flair and flourish. The subtle humor and sarcasm will bring a smile to the lips and invite a chuckle to escape. The author captivates the reader so that they, too, will be soaked by the rain, tossed by the waves, duck from the bullets and will run through the streets to escape capture with their fellow marauders as Dona and the pirates do the same. The fear and tension will build and half way through the book, even with the hokey kind of plot, a plot from the world of the fairy tales of yesterday and not today, I was captured by the prose and could not put it down, reading it late into the night until I reached the last page and smiled. It is rollicking good fun as Dona, the “cabin boy”, and Jean have their secret trysts and escapades, defying custom and decorum.
Frenchman’s Creek is the secret place of Dona and the pirate; it is hidden among the trees from the rest of the world; it offers privacy and a place to live out one’s desires, unimpeded by the requirements of the outside world. Real life does not intrude there, but living life to the fullest does! Of course, another conclusion can be drawn. Dona is also arrogant and rude. She behaves in a raucous manner without regard for others as does the pirate, often humiliating those weaker than they. The pirate, while polite, might also be considered cruel as he relieves his victims of their belongings and shames and frightens them. But somehow, that is not the message that comes through. Instead, we witness the joy that the people who choose to live with excitement, in a positive space that is open to adventure, have in living their life, while their opposites are victims of a world in which they seem only to plod through in negative space, but they are unfulfilled and unhappy.

I'm interested in Daphne DuMaurier's life for more than 30 years and first heard about her through the Alfred Hitchcock movies "Rebecca" and "Jamaica Inn" (didn't care for "Jamaica Inn" or for "My Cousin Rachel").

Like most people, I read "Rebecca" first and liked it although it was not the best of her novels.
Next I read "Frenchman's Creek" and now I was really hooked and read the rest of her books. "The House on the Strand" is another favorite...too bad it has never been filmed!

Then in 1987 on my second vacation in England, we stayed at a house in the woods opposite of the real Frenchman's Creek, Helford River, outside Port Navas in Cornwall. One day we drove to the opposite side of Helford River and explored Frenchman's Creek (there is a public path, but you have to cross a house/farm similar to Navron House in the novel in order to reach that path). It still looks the way DuMaurier described it in her novel and in "Growing Pains", one of her autobiographies.

In 1995 we stayed in Polruan on the other side of the river Fowey and opposite of the small town of Fowey for 11 days. I've been to Kilmarth (the inspiration for "House on the Strand"), I've even seen Menabilly (the model for Manderley in "Rebecca") which is now inhabited by Rashleigh descendants and I went twice to Jamaica Inn, Bodmin Moor, where they have a Daphne DuMaurier room with her desk. Of course I explored Readymoney Cove as well where DuMaurier lived for a while before moving to Menabilly while it was renovated.
For everybody interested in DuMaurier's life I highly recommend to read the biography by Margaret Forster from 1993.
There is also a beautiful coffee table book availabale called "Enchanted Cornwall" by Daphne DuMaurier, it's a pictorial memoir with a map to all her book locations (helpful for any DuMaurier fan who plans a Cornwall trip).

If you take the little car ferry from the Fowey side to Boddinnick (sp?), you even get to see the house that Daphne's parents bought in the late twenties/early thirties (Ferryside) and where she spent one winter all by herself (just 17 or 18 years old) to write her first novel "The Loving Spirit" with one servant to cook for her. Her older sister Angela used to live until her death in Ferryside. Now Daphne's son Christian "Kits" Browning lives there with his wife.

Cornwall is for sure worth a trip!

I also recommend to watch the remake of the movie "Frenchman's Creek" with Anthony Delon from the late nineties. In the contrary to the old movie version with Joan Fontaine from the forties, the new version has been filmed in Cornwall. The movie locations are gorgeous.

I liked this book, but it didn't thrill me as much as Jamaica Inn, Hungry Hill, The Loving Spirit, or even Rebecca did. (Rebecca was once my least favorite Du Maurier novel. But I believe that Frenchman's creek has now taken its place.) And that's a bit disappointing because after reading the description on the back, I was very excited to read it. I thought it might be the best yet.

I liked the overall plot, message, sentiment of the book. I didn't care a fig about its being "unrealistic" or anything like that. Unrealistic? Perhaps somewhat. But impossible, no. (And I certainly didn't look down on Dona for her "lack of interest" in her children as one stick-in-the-mud reviewer mentioned. Some women are less "maternal" than others and not as eager to revolve their entire life around their children. She never did anything to harm them, so who cares?)

