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袩褌邪褏懈 褌邪 褨薪褕褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟
袧邪 褋褌胁芯褉械薪薪褟 芦袩褌邪褏褨胁禄 锌懈褋褜屑械薪薪懈褑褞 薪邪写懈褏薪褍谢邪 蟹胁懈褔邪泄薪邪 褋懈褌褍邪褑褨褟: 邪胁褌芯褉泻邪 褋锌芯褋褌械褉褨谐邪谢邪 蟹邪 褎械褉屑械褉芯屑, 褟泻懈泄 锌褉邪褑褞胁邪胁 薪邪 薪懈胁褨. 袧邪写 褔芯谢芯胁褨泻芯屑 泻褉褍卸谢褟谢懈 褔邪泄泻懈 泄 卸邪谢褨斜薪芯 泻胁懈谢懈谢懈. 小邪屑械 褌芯写褨 胁 写褞 袦芯褉鈥櫻� 蟹鈥櫻徯残感恍把佈� 褨写械褟 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟, 写械 谐芯谢芯写薪褨 泄 薪械斜械蟹锌械褔薪褨 锌褌邪褏懈 褉芯蟹锌芯褔邪谢懈 褋屑械褉褌械谢褜薪械 锌芯谢褞胁邪薪薪褟 薪邪 谢褞写械泄.
袦褨褋褌懈褔薪芯-褌邪褦屑薪懈褔邪 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉邪, 胁褨写 褟泻芯褩 褏芯谢芯薪械 泻褉芯胁, 写械 薪械褉芯蟹褉懈胁薪芯 锌芯褦写薪邪薪褨 胁懈谐邪写泻邪, 褉械邪谢褜薪褨褋褌褜, 胁懈褕褍泻邪薪褨褋褌褜 褋谢褨胁 褌邪 芯斜褉邪蟹褨胁, 鈥� 褑懈屑 写懈褏邪褞褌褜 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 写褞 袦芯褉鈥櫻�.
袛芯 蟹斜褨褉泻懈 胁胁褨泄褕谢懈 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟: 芦袩褌邪褏懈禄, 芦袦芯薪褌械-袙械褉懈褌邪禄, 芦携斜谢褍薪褟禄, 芦袦邪谢械薪褜泻懈泄 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎禄, 芦袩芯褑褨谢褍泄 屑械薪械 褖械 褉邪蟹, 薪械蟹薪邪泄芯屑褑褞禄 褨 芦小褌邪褉懈泄禄.
袦褨褋褌懈褔薪芯-褌邪褦屑薪懈褔邪 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉邪, 胁褨写 褟泻芯褩 褏芯谢芯薪械 泻褉芯胁, 写械 薪械褉芯蟹褉懈胁薪芯 锌芯褦写薪邪薪褨 胁懈谐邪写泻邪, 褉械邪谢褜薪褨褋褌褜, 胁懈褕褍泻邪薪褨褋褌褜 褋谢褨胁 褌邪 芯斜褉邪蟹褨胁, 鈥� 褑懈屑 写懈褏邪褞褌褜 褨褋褌芯褉褨褩 写褞 袦芯褉鈥櫻�.
袛芯 蟹斜褨褉泻懈 胁胁褨泄褕谢懈 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟: 芦袩褌邪褏懈禄, 芦袦芯薪褌械-袙械褉懈褌邪禄, 芦携斜谢褍薪褟禄, 芦袦邪谢械薪褜泻懈泄 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎禄, 芦袩芯褑褨谢褍泄 屑械薪械 褖械 褉邪蟹, 薪械蟹薪邪泄芯屑褑褞禄 褨 芦小褌邪褉懈泄禄.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
871 people are currently reading
17.8k people want to read
About the author
Daphne du Maurier
360听books9,499听followersDaphne du Maurier was born on 13 May 1907 at 24 Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, London, the middle of three daughters of prominent actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and actress Muriel, n茅e Beaumont. In many ways her life resembles a fairy tale. Born into a family with a rich artistic and historical background, her paternal grandfather was author and Punch cartoonist George du Maurier, who created the character of Svengali in the 1894 novel Trilby, and her mother was a maternal niece of journalist, author, and lecturer Comyns Beaumont. She and her sisters were indulged as a children and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental restraint. Her elder sister, Angela du Maurier, also became a writer, and her younger sister Jeanne was a painter.
