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Daphne Du Maurier

The Parasites Paperback – May 1, 2005

by Daphne Du Maurier (Author)

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'When people play the game: Name three or four persons whom you would choose to have with you on a desert island - they never choose the Delaneys. They don't even choose us one by one as individuals. We have earned, not always fairly we consider, the reputation of being difficult guests . . .'

Maria, Niall and Celia have grown up in the shadow of their famous parents - their father, a flamboyant singer and their mother, a talented dancer. Now pursuing their own creative dreams, all three siblings feel an undeniable bond, but it is Maria and Niall who share the secret of their parents' pasts.

Alternately comic and poignant, The Parasites is based on the artistic milieu its author knew best, and draws the reader effortlessly into that magical world.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Time Warner Books Uk
Publication date

May 1, 2005
Dimensions

5.2 x 0.91 x 7.87 inches
ISBN-10

9781844080724
ISBN-13

978-1844080724
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Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the last century's most original literary talents―Daily Telegraph

A novel about three step-siblings of complicated parentage, growing up wildly in a crazy Bohemian theatrical family, inspired by du Maurier's own . . . intriguing . . . captivating . . . [The Parasites] is unexpected, and fun, and one of her own favourites―Margaret Drabble

About the Author

Daphne du Maurier (1907-89) was born in London, the daughter of the famous actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and granddaughter of George du Maurier, the author and artist. In 1931 her first novel, The Loving Spirit, was published. A biography of her father and three other novels followed, but it was the novel Rebecca that launched her into the literary stratosphere and made her one of the most popular authors of her day. In 1932, du Maurier married Major Frederick Browning, with whom she had three children.
Many of du Maurier's bestselling novels and short stories were adapted into award-winning films, including Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds and Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now. In 1969 du Maurier was awarded a DBE. She lived most of her life in Cornwall, the setting for many of her books.

Product details

ASIN : 1844080722
Publisher : Time Warner Books Uk (May 1, 2005)
Language : English
Paperback : 352 pages
ISBN-10 : 9781844080724
ISBN-13 : 978-1844080724
Item Weight : 9.6 ounces
Dimensions : 5.2 x 0.91 x 7.87 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #756,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,202 in Friendship Fiction (Books)
- #9,474 in Coming of Age Fiction (Books)
- #10,774 in Humorous Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
100 ratings

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5 star		49%
4 star		23%
3 star		17%
2 star		7%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Karen Moran

An Unorthodox Family Living a Bohemian Lifestyle

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2021

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This is a tragic tale of 3 amazing children who are raised by globetrotting parents—each famous in their own right—who put their careers and needs far above their children. Nonetheless, the children are cared for by nannies, cooks, and housekeepers and seem to each develop their talents as best they can. Narcissism dominates all the relationships in highly dysfunctional ways. Two of the children are raised together as siblings from birth but they are step. They are drawn together as brother and sister, but there is an uncomfortable sexual tension between the two. Both are very hedonistic and very talented artists on stage and music. Celia is the one daughter who is the daughter of both parents. She accepts the role of nurturer and peacemaker within the family. She, too, has undeveloped talent in drawing, but she chooses her family’s needs over hers. The story is set before, during, and post-World War II which heightens the drama and tragedy of their lives. This story’s themes are as relevant today as they were then.

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Rosette Farrugia

Not the usual Du Maurier

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020

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Not a story but rather a study of characters,it is rather dragging at the beginning but then it gains momentum feeling intriged by parental influence or selfishness.a sad lot who seem to hide their loneliness but undecided what they really want from life.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

All the world's a stage...

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2009

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Parasite: an invertebrate animal preying upon the body of another animal.

And that is what Charles thinks of the Delaneys. They have inherited their parents' talents and have done nothing else with their lives. But Charles wasn't specific. Who among the three Delaney children is the parasite? Is it his wife Maria? After all, he knows her better than the rest. And he knows that she is a great actress, so great that she can develop a new personality on cue. And that is precisely her problem. Who is the real Maria? Or is he referring to Niall? Niall is a natural-born talent, a great musician. But his unresolved issues with his mother and his own brooding feelings for his stepsister has stopped him from living his own life. Then there's Celia. Sweet, spinsterish Celia, the only daughter of both Mama and Pappy Delaney (Maria is Pappy's daughter, Neill is Mama's, children borne from a previous relationship). She's the least talented one, not as pretty, and always the mediator. She's also given up on having a husband and children of her own to look after Maria and Charles's kids. She had also looked after her father after her mother died. After Charles's verbal assault, all three of them ponder his meaning, going back to the events that have brought them to where they are today. Are they happy? Could they be anything more than just the Delaneys? Is there a life beyond the entertainment world?

Daphne du Maurier dedicates this novel to "Whom the Caps fit." You soon realize that this story is very personal. Du Maurier's parents were both entertainers, and perhaps that part of her life had left some feelings that ran deep for her. She wrote various memoirs and short stories with this same theme. The Parasites, while not the author's best work, is an entertaining and poignant tale of love and loss. I like the way the author uses a rather interesting second-person narrative. All the reader knows is that one of the three Delaney children is the narrator, but which one? And do we get to find out whom it is? That is all I will reveal on the matter. Suffice it to say that the unique narrative style draws you in from the beginning. Another interesting thing is the relationship between Maria, Neill and Celia -- especially the first two. There is a Cathy and Heathcliff feel to them that is quite noticeable from the start. This is especially clear in Maria's selfishness, their unnatural clinginess toward each other since childhood (Maria used to pick on Neill when they were kids) and Neill's jealousy when Maria meets Charles. Their relationship is not as dark or as morbid as Emily Bronte's couple, but the similarities are there. And that is all the information I will supply. Don't want to go all book club discussion-type on you. You will have to read this magnificent book to know the rest. First published in 1949, The Parasites is a nice, quick read from Du Maurier, falling into a lighter cateogory, somewhere between Frenchman's Creek and The King's General, only that it's contemporary and more poignant. I recommend it.