It was a good escape and a good adventure, but it could have been better. I'm not sure exactly why, but something about the book seemed a little fluffy in comparison to her other books. And for some reason, I didn't feel like I was there. That's all. The idea of the book was perfect in theory. It just could have been executed a little better somehow.

I would not describe the heroine, Dona St. Colombe as "bored". Her lack of contentedness was something deeper than that. It wasn't the typical "boredom" or ennui that any average woman would experience being married to a man who was unappealing to her. And it's not like Dona's "boredom" could be cured simply by having an affair with a man more to her taste. It goes so much deeper than that.

She didn't fall in love with Jean Benoit-Aubery simply because he was handsome and "exciting" or something like that. And she was not the shallow woman that some of the reviewers are making her out to be. No shallow, vain woman could stand to go out to the country and live in isolation like that with nothing in particular to entertain them. Dona was a woman of depth and intelligence - one who valued freedom and solitude. She fell in love with the pirate because he was her soul mate - a kindred spirit who understood and shared her nature.

And it wasn't falling in love that relieved her "boredom". It was taking part in the kind of meaningful adventure that she had always wanted to and playing the part of a man (which she clearly wished she could be). She fell in love with Jean because he gave her an opportunity to experience momentarily the kind of life she wished she could lead indefinitely (in addition to the fact that he was a kindred spirit unlike anyone she had ever known).

Anyway, I liked Dona. I love Daphne Du Maurier. And it seems an insult to both Daphne and her heroine to dismiss her dissatisfaction with conventional life as simple "boredom". Sure there was some boredom involved, for instance, when Dona was obliged to call upon and socialize with people she didn't like for appearances' sake. But when she was alone at Navron, she was content. When she was with Jean Benoit-Aubery, she was HAPPY. It was not the typical boredom that a typical woman feels when she gets tired of her typical husband. Dona was not a typical woman, and she was not cut out to live a typical life.

Anyway, this book is definitely worth a read. To me, it seemed a little lacking somehow compared to her other books, but I'm seeing a lot of five-star reviews. So you may very well love it.

I wasn't sure what to expect from FRENCHMAN'S CREEK by Daphne du Maurier, but I knew I wanted to read it. I am embarrassed to say that I have never read one of Ms. du Maurier's books (however, I do own two copies of REBECCA) and I am woefully ignorant of most classics. So when I found out that Sourcebooks was going to re-release a few of her novels, I definitely knew I had to read at least one of them.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this novel -- I really, really liked it. When I picked up the book and read the first chapter, I was afraid that it was going to be a bit difficult to read. I got a little nervous that it was going to be kind of "stuffy;" however, as soon as I read the second chapter, I was hooked. I was immediately caught up in Dona's life and her desire to flee London, her life as a Lady, and even her husband. And, I just loved all of the action and adventure packed into these pages.

I think most people will relate (at least a little) to Dona's desire to just get away from it all. The difference is that most of us would never do it in the fashion that Dona did. (I, for one, just think about it for a few minutes when the kids are driving me crazy and I want some peace and quiet -- I could never act on it!) Not only did she leave her home and husband in London, but once she was "free" she still managed to escape even further by leaving her children with a virtual stranger and running off with a pirate. I guess you could say that desperate times called for desperate measures, but I pretty sure that most women will not be able to relate to the extreme nature of Dona's actions. It does make for terrific reading though!

One of my most pleasant surprises about FRENCHMAN'S CREEK was the amount of humor in this story. Of course, Dona and her pirate were terrific characters but I loved how Ms. du Maurier brought them to life. While I didn't respect Dona for her decisions, I must say that I had a wonderful time reading about her escape; and I loved her sarcasm and her sense of adventure. Even though I found some of her actions despicable, I could almost understand them given the expectations and trappings that she felt existed in her life. I just couldn't comprehend how she could abandon her children, putting her own desires ahead of them. Of course, I could understand how she fell in love with the pirate -- he was a smart, perceptive and exciting man despite (or maybe because of) his choice of professions.

