The search for ecstatic happiness is what drives many to their demise. ‘No, not a continuous thing.’ Answered Jean. ‘Not a continuous thing, like contentment?’ Happiness is elusive – coming perhaps once in a life-time – and approaching ecstasy.’ Contentment is a state of mind and body when the two work in harmony, and there is no friction. ‘Between happiness and contentment? Ah, there you have me.

It is a book that makes you sigh when you put it down and ponder what and where is your gravitational pull. It is all very Hollywoodish but under Du Maurier’s magical pen, our spawn a tale so intense, so beautiful and entertaining. I love the action, the love of two liked minds and souls, the sacrifice of love, the climax of Dona’s decision and to the inevitable sad ending. The entire novel has a very cinematic and theatrical feel about it. The Frenchman’s Creek of the book title, on the Helford River, near the town of Helford, Cornwall, at low tide Dona who wishes for the same thing is constantly held back by her sense of duty said “The rest of us can only run away from time to time, and however much we pretend to be free, we know it is only for a little while – our hands and our feet are tied.’ Jean Aubrey gravitational pull is obviously to the sea but what is Dona’s gravitational pull? He is without ties, without man made principles, he is truly free. He is educated, serves vegetable soups, bilingual and he has a philosophical view about life and death. If there is an answer, Dona, you must make it and not me.’ – page 197 Jean AubreyĪs Lady Dona gets acquainted with the Frenchman, she found out that the man is not a typical pirate. That you were Dona St Column, wife of an English baronets, and mother of two children, and I was a Frenchman, and an outlaw, a robber of your country, an enemy to your friends. To sail with the pirates or to live her conventional life? To listen to her heart or her logic? The peace Lady Dona craves, however, eludes her form the moment she stumbles across the mooring place of a white-sailed ship in a hidden creek and met the French philosopher-pirate Jean-Benoit Aubrey who plunders the Cornish coast of incoming English ships from abroad that carries valuable goods.Īs she became embroiled in a plot to steal another ship from under the English Authorities nose, she soon realises that she has to make a choice. A charming hostess at her husband’s party, privately she yearns for freedom, integrity and love. Desperate to escape the pomp and ritual of the Restoration Court, she and her children left London to the hidden creeks and secret woods of the family estate in Navron, in Cornwall. Columb is beautiful, headstrong – and bored.

When I say this book contains pirates, what would you expect from it? Something similar to the movie Pirates of the Caribbean? Swashbuckling adventure? Romance? Deception? This book has it all!Ģ9- year-old Lady Dona St.

Lady dona daphne du maurier