Flingo
27th February 2007, 11:42 PM
megustaleer 23rd July 2006 10:17 PM
I have started threads on My Cousin Rachel and Frenchman's Creek in 20th century fiction, but it is possible that they, plus Jamaica Inn and possibly some of her other books, might be more at home here.
Should I move them?
Hazel 24th July 2006 09:14 AM
This sounds slightly book-snobby but I think they are best regarded in the 20th C fiction - Du Maurier's books are so much more than historical/romance. Sorry!
Flingo 25th July 2006 06:32 PM
I must admit that I thought the same as Hazel. Maybe my current "Romantic Novellist's Association" reading will cure me of this?!
I wouldn't think to look for Du Maurier in here - I would go to the fiction forums first.
megustaleer 25th July 2006 09:32 PM
Originally Posted by Hazel
This sounds slightly book-snobby but I think they are best regarded in the 20th C fiction - Du Maurier's books are so much more than historical/romance. Sorry!
Which is why I put them in 20th century fiction in the first place!
So, if a book is a romance, and has an historical setting, how does one decide if it has enough merit to go into a literary forum, rather than this one.
Or to put it another way, what do 'Historical Romances' lack that keeps them firmly in the genre, rather than 'elevate' them to general fiction.
The same question applies of course to other genres.
Hazel 26th July 2006 08:39 AM
Originally Posted by megustaleer
Or to put it another way, what do 'Historical Romances' lack that keeps them firmly in the genre, rather than 'elevate' them to general fiction.
Quality of writing, degree of literariness, author's creativity?
Flingo 26th July 2006 11:43 AM
Generally, I feel that something that is published in hardback first - rather than seen by even the publishers as something for the mass market - has more literary merit.
Especially something that remains available in hardback years after it is originally published and still sells in huge numbers? Du Maurier fits in this category (as do many other classics), but you very rarely get a new chick lit style romance in hardback first (eg Cecilia Aherne).
I have started threads on My Cousin Rachel and Frenchman's Creek in 20th century fiction, but it is possible that they, plus Jamaica Inn and possibly some of her other books, might be more at home here.
Should I move them?
Hazel 24th July 2006 09:14 AM
This sounds slightly book-snobby but I think they are best regarded in the 20th C fiction - Du Maurier's books are so much more than historical/romance. Sorry!
Flingo 25th July 2006 06:32 PM
I must admit that I thought the same as Hazel. Maybe my current "Romantic Novellist's Association" reading will cure me of this?!
I wouldn't think to look for Du Maurier in here - I would go to the fiction forums first.
megustaleer 25th July 2006 09:32 PM
Originally Posted by Hazel
This sounds slightly book-snobby but I think they are best regarded in the 20th C fiction - Du Maurier's books are so much more than historical/romance. Sorry!
Which is why I put them in 20th century fiction in the first place!
So, if a book is a romance, and has an historical setting, how does one decide if it has enough merit to go into a literary forum, rather than this one.
Or to put it another way, what do 'Historical Romances' lack that keeps them firmly in the genre, rather than 'elevate' them to general fiction.
The same question applies of course to other genres.
Hazel 26th July 2006 08:39 AM
Originally Posted by megustaleer
Or to put it another way, what do 'Historical Romances' lack that keeps them firmly in the genre, rather than 'elevate' them to general fiction.
Quality of writing, degree of literariness, author's creativity?
Flingo 26th July 2006 11:43 AM
Generally, I feel that something that is published in hardback first - rather than seen by even the publishers as something for the mass market - has more literary merit.
Especially something that remains available in hardback years after it is originally published and still sells in huge numbers? Du Maurier fits in this category (as do many other classics), but you very rarely get a new chick lit style romance in hardback first (eg Cecilia Aherne).