When I started reading FRENCHMAN'S CREEK, I wasn't really thinking about it as a book club selection. However, as I really got into the story and the characters, I discovered that it would make a wonderful selection. I think the themes of escapism and self-actualization make this book ideal for discussion (especially among women.) And I really liked that the book deals with these topics while also being a very entertaining and enjoyable read. I was thrilled to see that the paperback edition includes a reading guide in the back.

Lady Dona has grown weary of her high society life. She is fed up with the endless parties filled of people with too much money and too less to do. It's an inane and nonsensical existence - sleeping until noon and staying up all night in the card houses. Playing silly jokes just to pass time. Boredom of the rich is nothing to scoff at.

Finally, she can't take it anymore, the urge to flee is too overwhelming. Telling her husband that she would like some time alone, she grabs her two kids and a nurse and sets off at break-neck speed to their house at Navron in Cornwall. Upon arrival, she finds there is only one servant, William with the strange accent that she can't quite place. He and Lady Dona seem to almost click at once, then develop a relationship throughout. They have some great repartee!

Dona settles nicely into life at Navron. Playing with the children, getting dirty and enjoying the country suit her just fine and you can feel the real Dona emerging. And the woman here is much more likeable than the woman in the beginning. She is mischievous and funny, laid back and a realist. It's solely to her precariousness that she stumbles across the Frenchman in his hidden creek - she figures quickly that this must be the pirate the locals have told her about. The French pirate that's been stealing from them, the one they have been unable to catch. She also links him to her servant, William, thus securing him as a partner in crime to her meetings with the Frenchman. Adventure awaits her upon La Mouette and she is not going to let this opportunity go by.

DaMaurier writes a smartly crafted novel about one woman's need to escape, the need to feel something real, something tangible. At the same time Dona is a realist and appreciates that she can't escape forever - above anything, she is a mother and knows her place is with them. But, she'll always have that memory, that moment, that is truly hers alone - and she can escape there anytime...with her mind.

Lady Dona St. Columb is bored. She has had enough of her stagnant existence in London, where all her husband, a simple-minded baronet, wants to do is get drunk and play cards. One night, after she and Rockingham, her husband's best friend, play a prank to an old lady, she realizes that she has to get away from London and spend some time alone with her two children as soon as possible. So she flees to her husband's country estate in Cornwall, where Dona finds peace and solace for the first time in a long time. But when she notices some suspicious activities from William, a rather cheeky servant, she decides to keep an eye on the fellow. One walk to a hidden creek she discovers a pirate's ship and a man, known to everyone in the area as "the Frenchman," hiding there. Is she in danger, or is this the opportunity she has been seeking? To escape one's pointless existence and live a life of constant danger is something she had only fantasized about, but can she do it? Could she abandon everything and everyone, including her children, to an uncertain future with her Frenchman?

Feminism is a common theme in Daphne du Maurier's novels. It was the theme in Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, and we've even caught glimpses of it in the novel's narrated by men, like The House on the Strand and The Scapegoat. It doesn't surprise me that it's one of the main themes in this book. A woman feels trapped in the rules and mores of her time (Restoration England) and wants to feel as though she has some choices to make in life instead of just going with the flow. Du Maurier also makes some jest when it comes to men, that by stroking their egos and putting on the simpleton act women have the real power. Dona is a very well developed character and you feel her desperation and her need to rebel against society. Some might find her selfish and immature, but I am able to get into her head so well that I sympathize with her. After all, she, like most women of her time, is forced into a life that is expected of her, not the one she would have liked to have had she the freedom of choice to do so. Her feelings are mirrored in the Frenchman, who becomes a pirate for similar reasons. As for time setting, well, this is not a historical novel, more like a period piece. The Restoration setting is written nicely though. The author describes the wardrobe well and my guess is that this is set during the very turn of the eighteenth century. All in all, I recommend Frenchman's Creek. Du Maurier takes a break from the dark and haunting stories she is known for and writes a romantic tale with plenty of symbolism.

I love this little tale of escapism! How often does a woman discovers both herself and her true love, ibidem (Latin: in the same place) ? At Middle age, almost 30, Lady Dona St Columb is in crisis and "becomes a boy" off the Cornwall English shore and lives, loves, and pillages ID, EGO, SUPEREGO only to discover life and it's sacrifices can be as or more adventuresome as the Frenchman's. This romantic sojourn is reflective of DuMaurier's struggle as she patiently waits for her husband during his Military Service years. Ladies and Gents, haven't we ALL answered this Freudian question when we discover our own crossroads between the Sparkled Bells and Whistle's love and the comfortable, enduring love of the friend that we vowed to spend our lives with? Dona choosing Harry, her son and dogs, is not sad or unendurable, because she knows who Dona is now. And, the handsome scoundrel, Jean is the better for having loved her.

