Two posts for the price of one today at Novel Insights. Today, Savidge Reads and myself announce our Discovering Daphne project and readalong – we’d love you to join us!
I discovered Jamaica Inn as my first Du Maurier and for Savidge Reads it was Rebecca. For both of us it was the beginning of a love affair with the works of Miss Du Maurier.
So in her honour we are going to be spending October reading some of her key works and we’d like to invite you to read along too! As today would have been her 104th birthday and also because Daphne was the mistress of all things dark and dramatic, we thought it would be most fitting to announce our readalong on Friday the 13th.
Much to our delight, Virago who publish her in the UK have given us a set of all five novels that we feature in our readalong to give away! To enter, leave a comment telling us about a Daphne Du Maurier novel you haven’t read but would like to and why. You can double your chances of winning if you pop over to Simon’s blog and leave your comment there too. Closing date for entries is 20th May.
Simon has also posted the readalong schedule so pop over to see it and of course the books which are in the giveaway set. We’ve thought carefully about which books to choose to get a good mix between her early work, better known novels and more experimental ones.
We’ve both done a little early bonus read of a collection of her recently discovered short stories – The Doll – posted today. Here is my review and you can read Simon’s thoughts over at Savidge Reads.
In October there will also be various discursive bits as we explore her life and work and we’ll be asking you lot for your thoughts too – think friendly book waffle between Savidge Reads myself and yourselves, only online!
One final thing – a very big THANKYOU to Thomas at My Porch for putting together such lovely buttons for us to use. Here they are in all their glory!
We hope that you’ll join us in October, and please do leave your comments if you’d like to be in with a chance of winning the Virago set of five Du Maurier novels.
Novel Insights 
How exciting! I’ve read all of her books, but rereading is always good, and as they’re Virago Modern Classics, I’ll do a tie-in on my Virago Venture blog too 🙂
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The House on the Strand is new to me. Please throw my name in the hat.
This sounds brilliant, count me in!
I have always wanted to read My Cousin Rachel after hearing a wonderful radio play adaptation some years ago…cheers
What fun, what fun! I just recently rediscovered Daphne and have been reading through her books over the past year. I’m not going to sign up for the giveaway because I have most of them, but thank you to you and Simon for organizing this. I’ll be looking forward to all the discussions in October!
Can’t wait for this – what a brilliant idea! I need a kick up the backside to read more Du Maurier and this is it!
Ooh, I adore that last button!
I’m definitely in and hedging my bets by entering the giveaway on both your blogs. After reading The Doll and Other Stories I have a strong desire to read The Birds and Other Stories – at the very least the title story will be as creepy as those newly collected.
I should be ashamed of myself because I haven’t read any of her books, so this might be the right time to actually do that and I would go with “Rebecca” because I remember I read an interesting extract in a textbook years ago. Thanks in advance 🙂
Hello! I’m new to reading both of your blogs but think a readalong is a great idea! I’ve only read Rebecca but I really enjoyed that. I think though the next book of Du Maurier’s I’d like to read is Jamaica Inn – I’ve heard a lot about it but have never got around to reading it. Thanks for entering me!
Louisa
Pop me in the hat please. Having seen these posts today I have taken Jamaica Inn off the shelf to read as I have only read Rebecca and want to read more – perfect incentive.
I also have my mum on to this and the new book out, so she is seeking out all her Du Mauriers from the shelf to go through. I think some are very old editions. Will definitely be doing some photos of these for October and if I can read any of them by then that will be even better!
oh love the buttons ,I may join in on side have a couple of her books already sounds fun ,all the best stu
Great buttons! And I definitely want to play. I’m in a Bronte phase having recently read Vilette and Jane Eyre, so I would like to read her book about Branwell Bronte, and Mary Anne and the new book of short stories also sound intriguing.
I am really looking forward to taking part, having enjoyed Rebecca very much and hoping to explore more of Daphne Du Maurier’s writing. The book I would most like to read is Don’t Look Now and Other Stories, because I have seen the very spooky film of Don’t Look Now and am intrigued to read the story it was based on.
I was going to say, rather boldly, that I’d read them all. Then, when I popped over to the Virago site and saw the complete list I was shocked! The ones I’ve read are in italics; everything else is new to me:
Castle Dor
Frenchman’s Creek
Gerald
Golden Lads
Hungry Hill
I’ll Never be Young Again
Jamaica Inn
Julius
Mary Anne
My Cousin Rachel
Myself When Young
Rebecca
Rule Britannia
The “Rebecca” Notebook
The Birds and Other Stories
The Breaking Point
The Doll: Short Stories
The Du Mauriers
The Flight of the Falcon
The Glass-Blowers
The House on the Strand
The Infernal World of Branwell Bronte
The King’s General
The Loving Spirit
The Parasites
The Rendezvous and Other Stories
The Scapegoat
The Winding Stair
Vanishing Cornwall
So, apparently I need to join your challenge! So I can read more from this fabulous author! What a lovely thing to look forward to this October!
Wow, this sounds great. I have never read Rebecca – so many other books reference and I’m beginning to get worried that I’m missing something!
My Cousin Rachel seems have received glowing reviews from bloggers so that’s next on my list!
I’d love to join! I’ve only just finished one yesterday, in fact, The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë, and it was my first Daphne. Would love to be reading along with you and Simon in October. Thanks for the fantastic giveaway!
I’ve only read Rebecca, Jamaica Inn is the one I would like to read. It sounds like a great adventure.
I’m hoping to join you both for the readalong. I’ve read Rebecca, Frenchman’s Creek, My Cousin Rachel, Jamaica Inn and The Scapegoat plus her autobiography so far. So lots I haven’t read yet!
I am going to join the readalong.I have never read My Cousin Rachel.have read rebecca ,don`t look now the scapegoat.please enter me in the draw!!
I’ll definitely join in, as I’ve been intending to read Frenchman’s Creek for a while – and some short stories. Not on the scheduled list, but hopefully that’s ok 🙂
Fantastic idea! Please enter me in the draw. I have the new short stories or Hungry Hill on the tbr shelves so one of them will be next.
How fun! I’ve loved Rebecca since my mother let me watch a BBC adaptation on Masterpiece Mysteries when I was a teenager. I read the book over and over when I was young and I still love it.
Please enter me into the drawing — I’d love to participate in the readalong. Of the five I’ve only read Rebecca and Don’t Look Now so I really want to read some of the others as well. I have My Cousin Rachel and The Scapegoat on my TBR shelf so I’ll have to read them in order to get ready for the readalong.
“The Doll: Short Stories” sounds interesting to me; I love short stories, and have read Mansfield, O’Connor, Shields, etc. But I’d love to read what Daphne produced. Thank you.
I’d love to join the group. I’ve read four of Du Maurier’s books but want to read more and some of her short stories. See you in October.
Am yet to sample Du Maurier’s work and would love to start with Rebecca as the Hollywood adaptation of it was given to me by a friend with the comment that there are less lovely Rebecka’s than me out there..
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Not sure how I would have missed this! But I’ll join in to read The Loving Spirit. Interestingly out of the 11 Du Maurier books I have got in my shelf I don’t have the others you have mentioned! Just goes to show how prolific she is. I am organising Frenchman’s Creek read-along this September. I’ll come back and have a look at this in October! 🙂
So chuffed that you’re joining in and great to have another Daphne fan on board! I’ll be interested to read your Frenchman’s Creek readalong reviews too.
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