After enjoying the language and well known story Rebecca, I wanted more from this author. I wasnot disappointed in my selection of The Flight of the Falcon. Set in the town of Ruffano in Italy, this tale of two brothers and their demons from past to present, intertwined with historical figures of the two brothers, Dukes of Ruffano from 500 years previous, made for a great story. Beautifully written, Ms. du Maurier takes the reader's hand and unfolds wonderful characters and their mysterious course. The climax was gripping and I could only read a few lines, put the book down, walk about thinking, and take it up again to keep from racing to the end. I want more! I wanted to give this book four stars because du Maurier's writing is so engaging. Plus, the story was decently compelling.The downgrade came from the fact that the plot was a little too contrived - the main character "just happened" to run into all the right people at precisely the right times, spanning an entire country. That was a stretch if the story was a supernatural one anyway, but then the narrator comes in at the end with his philosophy of humanism and "what you see is what you get and then that's all, folks" and squelches any idea of eternity. So what I took from this was that the main character did not believe in the invisible world, yet apart from it, there was no credible way the story could have happened for him.The other problem came from the fact that the older brother is portrayed as demonic - he reminded me of an antiChrist like Hitler or some other self-absorbed figure bent on worship and able to manipulate the masses for his own ideals - but after he dies, he's discovered to be some sort of benefactor to orphans. This was ridiculous. Spring water doesn't come from a salt source. In addition, I found the main character too passive and in awe of his older brother, and seemed stripped of his own mind at the crucial times. To think he could put together all the pieces at the end seemed terribly unlikely. That all these bloody rivalries would suddenly evaporate between faculty and students was also preposterous. The process of corruption has already set in for human nature, and this was evident in the stirrings of the university. The message at the end is one of strong humanism, but it's an empty philosophy. All in all, there were some great ideas and intrigue and mystery, but too much expectation from the reader to leap the ravine of the believable.
What do You think about The Flight Of The Falcon (1965)?
not a fan. predictable. had to force myself to finish it as it was not compelling at all.
—Casper
A page turner set in small town Italy. A bit risque for the time it was written.
—beck
Thrilling. Makes you want to go to Italy immediately.
—JessC
