Who Would Like This Book:
Du Maurier's "The Scapegoat" is a clever psychological drama with a doppelganger twist. The premise - two strangers who look identical, one swapping lives with the other - is both intriguing and suspenseful. It's beautifully atmospheric, set in post-war France, and explores themes of identity, belonging, and personal reinvention. If you enjoy character-driven stories with a touch of mystery, complex family dynamics, and a hint of the Gothic, you'll get swept up in this one. Fans of introspection, redemption tales, and classic literary fiction will find plenty to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers find the whole identity swap a bit of a stretch, especially since absolutely nobody notices the switch - not even the family. If you crave ironclad realism or fast-paced action, the need to suspend disbelief might be a hurdle. Others felt that the ending was unsatisfying or unresolved, leaving too many questions hanging. If you want neat plot bows or a story where every thread is tied off, this one might frustrate you!
About:
The Scapegoat by Daphne du Maurier is a suspense thriller novel set in 1950s France, where an Englishman named John meets his double, a French aristocrat named Jean, and is forced to switch identities with him. As John navigates Jean's crumbling finances and complicated family dynamics, he uncovers a web of secrets, betrayals, and conflicts that challenge his sense of identity and commitment. The story unfolds with poetic prose, compelling plot twists, and subtle character development, culminating in an uncertain denouement that mirrors the complexities of real life.
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From The Publisher:
By chance, John and Jean - one English, the other French - meet in a provincial railway station. Their resemblance to each other is uncanny, and they spend the next few hours talking and drinking - until at last John falls into a drunken stupor. It's to be his last carefree moment, for when he wakes, Jean has stolen his identity and disappeared. So the Englishman steps into the Frenchman's shoes, and faces a variety of perplexing roles - as owner of a chateau, director of a failing business, head of a fractious family, and master of nothing.
Gripping and complex, The Scapegoat is a masterful exploration of doubling and identity, and of the dark side of the self.
"A dazzlingly clever and immensely entertaining novel."- New York Times
Ratings (10)
Incredible (4) | |
Loved It (3) | |
Liked It (1) | |
It Was OK (1) | |
Did Not Like (1) |
Reader Stats (22):
Read It (11) | |
Want To Read (11) |
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The Scapegoat?
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