She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories. Her family connections helped her establish her literary career, and she published some of her early work in Beaumont's Bystander magazine. A prestigious publishing house accepted her first novel when she was in her early twenties, and its publication brought her not only fame but the attentions of a handsome soldier, Major (later Lieutenant-General Sir) Frederick Browning, whom she married.
She continued writing under her maiden name, and her subsequent novels became bestsellers, earning her enormous wealth and fame. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn, and the short stories The Birds and Don't Look Now/Not After Midnight. While Alfred Hitchcock's films based upon her novels proceeded to make her one of the best-known authors in the world, she enjoyed the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called Menabilly, which served as the model for Manderley in Rebecca.
Daphne du Maurier was obsessed with the past. She intensively researched the lives of Francis and Anthony Bacon, the history of Cornwall, the Regency period, and nineteenth-century France and England. Above all, however, she was obsessed with her own family history, which she chronicled in Gerald: A Portrait, a biography of her father; The du Mauriers, a study of her family which focused on her grandfather, George du Maurier, the novelist and illustrator for Punch; The Glassblowers, a novel based upon the lives of her du Maurier ancestors; and Growing Pains, an autobiography that ignores nearly 50 years of her life in favour of the joyful and more romantic period of her youth. Daphne du Maurier can best be understood in terms of her remarkable and paradoxical family, the ghosts which haunted her life and fiction.
While contemporary writers were dealing critically with such subjects as the war, alienation, religion, poverty, Marxism, psychology and art, and experimenting with new techniques such as the stream of consciousness, du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.
In some of her novels, however, she went beyond the technique of the formulaic romance to achieve a powerful psychological realism reflecting her intense feelings about her father, and to a lesser degree, her mother. This vision, which underlies Julius, Rebecca and The Parasites, is that of an author overwhelmed by the memory of her father's commanding presence. In Julius and The Parasites, for example, she introduces the image of a domineering but deadly father and the daring subject of incest.
In Rebecca, on the other hand, du Maurier fuses psychological realism with a sophisticated version of the Cinderella story. The nameless heroine has
She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories. Her family connections helped her establish her literary career, and she published some of her early work in Beaumont's Bystander magazine. A prestigious publishing house accepted her first novel when she was in her early twenties, and its publication brought her not only fame but the attentions of a handsome soldier, Major (later Lieutenant-General Sir) Frederick Browning, whom she married.
She continued writing under her maiden name, and her subsequent novels became bestsellers, earning her enormous wealth and fame. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn, and the short stories The Birds and Don't Look Now/Not After Midnight. While Alfred Hitchcock's films based upon her novels proceeded to make her one of the best-known authors in the world, she enjoyed the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called Menabilly, which served as the model for Manderley in Rebecca.
Daphne du Maurier was obsessed with the past. She intensively researched the lives of Francis and Anthony Bacon, the history of Cornwall, the Regency period, and nineteenth-century France and England. Above all, however, she was obsessed with her own family history, which she chronicled in Gerald: A Portrait, a biography of her father; The du Mauriers, a study of her family which focused on her grandfather, George du Maurier, the novelist and illustrator for Punch; The Glassblowers, a novel based upon the lives of her du Maurier ancestors; and Growing Pains, an autobiography that ignores nearly 50 years of her life in favour of the joyful and more romantic period of her youth. Daphne du Maurier can best be understood in terms of her remarkable and paradoxical family, the ghosts which haunted her life and fiction.
While contemporary writers were dealing critically with such subjects as the war, alienation, religion, poverty, Marxism, psychology and art, and experimenting with new techniques such as the stream of consciousness, du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.