THE FRENCHMAN'S CREEK, set in 17th-century Cornwall, England, is an absorbing tale. Passionate, bored Lady St. Columb flees her lover and her fashionable life at Court to the peace of her husband's Cornwall estate. Quite unexpectedly, she stumbles on the mooring place of the white-sailed ship belonging to the daring Frenchman who plunders the shores of Cornwall. This Frenchman is dangerous, wanted, charming, urbane, and handsome. He is also her doppelganger daring her, Dona, to discover herself and in loving Jean, she'll love the true Dona St Columb. It is only a question of time before this philosopher-pirate captures the heart of the lovely Lady St. Columb. Satisfying, and romantic from cover to cover.

As in REBECCA and JAMAICA INN, DuMaurier introduces to the reader her most beloved character: the beautiful landscape of Cornwall in the first chapter. Other reviewers have said to skip it or read after finishing the book, but the chapter is as important as DuMaurier's "Last time I saw Manderley..." While this leading lady may not be perceived as 'dark' as the ladies in REBECCA or JAMAICA INN, the fact that Lady St Columb is a bored adulteress who becomes 'boy' on a scoundrel's ship is. Such scandalous behavior, especially set in 17th Century England had never been portrayed as DuMaurier has.

To me, FRENCHMAN'S CREEK reads as wonderful swashbuckling movie starring Errol Flynn and Loretta Young. How can a girl resist a hansome scoundral who still has some honor about him and understand's emotional and intellectual intimacy is everything to a woman?

If you like historical romances and can enjoy one even if it lacks the "sensuality" found in the historical romance novels typically sold today, you'll likely enjoy this story.
Set in the 17th century, this story is basically about a wealthy, bored housewife and mother (Lady St. Columb) who finds herself falling out of love with her husband and wanting a change from the life she is living, or in her mind merely "existing". Although her husband adores her, realizing she needs a break from him and their surroundings, she leaves him "for a visit" to their Cornwall estate. With her kids in tow, she expects nothing more than some peace and quiet. What she finds is a ship moored just off her property, and a mysterious but intriguing man that makes her laugh and feel more alive than she has in a while.
When she later learns that he's a pirate, the damage has been done; her attraction to him is too strong to end their friendship and budding relationship. And to make matters worse, he's equally attracted to her.
What follows is a bittersweet love affair that is hampered by the fact that she's a wife and mother with responsibilities. As if those weren't issues enough to deal with, she's also surrounded by nosey neighbors and other acquaintenances who are quite content to try and mind her business, and eventually through their actions, threaten her happiness and even her life.
While this story lacked the "fire" and excitement I was expecting, it was nonetheless a good read. Don't expect to be plunged into a whirlwind romance with a young, beautiful virgin being chased by the man she happens to captivate in a flurry of action. Expect instead, to find two mature people who know what they want out of life and who develop a relationship based upon mutual attraction and friendship, that simmers and builds slowly. There is some sensuality in the book, but it's subdued by today's standards.
In this story, you will find romance, some action, and an atmosphere that contributes to a feeling of "being there" in 17th century England and experiencing a part of what life would be like for a titled woman, and a pirate. It's an interesting, bittersweet story that had my emotions on a rollercoaster as the two individuals were forced to make hard decisions about their directions in life.
There wasn't much I didn't like about this book but if I had to pick something, it would be that in a few spots the pace was just a tad slow, and the fact that I happen to like the "fiery" (okay, real sensuous) historical romances of today. While a little more fire would have been nice, this book was satisfying nonetheless because the story is well told. I would recommend it.

Despite some very lame attempts at movie versions of Frenchman's Creek over the years - this really is du Maurier's finest writing. With a quiet dignity lacking in her more melodramatic novels (such as Rebecca) du Maurier builds a love story in the 17th century that resonates with anyone today who finds their life unfulfilled or caged. Part of the reason that any film adaption of this novel has failed is because the plot on its own can feel silly and dated. What makes this novel such a work of depth is du Maurier's writing style itself. In du Maurier's expert hands Dona, rather than being merely a pretty, bored, silly aristocrat is believably a complex and sympathetic heroine. If many of the top "romance" writers of today were to attempt to tell the same story it would be just another swashbuckler happy-ending piece of literature debris. Du Maurier instead takes a pirate historical romance and bends it into a quiet, heartbreaking masterpiece.

