The du Mauriers Book

I started reading Daphne du Maurier's The du Mauriers but in the introduction, it mentioned the book she wrote of her father after his death, so I decided to read that before reading this story. I am a big fan of her books and I find her family fascinating and her fictionalized history of them outstanding. After reading "Gerald: A Portrait", I understood her father better and her family history, yet I had questions like why is George named Kicky and that was answered as well how he meet his wife, and telling all about the all the family members. So having read "MaryAnne"and "The Glass Blowers", which are about her parental great, great grandparents history but missing was the remaining story of her great grandparents and the rest of her grandparents' story, that was the in between and prior to "Gerald". The family history is now quite complete in how much Daphne tells us.

Several things stand out, The du Maurier men were dreamers and that they did not think or plan for the future, only the present and vague ideas of the future but George du Maurier was the first since the great, great grandfather and his father, to see that he may dream but that he must produce so that poverty is not part of the problem. Their women bore the brunt of a very trying economy and for the children to not meet abject poverty, but they denied themselves basic needs so that their children could thrive, though many times the more was asked of them which caused them hardship. Daphne brings the point home that if Mary Anne Clarke did not demand more from her royal lover or disclosure would be forced, her selling of her body prevented her grandchildren from being possibly lost and starving. Ellen resented her mother, for they were different as night and day but she finally appreciated and saw that her children had a chance because of this foresighted blackmail which was an annuity payments until Ellen's death. Ellen had thought her childless sister-in-law, Louise du Maurier had really no worries which showed Ellen's limited understanding of her amount of care to her nephew, Gygges. Louise was more his mother to him than Ellen, who basically gave him to Louise, who also went without so that he could have what he needed and helped with his debts. Ellen was upset when she became pregnant with Gyggy because Kicky had all her hopes and dreams, knowing that funds were limited. It was heart breaking to see the attitudes of his parents because who knows if extra attention might have helped him break had habits in his youth.

I enjoyed the stories of The du Maurier men and feelings towards animals and general want to have friends not enemies.

Daphne talks about George du Maurier's loss of sight in his left eye and his worries about his right eye, in "Gerald: A Portrait"; in "The du Mauriers" we find out that his loss was all of a sudden and retinal detachment was confirmed. Back in that time surgery or laser correction was not discovered yet, so his loss was inevitable. Though I am not an artist, I can understand his worries because I would be like him, but having lived more 150 years later where surgery saved my eyesight but I did see blackness in a large part of my vision.

I find it funny when reading people are mentioned in books that I am reading and I have just recently learned about them in another book. Jimmy Whistler, as Kicky called him shared a room/studio, so it was interesting hearing these comments about the artist. Kicky wanted to be a great artist but was not masterful enough to succeed, he felt he would never find his way until his friend, Tom Armstrong told Kicky, he would be great in "Punch" magazine. Kicky as a kid drew caricatures which shows how are basic talents are not always appreciated until much later.

How George's Trilby and his other books came to paper and how his characters based many times on people he knew. George goes back to his beloved home in France but sees they do change and going back home is not always a homecoming.

Why discuss settlements before a marriage? It was important back then because some men and women were fortune hunters and were kind and loving, thinking they would win a spouse with money to pay their debts and ways. One relative learned this the hard way, yet another who thought she was clever after a disappointment to her husband's ability paid the price in her way.

The story in short- MaryAnne and Ellen are to live in Paris and The du Maurier family is returning back to France after a long absence, families become intertwined in Paris.

This indeed is an ultimate favorite of mine. I love Daphne and will pick up her fictional books in the future and finish them all at some point but these fictionalized versions of her family are indeed a favorite of mine.💖