Castle Dor by Daphne du Maurier, reviewed by Eva Leung

Castle Dor, UK first edition, hardback, published in 1962

Castle Dor, US first edition, hardback, published in 1962

Genre: Historical fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Original Publication: 1962

When they rescue the young Bretton onion-seller Amyot Trestane from his abusive master Fouguereau, no one expects him to be changing everyone’s life. Recovering from his injuries, Amyot seeks refuge and employment at the farmhouse of the Bosanko family and quickly becomes a favourite of the Bosanko children, Mary and Johnny…  But alas, he has also fallen in love with Linnet Lewarne, the young landlady of the Rose and Anchor Inn and the bride of Mark Lewarne, an old, jealous, possessive man.

It is the 1840s, but as the affair between Amyot and Linnet develops, it is also discovered to mysteriously echo the medieval Cornish legend of Lantyan, where a youth by the name of Tristan fell in love with Queen Iseult, wife of King Mark, who built his palace at Castle Dor.

The backstory of the writing of this novel is just as intriguing. Castle Dor was the last novel written Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, commonly known as “Q”, who died in 1944, leaving it unfinished. Almost two decades later, his daughter Foy decided to ask Daphne du Maurier, a lifelong friend of the family and an established writer, to complete the book. Daphne du Maurier took up the challenge and cleverly fused her writing in Q’s style. Critics tend to agree that Q stopped writing before Chapter 17, but till today, no one can be certain at which point did du Maurier take over the project.

© Eva Leung August 2024.

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