There was a story on BBC radio about complaints about the audibility of dialogue in a recent remake of du Maurier's Jamaica Inn, and it piqued my interest in revisiting her work. I read this as a teen, lo, those many years ago, and enjoyed it. It remains a novel aimed at the light reader, as the main characters don't seem fit to time or circumstance (but then, why would I expect historical romantic figures to act in a normal way?) The author writing the new intro suggests psychological forces at work, but I think that's trying to pin some substance onto the book well after the fact. If you enjoy Cornwall, this book has your setting.

Anyone who feels trapped in a mid-life crisis or just a plain old stagnant existence for a seemingly unendurable amount of time will empathize with Du Maurier's bored and beautiful Dona St. Columb and enjoy her exploits with the man of her escapist dreams, Jean, the pirate master of La Mouette. While the adventure excites and the romance titillates, Du Maurier manages, quite subtly to explore the timeless themes of true freedom versus responsibility and the changing nature of love from its first incendiary spark to the mellow flame of comfortable love of long-time partners.

Do yourself a favor and skip Du Maurier's first chapter---don't get discouraged by it, it is merely a ploy used by the author to suggest the timeless quality of love that lingers off the coast of Cornwall even to the modern day---read this chapter over again after you finish the book and it will lose its old fashioned storyteller's introduction and emit the haunting ghostlike ambiance it was meant to suggest.

Rather than look at this as the tale of an adultress as one of the other reviewers strongly points out, imagine Dona as confused, not yet content enough to live out her days with Harry, the children and the dogs until she has found her own identity and come to terms with who and what she is.

I imagine Du Maurier herself, having such questions whirl around in her own mind as she spun her tales at Menabilly--basically alone in the country while her husband was at war. The adventure of Dona St. Columb speaks of Du Maurier's own sense of restlessness and universally allows all of us to freely associate and commiserate. All of the Du Maurier heroines are trapped in worlds where they are dependent on their strong males counterparts. Du Maurier's portrayals suggest her view of woman's vantage point a dismal one---woman acquiesce; they only find a life when they do.

This is a wonderful story of a young wife who transforms from child to woman in less than 300 pages. She becomes a boy to experience the ultimate freedom that she will never have as a woman. At the end she must return to her her trap, content or discontent to know her place as a woman. I have read 'Frenchman's Creek' and listened to it at least ten times, always taking from it something new as my own life develops. Highly recommended as a real classic romance.

This is by far one of the best romances I have ever read, and I personally think it is Du Maurier's best work. It's a shame it's out of print. I've searched everywhere for another copy of it.
Set in the 1700s, it tells the story of a woman who seeks to escape from her husband and the scandals of life at court. She takes her children and goes to live at a their "country estate" When she arrives, she hears tales of a pirate who has been attacking local manors. By accident, she discovers that the pirate has been harboring his ship in a creek on her property.

They meet and fall in love. The story that follows is one of wholesome, but exciting, romance (no smut!), and adventure.

I've read a lot of Daphne du Maurier's works, including Rebecca, Rule Britannia, and The House on the Strand. I think Frenchman's Creek is her best work.

This seemed so silly in the beginning, and quite improbable, but it picked up and turned out to be an entertaining read. I would not call it Du Maurier's best work, but it is quite readable and exciting in parts. It seems to me, without knowing anything about the background of the story, that this is probably a very personal story if not autobiographical then about some one she knew.
The story centers on Nora, who leaves London behind for the a Cornish cottage to escape her husband and life in the big city. She becomes involved with a French pirate that is "terrorizing" the coast (this part of the story is the most improbable) and adventure and love ensues.

I kept fearing that this would go the way of more modern writers' tales of "self discovery" but it actually is more of a tale of growing up, and accepting responsibilities. Nora's husband is silly, and a bit of a drunk without purpose, but loving and kind in his own bumbling way, and she has two small children that she loves very much.
Overall a good adventure with interesting characters and surprising depth of feeling. Not the mysteries you're probably most familiar with from DuMaurier, but worth reading nonetheless.

