A swashbuckling Cornish adventure with an unlikely heroine, as usual Daphne Du Maurier did not disappoint!
Published in 1946, The King's General' weaves a fictional love story around the real people and events of the English Civil War. Set in seventeenth century Cornwall, Du Maurier crafts her characters from real people and sets them in their ancestral homes, many of which still exist today. It was the history of her own home 'Menabilly' that provided the inspiration for the story, a skeleton and a pair of Cavalier's shoes found hidden in a secret passage way, the perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama.
The novel opens on a rather melancholy note, Honor Harris, who at thirty eight years old is weighed down by the sadness of her earlier life, reflects upon her current circumstances. Now reduced to living on the charity of others, Honor looks back over the events that led her and her brother, Robin, to such a low ebb. Narrating her own story Honor takes the reader back to the family home of Lanrest, where as a ten year old girl she is preparing to meet her new sister in law, a person already shrouded in suspicion. The youngest child in a large and hitherto happy family, Du Maurier skilfully weaves fiction around historical fact.
The dreaded Gartred Grenville is everything Honor hoped she would not be, formed, perhaps, in the same mould as Du Maurier's most famous creation, Rebecca. A deep animosity develops between Honor and Gartred, with the latter making several malign appearances, seemingly bent on smiting Honor's happiness to further her own ends. Disappointingly this rivalry never reaches a climax and the much hoped for revenge is never served, the increasingly toxic relationship between Honor and her sister in law just seems to wither.
At the tender age of eighteen, Honor meets Gartred's brother, the swashbuckling, Richard Grenville and a life long love is born. A tragic accident prevents a happy ending but the catastrophic events of the civil war dwarf the personal struggles of the main characters. Moving to Menabilly, built and owned by the Rashleigh family, Honor sees and feels at first hand the horror and destruction of civil war. The novel covers the main events of the period outlining the struggle of Cornwall's Royalist's to resist the Rounhead's attempts to capture the County for Parliament. The large cast of characters detracted from the central plot as it was hard to remember who was who or to feel any empathy for those involved. Interesting from a historical point of view but the plot lacked the author's usual rigour, the characters remained firmly on the page. There is a short interview with Daphne Du Maurier, ( Menabilly 'You Tube') during which she reveals that a film company bought the rights to "The Kings General" but it was never made, such a shame as it would have been perfect for Errol Flynn as Richard Grenville, Bette Davis as Honor Harris and Merle Oberon as Gartred Grenville. If nothing else it was agreed that this novel, although not one of our favourite Daphne Du Maurier novels, did at least ignite the spark of our historical curiosity.
Nestled in the shadow of Hadrian's Wall, The Twice Brewed Inn offers a welcome rest to weary hikers, exhausted from a days trek through the magnificent Northumberland countryside. Steeped in history this welcoming spot seemed the perfect venue to discuss "The King's General". A limited menu offered traditional wholesome pub grub, a hearty filling meal at a reasonable price. In fact as pub grub goes it was better than expected. Despite the relaxation of Covid rules, masks and queues were still the order of the day but the bar was busy with most tables full. The staff were helpful and efficient but clearly very busy. A great place to sate your appetite and quench your thirst after a strenuous hike but not so great for the casual diner. The drive along the military road, however, makes the small gripes worth it, Northumberland's wild and rugged landscape basking in the evening sun is quite a sight to start the night.
We will meet again in early September to discuss ..........
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