This is a real gem of a debut novel and as far as du Maurier is concerned, this is probably one of her most underrated works. Those who read this book for the first time in 1931 must have wondered at the skill this new writer had in conjuring up haunting descriptions of the Cornish landscape, of being able to create absorbing but very real characters of the fictional town of Plyn, as well as that underlying supernatural element infused in the book which is so characteristic of du Maurier’s style of writing. If the book did nothing to hint at the author’s later greatness in the early days of its publication, then it certainly can inspire a generation of readers to look back over the legacy of work and appreciate how much talent and promise du Maurier evinced from the start. If I can be honest, I wasn’t even sure I was going to like this book initially. There wasn’t much by way of plot - simply it covers the life story of four generations of a shipbuilding family in a Cornish fishing village. But it’s precisely that “lack” of plot that allows for a truly powerful character study of four separate individuals that make up a generation within the Coombe family, each searching for his or her own way in the world, that missing part of their soul which completes them. The pace is slow, but never does it slacken to the point of stagnation. You feel like you have to keep reading, which is again, something which you will often find yourself doing when you pick up a du Maurier novel. I’m amazed at du Maurier’s ability to convey the concept of the loving spirit in what are essentially four very different characters, all within the backdrop of great social changes in England. As an aspiring novelist myself, it seems almost crazy to think that she wanted to tackle four major character growth arcs within the same book without interrupting the flow of the theme of the loving spirit, and yet she pulled it off beautifully. While there is plenty of drama, humour and poignancy in each of our characters’ tales, there is also a great deal of spirituality in the novel itself, as if it were in part, an exercise of self-discovery on du Maurier’s part. Despite the suffering undergone by the characters with the passing of years, there is a great sense of hope, compassion and equanimity that fills the reader with an uplifting sense of purpose in the world. I only wonder at how the readers of the 30s must have felt when they first read it, but it has stood the test of time remarkably well and I feel it will continue to do so for many years to come, given its fundamental themes of love and seeking for completion and peace in something greater than yourself.Highly recommended, but given its slow pace it's probably better suited for du Maurier fans.
Много-много лет назад я путала писательниц Дафну дю Морье и Урсулу ле Гуин. Ну знаете, у обеих достаточно редкое и красивое имя и странная французская приставка к фамилии, хотя обе не являются француженками. Естественно, после прочтения нескольких романов и кучи рассказов обеих, путаницы больше не возникало.И вот передо мной "Дух любви" и я опять не знаю, есть ли разница между писательницами. Уж очень роман по стилю похож на ле гуиновский. В частности, мистический ген пассионарности, который автор почему-то именует любовью. Красивая история о том, как некое свойство передаётся в семье от матери к сыну, от сына к внукам и т.д. Вообще вот это вот само по себе забавно наблюдать. Автор фокусируется именно на нём, оставляя в стороне остальное многочисленное семейство, свойством не наделённое. В то же время главный антагонист - тоже родственник, наделённый тем же свойством со знаком "минус". Он почему-то всячески противодействует проявлению волевой чёрточки в родственниках, планомерно вставляет палки в колёса, нодо сказать, резво несущейся колеснице - именно так родственники относятся к выполнению любимой работы.Вот в общем-то и всё. Если придираться - то роман стоит на достаточно шаткой смысловой платформе. Зато исполнение прекрасно - романтично.
What do You think about The Loving Spirit (2013)?
Maurier was such a forward thinker for her day. She was lucky to have a father that said "Damn the rules", my girl will have the opportunity to be smarter than the rest. Love that you have the passion for her writing.
—Sean Brennan
'She longed for the other one to be with her tonight, he who was part of her with his dark hair and his dark eyes so like her own'Good grief, this is one of the most uncomfortably creepy accounts of mother love I have ever had the misfortune to read. All I could think of whilst Janet had her 'thing ' for her son was "Call the social services".I know I sometimes used to wish my mum would have been slightly more affectionate but for Heaven's sake, control yourself madam. Very odd, very odd.Janet Coombe's creepy adoration of her second son and his obsession with her gave this whole book a veneer of yeuch even though she was dead by page 100 and he had popped his clogs by page 195 leaving almost another 200 pages to cleanse the palate. Nevertheless I could never expunge the frankly weird relationship from my mind. As a result, the supposed 'creation on the grand scale.....a rich vein of humour and satire, Really, please do point that out observation,Okay I can give you that one sympathy, mehhh courage,maybe, of sorts a sense of the romanticyeah but it is the wrong people being romantic with each other, I would resort to the normal 'Get a room' but in this case. horribly, I think they just might are here' would not be a quotation with which I could wholly concur.
—Mark