After reading Rebecca earlier in the year I just had to get my hands on more Daphne du Maurier. I had planned to read Jamaica Inn but my library didn't have a copy of it. So I had to settle (if you can call reading anything by du Maurier settling) on Frenchman's Creek.

The story was familiar already because I'd seen the 1944 film adaptation of the same name some years ago. And I knew the writing style would be outstanding so I was quite eager to read it. And, of course I ended up loving this book.

It was so easy to read and completely transported me into the world of the book. I fell in love with the main character Dona who is strong willed and assertive. She's also courageous enough to defy the traditions of society and be true to herself.

At the heart of the book is infidelity as she's married but falls in love with a pirate. It isn't explicitly stated in the book, but I think she was doing a lot more than going fishing and eating dinner with said pirate. Of course her husband is painted as a buffoon but some might argue that no matter how dashing the pirate is, she shouldn't have been with him (the pirate). And there may be some who condemn the actions of the pirate, even though he was more of a Robin Hood of the seas than a bloodthirsty thief.

But I think most people who read the book will be hoping for a happy ending and wishing Dona and the pirate live happily ever after. However, things are complicated because Dona's husband, among others, want to hang the pirate. Not to mention Dona has two young children so it wouldn't exactly be convenient for her to live on a ship. So you'll have to read it for yourself to find out what happens!

If you were a bored wife, would you go off with a handsome French pirate? yeah, me too! Daphne du Maurier is the only writer I know who can raise sexual tensions using the minimalist approach, meaning there are no explicit sex scenes, but this book manages to be really sexy. The style of the ideas of love and passion are truly poetic and you can see why Daphne du Maurier is such a great writer.
Dona St. Columb is a beautiful married woman and a mother of two. But then she encounters the sexy French pirate and goes off an adventure. Will her husband find out? What will happen to her marriage? Those are the question you ask throughout. Of course, like the technique in Rebecca, the suspense is good and will likely hold your attention until the very end.
I don't have a problem with adultery as a theme in literature as the bitter reviewer had criticized. If you like he adultery theme in literature too, check out Anna Karenina, Emma Bovary, Jude the Obscure, Age of Innocence, and Lady Chatterley's Lover,

Tired and bored by her marriage to her wealthy husband, Lady Dona St Columb has tried to kill boredom by living a self-indulgent and independent lifestyle but not without attracting some unwelcome gossip and scandal from the perception of the London cognoscenti of her circle.

Pangs of self disgust drive her to take her children out of the London scene and find sanctuary in the seclusion of her husband's estate way out in Cornwall. When a pirate ship with French crew anchors in the inlet close to the estate, so begins the more rustic and romantic encounter that gives her life the significance it lacked with the man who, she perceived, as her boring husband.

Although Dona on one level seems spoilt and apparently shallow there is still power in the story in so far as she has the frailty of most of us to be tempted and to seek adventure beyond the mundane. This she does and, coupled with the atmospheric descriptions of the Cornish coast, I really enjoyed this one.

Rebecca was good. Jamaica Inn was okay. But Frenchman's Creek was great! Du Maurier really outdid herself. She took the heart of a woman and made it plain. What romantic wouldn't like this story? Pirates, adventure, philosophy and romance....better than those frilly romance books nowadays. Dona went on a quest and fulfilled it. The first chapter is boring---skip it; I put it down for a time because I was unimpressed. But it is really good. I read parts of it to people as they were working (while I joyfully read) and they kept asking, "what happened next?" Every time I would give a little giggle of glee. This is really good. Rebecca and Jamaica Inn are "dark" novels; but this is an exploration into a womans mind. I comprehend and adore Ms. Dumaurier! Another good writer found!

This is my first Daphne du Maurier novel. The story was written in 1945, but set in the 1700s but could have been the 21st century. A young wife who is restless in her marriage for many different reasons, including boredom in the bedroom, children who came too soon and seeking adventure in other men, has the privilege of being able to change her living situation due to her affluence. She met a man who was equally bored with his affluent life, sought to find escape from daily life and became a pirate. I can only imagine what kind of scandal this book produced when it was first published. My 78 year old aunt told me she was banned from reading this book as a teenager. It's most interesting to me that is has so much which is relevant to our lives today, in 2013. As I was reading this book, it seemed that the movie "Chocolate" had "borrowed" from the story line; young mother with young child, meets a pirate with whom she has extravagant adventures. This book is very much worth the read.

