THE KING'S GENERAL

by Daphne Du Maurir ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 3, 1945

I liked this better than any novel Daphne Du Maurier has done -- yes, I think even better than Rebecca though it is not likely to be as widely popular. Fascinating historical romance, set in the period of England's Civil Wars, when Charles was still stubbornly standing out against parliament, and a group of loyal followers attempted to make an army out of constantly evaporating forces, held together too often by promise of loot rather than of pay. One leader alone stood against this principle -- Richard renville, grandson of that Richard known through literature in Tennyson's Revenge and in Westward Ho. This Richard was ""the King's General"", beloved by those closest to him, hated by his subordinate and associated officers, brilliant strategist, disipated, arrogant, ruthless -- feared and loathed and worshipped by friend and foe alike. This is his love story, told by the one person who saw his tender side, Honor Harris, who would have married him if an accident on the very verge of marriage had not made her a life-long cripple, whose pride betrayed their love. Running counter to their romance was the story of Richard's ter, Gartred, whose selfish desire for self betterment had wrecked the lives of two of Honor's brothers. And lastly, it is the story of Richard and Honor and his one legitimate on, Dick, who feared his father, and paid with his life. It is a story full of color and adventure and a richly detailed background of period -- as Civil War sweeps across Cornwall and Devon. The style at first seems somewhat mannered --but one soon forgets that, it is so surely the medium in which the strange tale should be told. ... News has just come that this is to be the Literary Guild selection for January.

Pub Date: Jan. 3, 1945

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Doubleday, Doran

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1945

Categories: FICTION