Product Description

Cornwall, 1900s. Plyn Boat Yard is a hive of activity, and Janet Coombe longs to share in the excitement of seafaring: to travel, to have adventures, to know freedom. But constrained by the times, instead she marries her cousin Thomas, a boat builder, and settles down to raise a family. Janet's loving spirit - the passionate yearning for adventure and for love - is passed down to her son, and through him to his children's children. As generations of the family struggle against hardship and loss, their intricately plotted history is set against the greater backdrop of war and social change in Britain. Her debut novel, The Loving Spirit established du Maurier's reputation and style with an inimitable blend of romance, history and adventure.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51766 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 420 pages

Review
'Daphne du Maurier's lushly written novel ... is a rapturous celebration of the beauties of the Cornish landscape' Michele Roberts 'Miss du Maurier creates on the grand scale ... a rich vein of humour and satire, observation, sympathy, courage, a sense of the romantic are here' OBSERVER

About the Author
Daphne du Maurier was born in 1906 and educated at home and in Paris. She began writing in 1928, and many of her bestselling novels were set in Cornwall, where she lived for most of her life. She was made a DBE in 1969 and died in 1989.

Customer Reviews

My daughter's favourite book
This is a wonderful story - typical of du Maurier and its atmosphere is one of genuine grief and sadness. It has the capacity to make you cry and you cannot say that about many books! My daughter read this when she was about fourteen and has never forgotten it. She often speaks about it now - this says a lot for the book's content - that it should make such an impression and for it to last for over thirty years.

Great Book
A book that re-introduced me to reading after a long pause I call `readers block'. It's a passionate tale about family. Maurier uses time as the backdrop & paints a vivid picture of Cornwall during these different periods. Captured my imagination.

Enchanting and as du Maurier as ever!
Fascinating spellbounding characters, du Maurier describes another thrilling family portrait. You can't put it down until you've finished reading, and you would like to start again!