Her best work and so unlike the others. A very poignant love affair that leaves you breathless and weeping and satisfied too. If you have ever known unbridled passion secret love or dreamed that you had, this is for you. Gorgeously set and a complete escape. Lock your door! You won’t want to be disturbed while reading this!

My friend had bugged me for years to read something written by Du Mauier, as she had read "Rebecca" and raved about it. I came upon this book and thought I would give it a try. The choice of words in the book were beautiful and had a great flow. The plot was somewhat predictable, but enough tension to keep one reading. The story is about a woman who had a choice to make..

Love Daphne du Maurier writings! This is one of my favorites. Filled with adventure and a simple romance story. Who wouldn't fall for a French pirate? You need to get past the first chapter for the adventure to begin. Yes Dona, the main charater, isn't mother of the year or someone that is necessarily an interesting person, but you can relate to her passion for finding more to life and the need to take risks. Worth the read and definitely a book that opened my eyes to the wonderful novelist Daphne du Maurier.

This novel immensely appealed to me. The story flowed really well. The word choice was excellent. And it was an excellent insight about how women often fell. The reality of the situation transcends time. And who wouldn't want to break out of the motherly mode with a pirate. The Frenchman was an awesome incarnation of the free spirit. And yet her choice reflects the way true women weigh responsibility and selfish action. This was excellent!

The main character was so annoying I kept wishing for them to throw her overboard. So shallow, self-absorbed and obnoxious, I had no idea why the pirate was even into her. Or how his eyes didn't hurt from (probably) constantly rolling his eyes at her BS!

I've read the book and I've had the pleasure of viewing the Mobile Masterpiece tape. Both are exquisite. This tale is romantic, hopeful, and loaded with adventure. I've read other reviews and I don't understand why folks think this is elementary writing. This is one of the best adventure stories ever put down on paper. Every day that I feel blue, I pretend that I am Dona St. Columb and I am transformed into another time. Please don't miss this masterpiece.

Daphne DuMaurier's "Frenchman's Creek" stinks to high heaven. The stench only worsens when one considers her other, alarmingly good, novels "Rebecca" and "My Cousin Rachel." The far-fetched plot centers on a young noblewoman bored with the tedium of her marriage. She relocates her children to a family estate in Cornwall, where she begins an affair with the French pirate (!) terrorizing the local landowners. It plays even worse than it sounds. The author has culled the heroine's thoughts and feelings from the worst Victorian melodrama, and expects her readers to accept a barbarous pirate whose description most closely resembles a romantic, twentieth-century, sensitive new-age guy.
Fans of Harlequin romances (and yes, there is something wrong with liking Harlequin romances) will thrill at the exploits of our brave heroine. She explores forests and coves alone at night, comes to blows with her husband's best friend, and, of course, leaves her children, dons men's clothes, and becomes a pirate herself. (I won't spoil the surprise by telling you whether or not she remains one, but you're unlikely to care.) Her disinterest in her children makes her worse than unbelievable- it makes her unlikable.
Although DuMaurier's prose disappoints, John Castle delivers it well. He never allows his tones to reach the fevered heights of melodrama. However, it takes more than a great classical actor to redeem such unbearable trash.

What can I say about this book? You will not be disappointed . Yet you will be haunted by the description of such a love of two people who find each other soul mates. So exciting so descriptive. I read first the house on the strand. Then Rebecca and now this. what a talent she had.

I swear this book by Daphne du Maurier left me scratching my head in bewilderment (to say nothing about some people's concept of feminism). Rebecca was great, as was My Cousin Rachel (I only saw the film version of The Birds, Don't Look Now, and The Scapegoat, so I can't judge the merits of the books). Jamaica Inn not so much.

This is worse than Jamaica Inn. This novel makes me wonder if du Maurier suffered from some sort of literary split personality. I agree with another reviewer who put this on the same level with Harlequin novels (I also believe that, yes, there is something wrong with liking Harlequin novels). Hence the title of my review. This book must be the reason why du Maurier is relegated by some to the category of author of romance novels. Or to use George Eliot's term, "silly novels written by lady authors.". Now before the usual suspects indulge in predictable outrage, allow me to remind them politely that George Eliot was a 19th century author whose real name was Mary Ann Evans.