In some of her novels, however, she went beyond the technique of the formulaic romance to achieve a powerful psychological realism reflecting her intense feelings about her father, and to a lesser degree, her mother. This vision, which underlies Julius, Rebecca and The Parasites, is that of an author overwhelmed by the memory of her father's commanding presence. In Julius and The Parasites, for example, she introduces the image of a domineering but deadly father and the daring subject of incest.
In Rebecca, on the other hand, du Maurier fuses psychological realism with a sophisticated version of the Cinderella story. The nameless heroine has
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,694 reviews
July 20, 2023
Jab艂onka i prowincjonalny fotograf by艂y niesamowite.
October 25, 2019
in calculating my enjoyment of this collection, i might have made a mathematical error. there are six stories in this collection, and i only disliked one of them. granted, the one i disliked was the longest story, which gives it more negative weight, but my love of the last story was so great that i think i shall round this up to four stars.
there.
since there are only six stories, it is not a trial for me to review them separately.
The Birds
yeah, we've all seen the movie.
but du maurier's story is completely different, except for the centralpremise fact that birds are evil. hers is a much more pastoral story, where the action revolves around one family's attempts to keep the aggressive birds out of their house, but the attacks are of course much wider-reaching. it's terrifically tense with the window-pecking and chimney-invading, and the family's attempts to turn their small home into a fortress in the small windows of opportunity between massive bird-invasions. goddamn birds.
Monte Verita
this is the one i thought was barf. it starts out promising but it just goes on and on and then gets all weird and flaky with all that ineffable imagery that i find so tedious in authors like lovecraft. this story made me really grouchy.
The Apple Tree
this one is darkly comic with an unlikeable, unreliable narrator recently widowed and glad of it. finally he is free to do as he pleases, living like a bachelor without the pesky sighing martyrdom of his wife invading his relaxing space with her relentless housework and negative attitude. but there's this apple tree, see, and it is starting to remind him of her - dauntlessly clinging to life, keeping the other, younger, prettier trees in its shadow, producing fruit that everyone else finds pleasant but tastes rancid in his mouth. and he starts to HATE that tree. it starts to haunt his every waking moment and ruin his peace of mind. and he is going to have to do something about it. this is a great slow-burning character study of a man who is bitterly angry with limited self-awareness. man vs tree - who will win?
The Little Photographer
this is another great character study, with a fantastic shift in readerly loyalty. it concerns a beautiful, lonely marquise left to her own devices on holiday with her two young daughters while her husband tends to his business needs. she married an older man for the glamor of his title, but has found that it is not at all as rewarding as she had imagined, and is a very shallow existence of keeping up appearances and tedious public engagements. she envies her friends with their romantic dalliances and the freedom they have in their unscrutinized lives, and decides to take advantage of her unsupervised situation by having an affair with a young awestruck photographer whom she uses for the physical pleasures while treating him with indifference and lording her social superiority over him. but when he starts to get a little clingy, she has to protect herself, right?
Kiss Me Again, Stranger
a young man falls hard for an enigmatic beauty with some serious baggage. it has the feeling of a ghost story without any actual ghosts, and it a fantastic cautionary tale about finding out some details about a lady before you go getting all starry-eyed. pretty girls make graves and all.
The Old Man
oh, man. i am not going to say anything about this story except that du maurier blew my everlovin' mind with this one. COMPLETELY caught by surprise. i was reading it and going "blah blah blah - why do i care about this situation??" and the OUT OF NOWHERE she yanked the rug out from under me, and i fell in love with her. best way to end a story collection ever.
so, yes. four stars for the collection, no stars for that mountain-story, and one million stars for that last story.
this is math.
there.
since there are only six stories, it is not a trial for me to review them separately.
The Birds
yeah, we've all seen the movie.
but du maurier's story is completely different, except for the central
Monte Verita
this is the one i thought was barf. it starts out promising but it just goes on and on and then gets all weird and flaky with all that ineffable imagery that i find so tedious in authors like lovecraft. this story made me really grouchy.
