mrears0_0's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bigbookslilreads's review against another edition
1.0
This was my first Daphne du Maurier, and probably not the best one to start with. I'm disappointed, and after some consideration, I found that a 1* (I did not like it) was the most fitting rating to describe my reading experience with The House on the Strand. The premise seemed very interesting to me: a Professor and his friend start experimenting with a potent hallucinogen and seem to travel to medieval times. However, I did not like the execution, and the story did not engage me at all. Maybe someone reading this physically would fare better. I could pay no attention to the past time because it was just so dull and did not seem to have any real impact on the story. Even the protagonist did not do much in his trip to the past. If he did I was too bored to notice.
I started to get mildly invested at the halfway point, when the story started to focus on the instability of the protagonist after becoming somewhat dependent on the drug. But even that was mildly interesting at best.
Not worth it.
I started to get mildly invested at the halfway point, when the story started to focus on the instability of the protagonist after becoming somewhat dependent on the drug. But even that was mildly interesting at best.
Not worth it.
nglofile's review against another edition
4.0
I'm struck by how much more I liked this book upon a second reading. It's even more surprising given the lack of truly empathetic characters.
The story and structure are well-executed, and I suppose it is additional research and study that has helped me to appreciate the writing so much more.
[1st read = audbk; 2nd 3/08]
The story and structure are well-executed, and I suppose it is additional research and study that has helped me to appreciate the writing so much more.
[1st read = audbk; 2nd 3/08]
teabooksandbreathe's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lisam0183_bookworm's review against another edition
2.0
Richard takes up the offer from Magnus of staying in his house. Magnus has created a 'potion' that enables transportation to 600 years ago.
I really struggled to understand the concept of the storyline. 2 different timelines running along and then the addiction to the drugs. It then ended at such an abrupt place too.
Unfortunately, although this was written well it just wasn't for me.
I really struggled to understand the concept of the storyline. 2 different timelines running along and then the addiction to the drugs. It then ended at such an abrupt place too.
Unfortunately, although this was written well it just wasn't for me.
reading_at_the_zoo's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
mm676's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating storyline. I really enjoyed each trip that was taken into the past and was swept up right along with the main character each time it happened and disappointed when he returned.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
3.0
I have loved Daphne Du Maurier's short stories ever since I read The Blue Lenses in an old magazine at my grandmother's house when I was a kid. I read that story every summer for years (it's the main reason I will never ever have eye surgery), and when I finally figured out there were more of these eerie stories, I was ecstatic. Somehow that makes it all the more disappointing that I don't love her novels. I like them, yes, but they never capture me the way her stories do. No, not even Rebecca.
The House on the Strand is pleasantly weird, but there are no major chills or thrills. It's basically science fiction. Using a potion produced by his buddy Magnus, our protagonist Dick is able to travel back in time. Which he does, a lot. This seems to be in equal measure because he is fascinated by the noblemen and ladies he observes back in the 14th century, and because of his lack of interest in his pesky American wife and stepkids, who insist on spending time with him at the summer house in Cornwall. I didn't care much for the historical plot (Dick can't interact with the people, and we don't get to know them that well), but I found the present day shenanigans captivating. Dick is dickishly trying to shake his family off his trail so that he can return to the past without arousing suspicion, and, being a terrible liar, comes across as rather unhinged.
It's an interesting story with a lot of strange and wonderful elements, and I did like it, but the parallell plot in the past was a bit too clunky and dull for a higher rating.
The House on the Strand is pleasantly weird, but there are no major chills or thrills. It's basically science fiction. Using a potion produced by his buddy Magnus, our protagonist Dick is able to travel back in time. Which he does, a lot. This seems to be in equal measure because he is fascinated by the noblemen and ladies he observes back in the 14th century, and because of his lack of interest in his pesky American wife and stepkids, who insist on spending time with him at the summer house in Cornwall. I didn't care much for the historical plot (Dick can't interact with the people, and we don't get to know them that well), but I found the present day shenanigans captivating. Dick is dickishly trying to shake his family off his trail so that he can return to the past without arousing suspicion, and, being a terrible liar, comes across as rather unhinged.
It's an interesting story with a lot of strange and wonderful elements, and I did like it, but the parallell plot in the past was a bit too clunky and dull for a higher rating.