I won't go over the plot. It's already been done. But I must say that I am surprised at those who consider the protagonist to be a paragon of " feminism." Why? Because she is a shallow, immature, self-centered, spoiled brat, whose remedy against boredom is to abandon her children and her devoted husband and run after a macho, Fabio-like pirate? Seriously? Have these people any idea what an immense disservice they do to the real cause of feminism? Look, if those viewers liked the book because it allowed them to live (albeit vicariously) their own "bad girl" fantasies, fine and good (nothing wrong with fantasies, whatever their nature). But have the honesty to admit it and not try to use feminism as a justification, do yourselves and the rest of us a favor.

I am a fan of daphne Deu Maurier and love her books.I had read this book before but thought I would enjoy it the second time arround. This book was not quite at par with Rebecca which is one of her best books.The main character was very well developed but I was a bit disappointed with the development of the male characters in the book. On the whole,it was a good read.

Excellent reading of an excellent book. I actually rented the Davina Porter version, and could not STAND it. Such a bitter bitter woman, I was bitterly disappointed. I started on the John Castle version and got a whole different impression of the story, the characters and it was truly a pleasure. The english accent and french accent was excellent. Great book.

My tastes in books and music vary wildly, but this book has been a favorite since I first read it at 13 (20-ish years ago.) The pirate is a perfect symbol for the "lawlessness" of love; love does not follow rules and boundaries imposed upon it by our social conventions. It is primal and magic, and creeps silently and unexpectedly up to our shorelines in the dead of night.

The reviewer who labeled Dona St. Columb as an adulterer is technically correct but obviously doesn't suspend his/her disbelief when reading. This book is one of the most romantic stories ever written. I re-read this book every couple of years just for fun. Lush language, this story of a woman and her pirate lover is just plain fun.

I was first introduced to Daphne du Maurier's catalogue through the wonderful films 'Rebecca', 'Don't Look Now', and a British miniseries (sadly not available on DVD, but superior to the classic film version) of 'My Cousin Rachel'. This prompted me to snatch up all the du Maurier novels I could find. When I read 'Frenchman's Creek', I was rather disappointed that it is nothing like the taut, suspenseful psychological thrillers she is best known for. This swashbuckler is a decent historical romance, and if you like that type of novel, you will enjoy it. However, if you're looking for something more in the vein of Ruth Rendell, I would advise you to steer clear of this one and get the first three books I mentioned above as well as 'The House on the Strand', a later du Maurier novel in a similar style.

Another amazing read by Du Maurier. I got hooked to this author after reading Rebecca, and it seems like with each novel I just fall more in love with her. Du Maurier creates a mysterious, beautiful atmosphere as the back drop for this romantic story about a woman's journey to find happiness.

This may be one of Du Maurier's best books and is not as well knows as some others. I found it an easy gentle read without an insult to intelligence. I am not a romance reader and generally prefer history and non-fiction books. However, I read this book several years ago and was captivated. I still remember the gentle yet bitter/sweet feelings from reading this book. When I meet people who enjoy reading romance, I recommend this book.

I consider Daphne Du Maurier to be my favorite author. She is engaging, clever, and an inspiration to us all. I was disappointed, however, with this book. I mean, it is a good read, but it just doesn't live up to Du Maurier's other books. The plot is very predictable and not very original as there is the star-crossed lovers aspect involving the "bad" pirate and the good English noblewoman. But that clever way of writing that can be only attributed to Du Maurier is present, and Du Maurier's magical way of taking one out of his world and setting him on a tree to watch a noble woman come cautiously through the woods to meet her pirate lover is still there. Read this book. It surpasses many, but does not represent the best that Du Maurier can do.

A pretty quick read that's wonderfully written. Interesting characters brought an endless stream of emotions and a twisting storyline leaving you to question the ending and thoroughly enjoying the ride. One of my favorite books, definitely worth the time.

I would like to agree with TLorrie and say that this has been one of my favorite romance novels through the years. It was a very, very romantic book but without the x rated sex and language. I wanted so much to read it again. I've read it 3 times over the last 20 years.

Daphne Du Maurier has written an enduring romance/historical novel by the name of FRENCHMAN'S CREEK. Fisherman's Creek, if it exists, has been written by someone else. Be careful how you order. FRENCHMAN'S CREEK I have re-read and enjoyed many times over the last 55 years. Fisherman's Creek, not so much.