I fell in love with Daphne du Maurier’s writing as a teenager when I read Rebecca for the first time, quickly followed by Jamaica Inn, and since then, I have been (very slowly) working through the rest of her novels, short stories and non-fiction. I have thoroughly enjoyed most of her books, with only a few exceptions – and sadly this one, Mary Anne, was one of the exceptions. I wouldn’t say that I didn’t enjoy it at all – there were still a lot of things that I liked – but I didn’t think it was as strong as most of the other du Maurier novels I’ve read.
Du Maurier often draws on her own family history as an inspiration for her work; The Glass-Blowers is the story of her ancestors who lived in France during the Revolution, while The Parasites also has autobiographical elements and the houses in both Rebecca and The King’s General are based on her own home, Menabilly. Mary Anne is a fictional account of the life of Mary Anne Clarke, du Maurier’s great-great-grandmother, best known for being a mistress of Prince Frederick, Duke of York.
I loved the first few chapters of the book which follow Mary Anne throughout her childhood and teenage years. Born into a poor London family in 1776, Mary Anne Thompson grows up on Chancery Lane with her mother, younger brother and stepfather, who works as a copy editor. When her stepfather becomes ill and is unable to go to work, the thirteen-year-old Mary Anne secretly collects his copy from the printer and corrects it herself – and from this moment I knew she was going to be a great character: strong, clever and resourceful from an early age.
Mary Anne is also an ambitious person but she makes a big mistake when, in 1791, she elopes with Joseph Clarke, a stonemason. The marriage is an unhappy one; Joseph is an alcoholic who drinks and gambles away most of his money, leaving Mary Anne desperate to escape and build a new life for herself and her children. The breakdown of her marriage proves to be a turning point and it’s not long before Mary Anne comes to the attention of Frederick, Duke of York.
Portrait of Mary Anne Clarke by Adam Buck, 1803
As I’ve said, I thought the first part of the book was wonderful and I enjoyed watching Mary Anne use her wits and her charm to rise from her humble beginnings to a position of power. She’s a real social-climber and reminded me of characters like Becky Sharp from Vanity Fair and Amber St Clare from Forever Amber. Remembering that du Maurier was writing about her own ancestor, I think her interest in and affection for Mary Anne come across strongly, while at the same time she is open about Mary Anne’s faults and flaws.
The second half of the novel is devoted to several court cases and scandals in which Mary Anne becomes involved, and this is where I started to get bored. The court proceedings are described in great detail, with page after page of witness statements, letters, testimonies and dialogue, which I just didn’t find very interesting to read. I can appreciate that du Maurier was trying to stay true to history here and incorporate her research into the story, but I don’t think she got the balance quite right between fact and fiction.
I’m glad I’ve had the chance to meet and get to know Mary Anne Clarke but this book left me slightly disappointed. I’m hoping for better luck with the remaining du Maurier books I still need to read (Frenchman’s Creek, Castle Dor and some of the non-fiction and short story collections).
She Reads Novels 
Great Review. I should be reading Rebecca soon. I have heard so much about Daphne du Murier
I’ve enjoyed almost all of the du Maurier books I’ve read, but I still think Rebecca is her best. I hope you love it as much as I do. 🙂
Ooh, what did you think of My Cousin Rachel? I read it recently and was so impressed.
My Cousin Rachel is one of my top three or four du Maurier novels. I loved the atmosphere and the ambiguity of the ending!
Yes! Me too. (I really, really hope she did it.)
It’s years since I read this and I remember that it was a like but not a love. Thank you for reminding me of the book, and maybe why that was.
I haven’t actually disliked any of du Maurier’s novels but some are definitely much stronger than others.
I’ve only read Rebecca and loved it. I have My Cousin Rachel on my book shelf, and that’s next on my Du Maurier reading list.
Too bad Mary Anne didn’t quite work out. I generally find that fiction mixed in with fact type of books are very hard to get right.
I think you’ll enjoy My Cousin Rachel. It has a similar atmosphere to Rebecca and is one of my favourites. 🙂
It is such a shame you didn’t enjoy the 2nd half as much as the 1st half of this book, but Mary Anne does sound like a great character to read about. Last year, I read Jamaica Inn while this year I have Frenchmen’s Creek, My Cousin Rachel and The House on the Strand on my TBR to choose from next.
My Cousin Rachel and The House on the Strand are two of my favourite du Maurier novels, so I’m envious that you still have both of those to read! I haven’t read Frenchman’s Creek yet but I love the sound of it.
I think I was more sympathetic to her than you are. It seemed as if she wasn’t just rapacious (although there was definitely some graft going on) but that he didn’t understand how much money she needed to run a household. Of course, I am remembering this book from a distance of years.
Mary Anne probably did deserve more sympathy, but I just didn’t like her very much – although I did think she was a fascinating character!
I can certainly see that.
Too bad this one wasn’t as good at the end as it was at the beginning. I’m a new fan of du Maurier and am really looking forward to reading more of her work; up next for me is My Cousin Rachel (per your recommendation). I’m looking forward to reading it this summer. (Oh, and I like your new blog look.) 🙂
Thank you. I thought it was time for a change. I’m pleased to hear you’re planning to read My Cousin Rachel soon – it’s always my recommendation for people who enjoyed Rebecca as the two books have a similar feel.
I also thought of Becky Sharpe and Forever Amber when I read this. I think it is not her best but I had to admire the main character for her guts and smarts. I am currently reading The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee, featuring another heroine of this type. It is a guilty pleasure for me reading these types of stories. And despite it all, women still have to get up to some serious shenanigans sometimes to get by.
I can admire characters like Mary Anne and Becky Sharp without actually liking them as people. I haven’t read The Queen of the Night but I’ve seen a few reviews and thought it sounded interesting.
This does sounds like a mixed bag, but worth reading. I find court scenes are rarely interesting in books, but in TV and film they really come to life. So interesting! My book club is set to read My Cousin Rachel in September.
I definitely think it’s worth reading, even though I didn’t love it. I hope your book club enjoys My Cousin Rachel – you should be able to have some interesting discussions about that one!
I have read Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel and loved them both, especially the latter! Too bad this wasn’t one of du Maurier’s best, but at least the first half sounds very interesting.
I’ve enjoyed most of du Maurier’s novels but Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel are two of my favourites, along with The House on the Strand and The Scapegoat.
I’m reading Jamaica Inn now and saw this novel listed in her works. I googled the title and found your review! Glad I did because now I’m thinking I’ll spend my time on her other books first. That second half does sound kinda boring. Love hearing your take on it!
This one is still worth reading, but I would definitely try to read some of her others first. She wrote so many great books – you have a lot to look forward to!