9 people found this helpful

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Hapless52

If you enjoy

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2019

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Du Maurier, you’ll like this look at a family of three talented, rudderless people living between the wars in Britain. The author plays cleverly with point of view, switching the narrative from character to character seamlessly.

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Claude Roessiger

An Interesting du Maurier Book

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2015

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Du Maurier writes very well, and that's a given. The Parasites is outside the envelope of her novels, as her famous short stories are. The Parasites is probably not a good read for one's first or second du Maurier book, but it's very rewarding once one has already explored the breadth of her talents.

2 people found this helpful

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James R. Calder

Engaging

Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2012

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In 1949, after years of publishing historical sagas,
DdM produced "The Parasites" -- a fascinating social
comedy. 3 siblings whose parents were famous performers
reflect on their lives after the humorless husband of one
calls them parasites. He's a boor, jealous of their
worldliness, easy talent and charm. People find them
irresistible.

It's a most personal novel for DdM, coming when her
marriage was in crisis. The siblings mirror different
aspects of DdM's personality. On publication, it disappointed
her fans: it lacks gothic trappings, suspense, romance.
It's a portrait of several lives and crammed with insightful
comedy. It also has an incestuous motif and a wounding finale.

"The Parasites" is not for readers with Third Grade mentality.
DdM again conveys rich atmosphere with a few strokes; she
knows how to entertain on a high level. She reminds us that
we can survive anything, except death.

3 people found this helpful

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jghall

Flawed

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017

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This is one of my favorites of her books. Alas, this kindle version is riddled with typos, which mars the enjoyment.

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Alyse Burman

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2017

Verified Purchase

I love Daphne DuMaurier's books. However, The Parasites was not of her better books. A little disappointed.

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KaloSky

Five stars, again

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 6, 2016

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A family saga of three step/half siblings raised by their famous performer parents. This is closer to a comedy than most of Daphne Du Mauier's books, despite elements of a sinister nature (such as quasi-incestuous relations between step-siblings) and a delicate portrayal of spinsterhood. It really just explores the influences of a fairly unconventional family and eccentric but loving parents, playing out the range of possible outcomes by the contrasting lives of the three children. One tries to balance her stardom on the stage with marriage (to an upper-class heir) and children; one has an affair with an older woman and finds fame writing bad music; and one becomes a carer for her aging father, turning down chances for success by failing to publish her art and stories. I'm not sure that "The Parasites" is the most appropriate title - it's supposed to allude to at least one and possibly all three main characters. The focus, besides the one on family, is on the theme of success, and in particular success in artistic careers, but fame isn't portrayed as particularly parasitic - it's just the life the three siblings have been born into and the background to the paths their lives take. As with many of Daphne Du Maurier's works, when I reached the end I felt like I could have continued reading for a lot longer, partly because it was rather abrupt and inconclusive, and partly because I was enjoying the book very much and wanted to continue following the lives of these characters.

6 people found this helpful

Christina Mardle

It was an OK read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2020

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I've read other Daphne Du Maurier Novels - my favourite being Hungry Hill but this just didn't do it for me. I found the main characters, mainly Maria, rather annoying. (Although that may have been the author's intention). It's supposed to be the closest she came to a comedy but as I found the characters so difficult to relate to I couldn't see the funny side. The comedy might translate if someone turned it into a one off drama for TV. She loved writing about the sea so I was glad she got that in towards the end, even though I wasn't really bothered when Niall's boat started sinking. It was Charles Wyndham who had my sympathies - and I don't normally sympathise with upper class twits!!

Gerald T. Walford

We none of us......

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 11, 2012

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I have just finished reading this- staying in bed till ten to cover the last 100 odd pages. Those expecting Daphne Du Maurier's usual fare will be surprised, I think pleasantly, by this one. Far more character based and occasionally stream-of -consciousy (is that a word?) I really took to this. Its an impressionistic backward glance by three siblings to their bohemian childhood and youths and then how each in their own way try to make a way for themselves in a world that seems to find them odd and perhaps freakish. Held back and simultaneously propped up by each other. You get the feeling that each becomes rather unstuck in the 'real' world and their thoughts and actions reveal them to be self-absorbed and feckless. The attempts at child-rearing I thought were hilarious, and the first visit by the family to the in-laws! They are never really malicious, just very artistic and a little bit useless. I'm sure du Maurier was exploring celebrity and artistry and the showy, glamourous world of the theatre between and just after the world wards. Its a slow-burner, but one I was utterly lost in. 'We have earned', the unspecified narrator speaking for all three says, 'not always fairly we consider, the reputation of being difficult guests.' At the end of the book I tend to agree with them.

4 people found this helpful

Mel

What a writer

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2017

Verified Purchase

A wonderful evocation of 1950s life. A quiet unfolding of three lives drawn from each of the three characters perspectives. Unlike many DDm books there is very little high drama or mystery, but it is fascinating and beautifully written. I loved it.

2 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

I have always loved Daphne Du M novels and have read them several ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 11, 2018

Verified Purchase

Arrived very quickly. I have always loved Daphne Du M novels and have read them several times. However didn't care for this one very much.

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