The House on the Strand by Daphne du Maurier
Published by Virago, 2003 (first published in 1969)
My rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
It’s such a nice feeling to return to a favourite author after a while, and to instantly be reminded why you fell in love with their work in the first place. From the very first paragraph of this book, I was transported once again by du Maurier’s lush, descriptive prose. It captures such a wonderful sense of time, place, and atmosphere, and is just a delight to read.
Initially, the story feels like a radical departure for du Maurier, given that this is ostensibly a book about time travel. And whilst it does stand out as unique amongst her work for that reason, rest assured that the hallmarks of her style (grand settings, gothic undertones, interesting characters, a touch of the sinister, and an air of mystery) are all still present. It’s also worth pointing out that her take on the time travel trope is fascinating and wholly unique in its own right.
Magnus Lane is a chemical researcher. On the quiet, he has been experimenting with a strange potion that seems to send the drinker’s mind back to the 14th century. Able to act only as a silent observer, however, the person’s body is left behind, the two moving in tandem across the span of time. It seems Lane has cracked the secret to moving between parallel timelines. And so, he enlists his long-time friend, Richard, to serve as a guinea pig. But as Richard gets increasingly involved in the lives of those he observes in the past, and addicted to the high of the potion itself, the line between the two times begins to blur, leading to potentially devastating consequences.
The thing I enjoyed most about this was how successfully it draws parallels with the struggles of addiction. Richard becomes more and more dependant on the potion, despite the obvious danger involved, and the increasingly debilitating physical and mental side effects. With each exposure, the dose required is higher, and though he promises each time will be his last, he is repeatedly drawn back in, no matter the trouble it causes him or those around him. This was cleverly done, and very effective.
There is also some commentary on the risks of trying to live a double life. Unhappy in his marriage, the trips into the past serve as a form of escape for Richard, who becomes emotionally attached to the people he observes, particularly the beautiful Isolda. The more he is drawn into the high-stakes drama of the 14th century, however, the duller his own life seems. His wife, Vita, suspects these absences are a sign of infidelity. With Richard finding it increasingly difficult to keep the two halves of his existence apart, the pressure begins to take its toll on both his body and mind.
I will say, since Richard is unable to directly interact with those in the past, there is an inherent sense of detachment where those characters are concerned. As such, it did take me a while to get to grips with who everyone was, and to feel any kind of investment in them. Though these sections are evocative, I was always far more interested in Richard’s struggles, and his attempts to deal with the fallout of the experiments back in the present day.
That said, the book was still a damn good romp throughout, with some skilfully implemented allegory. I mustn’t leave it so long until I pick up another du Maurier.
***
You can pick up a copy of The House on the Strand from Book Depository by clicking here. If you’ve already read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
It has been decades since I read this one, Callum, so my memory is less than perfect, but I know at the time, I thought it brilliant. I’ve seen the basic subject treated many ways over the years, but as you point out, The House on the Strand is written in duMaurier’s inimitable style, lush, elegant prose and chilling twists included. Great, insightful review! I’ve reread Rebecca so many times I’ve lost count, but I suspect I’m long overdue for a reread of some of her other wonderful works, House included. Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Thank you, Marcia! I’d be very intrigued to hear your thoughts if you decide to revisit this 😊 It’s one that doesn’t seem to get talked about as often, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
If I can find a bit more reading time, I’ll definitely give it a go. Adding it to my list today. And I’ll get back with you, once I’ve revisited it. Again, great review, as always! 🙂
Thank you! I’ll keep an eye out for your thoughts 😊
I hadn’t heard of this one before – sounds well worth checking out.
I hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a go! It doesn’t generate as much buzz as some of du Maurier’s other books, but I still really enjoyed it.
I just love your reviews; incredibly well-written. I’ll be adding this one to my list.
Thank you so much! That’s so kind of you to say. I hope you enjoy this when you get to it!
I’m glad you found this one interesting – I think it’s one of her best.
It’s funny that it doesn’t seem to be as well known as some of her others; I thought it was great as well! 😊
It would make an excellent film!
I’ve been meaning to check out more of du Maurier’s work (I’ve only read Rebecca and a short story, The Breakthrough) and this one sounds worth looking into! Great review.
Thank you very much! Rebecca’s amazing; definitely still my favourite du Maurier so far. I hope you enjoy this one if you decide to give it a go.
Ohhh I love Daphne du Maurier! Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, Jamaica Inn, her short stories – I devoured them, but never read this one. Will definitely add it to my TBR after your review 🙂
I hope you enjoy it! I definitely want to keep making my way through her back catalogue 📚
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Looks like I’m going to add this one to my list now. I felt sure (as I mentioned on your wrap up) about my next du Maurier book but this sounds like one I should put on my must read list for the year.
I hope you enjoy it! 😊
And she has SO MANY books. I looked at my online library catalog, and there are enough to keep me busy for years! I’m also interested to see how her short stories compare to her long novels. Have you read any of the short story collections by du Maurier?
I’ve read a couple of her short story collections; The Birds and The Doll. I really liked both! She manages to create her trademark gothic atmosphere and intriguing characters, even with a limited word count.
I do love that she was alive and writing when Hitchcock was creating movies based on her stories. I always had hopes that he would talk to her and get her two cents. I’m not sure that’s true, though. I watched a behind-the-scenes thing about Rebecca and learned that the only reason it was so close to the novel is because the producer lurked around the studio to keep Hitch on task. He wanted to change loads of things.
I’d heard of this book but didn’t really know what it was about… it sounds awesome! Great review, I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you! I hope you enjoy it if you decide to give it a go 😊
Sounds fascinating! I’ve only read one by du Maurier (My Cousin Rachel) but I think I need to read more of her books.
I haven’t read My Cousin Rachel yet but it’s one I’d definitely like to get to!
It was good! It fits in with her usual style, from what I’ve heard. Atmospheric, a little bit mysterious and a little bit creepy.
Sounds great!