The Progress of Julius

by Daphne du Maurier

Book Overview

'His first instinct was to stretch out his hands to the sky. The white clouds seemed so near to him, surely they were easy to hold and to caress, strange-moving things belonging to the wide blue space... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• ISBN: B000KK7ZOO
• Release Date: January 1942
• Publisher: The Sun Dial Press
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.

Customer Reviews

"Something for nothing - something for nothing..."

...is the mantra that governs the life of Julius Lévy. The story begins in 1860 in France as a young half-Jewish Julius learns the ways of selling in the local market place - always getting more than you give away - "something for nothing." As the Prussians invade France the Lévys head for the relative safety of Paris, although unforeseen events send Julius and his father heading for the relative safety of Algiers. Now orphaned Julius learns to steal, manipulate and swindle his way until he saves enough to strike out for England and the empire he feels destined to build - no matter what the cost to others around him - including his morbid obsession with his daughter. That's about all I'm going to tell, anymore and I'd be spoiling the story. Suffice it to say that Julius is a wholly despicable, unlikable character void of any knowledge of right or wrong . If he can't have it then no one else can - whether it be the pet cat he drowned as a child rather than let someone else care for it. While this third book of Du Maurier's is still far from the excellence of her later books, it is a fascinating and disturbing read and quite amazing when you realize that she wrote this when she was all of twenty-six years old. Just be warned, Julius has no redeeming qualities whatsoever, so if you're a reader who wants it all tied up with a pink ribbon and an HEA at the end, this probably isn't the book for you. However, if you want a look at something besides the "romantic suspense" of Du Maurier's later works I'd look this one up. 4/5 stars and highly recommended.

Julius Levy: the man without a soul (4 1/2 stars)...

"His first instinct was to stretch his hands to the sky. The white clouds seemed so near to him, surely they were easy to hold and to caress, strange-moving things belonging to the blue space of heaven." Sky is the limit for Julius Lévy. He is a half-Jew born in France. His grandfather is a vegetable merchant, a fine salesman who teaches Julius the value of getting "something for nothing," creating the illusion that he is offering the better bargain. His father, Paul Lévy, is gutless and uninspired, caring for nothing other than his flute. After Julius's grandfather dies when the Prussians invade Puteaux, and further tragedy befalls his parents, he turns tricks to make a quick buck in Algeria. For a while, Julius had dreamed of becoming a rabbi, but felt that spirituality was not for him. Instead, he moves to London and, through hard work and ruthless ambition, becomes one of the richest men in England. One café establishment becomes several, and he continues to fatten his purse with speculation and other schemes. He has everything -- a wife, a child, respectable society -- indeed, sky's the only limit for Julius. But nothing is ever enough. One obsession replaces another, and soon his teenage daughter becomes his new object of fascination. Still, he must have all or nothing. Is the sky indeed the limit for this man? Ick! Reading this book is like reading the devil's biography. *shudders* Julius Lévy is one of the most disturbing characters ever created. He is so devious that he seems soulless at times. I won't supply plot details, for it would ruin things for the reader, but this is a transcendental story, covering Julius's life from his birth to his death. It covers the time frames of 1860 all the way to the 1930s, covering various historical occurrences and technological breakthroughs in the process. As for content, you will get symbolism, foreshadows and sinister language. First published as The Progress of Julius in 1933, this is Daphne du Maurier's third effort. Her writing is a little on the green side, definitely not as well structured as her later work, but it still far exceeds the works of many veteran authors of today. This novel will unsettle and disturb you while keeping you turning the pages. I paid a pittance for this book, and in turn I got, in the words of Julius, "something for nothing." A fine piece of literature and I cannot recommend it enough.