Daphne du Maurier's second work of fiction--an amazingly vivid coming-of-age novel set in 1930s Europe.
"The iron of the bridge felt hot under my hand. The sun had been upon it all day. Gripping hard with my hands I lifted myself on to the bar and gazed down steadily on the water passing under... I thought of places I would never see, and women I should never love." In a moment of crisis, Richard is saved by a passing stranger--Jake. The two men, both at turning points, become fast friends and, out for adventure, jump aboard the first ship they see. Their journey takes them across Europe, cementing a passionate friendship. But it is in bohemian Paris that Richard finally meets the woman who enables him to fulfill his artistic promise. Daphne du Maurier's second novel is a masterpiece of narration, showcasing for the first time in her career the male voice she would use to stunning effect in four subsequent novels, including My Cousin Rachel.
Dame Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) wrote more than twenty-five acclaimed novels, short stories, and plays, including Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, Jamaica Inn, and The House on the Strand. She was also a passionate and skillful chronicler of her own remarkable, famously artistic family. Now, three of her fine novels have been reissued in the distinguished Virago Modern Classics series.