The Apple Tree
this one is darkly comic with an unlikeable, unreliable narrator recently widowed and glad of it. finally he is free to do as he pleases, living like a bachelor without the pesky sighing martyrdom of his wife invading his relaxing space with her relentless housework and negative attitude. but there's this apple tree, see, and it is starting to remind him of her - dauntlessly clinging to life, keeping the other, younger, prettier trees in its shadow, producing fruit that everyone else finds pleasant but tastes rancid in his mouth. and he starts to HATE that tree. it starts to haunt his every waking moment and ruin his peace of mind. and he is going to have to do something about it. this is a great slow-burning character study of a man who is bitterly angry with limited self-awareness. man vs tree - who will win?
The Little Photographer
this is another great character study, with a fantastic shift in readerly loyalty. it concerns a beautiful, lonely marquise left to her own devices on holiday with her two young daughters while her husband tends to his business needs. she married an older man for the glamor of his title, but has found that it is not at all as rewarding as she had imagined, and is a very shallow existence of keeping up appearances and tedious public engagements. she envies her friends with their romantic dalliances and the freedom they have in their unscrutinized lives, and decides to take advantage of her unsupervised situation by having an affair with a young awestruck photographer whom she uses for the physical pleasures while treating him with indifference and lording her social superiority over him. but when he starts to get a little clingy, she has to protect herself, right?
Kiss Me Again, Stranger
a young man falls hard for an enigmatic beauty with some serious baggage. it has the feeling of a ghost story without any actual ghosts, and it a fantastic cautionary tale about finding out some details about a lady before you go getting all starry-eyed. pretty girls make graves and all.
The Old Man
oh, man. i am not going to say anything about this story except that du maurier blew my everlovin' mind with this one. COMPLETELY caught by surprise. i was reading it and going "blah blah blah - why do i care about this situation??" and the OUT OF NOWHERE she yanked the rug out from under me, and i fell in love with her. best way to end a story collection ever.
so, yes. four stars for the collection, no stars for that mountain-story, and one million stars for that last story.
this is math.
February 4, 2021
I am still in shock over how wonderful this book was. Each story perfect and haunting in its own unique way. Each story just the right length, not a word too long, not a page too short. Breathtaking storytelling from Du Maurier.
June 18, 2024
Una lectura muy adecuada para la 茅poca en la que nos encontramos. La autora con su estilo sencillo y transparente nos lleva en volandas por unas historias que tienen la calidad literaria suficiente, que no exigen esfuerzo alguno y que te mantienen pegado a sus p谩ginas de principio a fin.
Aunque por su evidente atractivo comercial se destaque en el t铆tulo el relato de 鈥淟os p谩jaros鈥� , este no ha podido alcanzar m谩s que el segundo lugar en mis preferencias. Una historia que dista mucho de la llevada por Hitchcock a la pantalla: nada hay aqu铆 de relaciones rom谩nticas ni de tensiones ed铆picas, pero s铆 la misma angustia por el inexplicable comportamiento de los p谩jaros y s铆 un inquietante final que ni el genio del suspense se atrevi贸 a llevar a su pel铆cula. Daphne du Maurier, m谩s all谩 de las posible connotaciones ecol贸gicas, pone el acento en la persona del granjero que, en contra de la opini贸n de sus vecinos, en contra de la opini贸n de su propia familia, tiene que enfrentarse sin ayuda a un peligro que solo 茅l ve en toda su magnitud. Un tema, este de la defensa de la propia opini贸n en contra de todo y de todos, que me hubiera gustado que tuviera un mayor desarrollo.
Tambi茅n se pod铆a haber rematado mejor el cuento de 鈥淓l joven fot贸grafo鈥� , cuyo planteamiento 鈥� la necesidad patol贸gica de admiraci贸n f铆sica, la monoton铆a y aburrimiento de una vida insulsa, el desprecio por los sentimientos ajenos- se despliega brillantemente para no rematarlo con un final a la altura. Del mismo modo, pienso que 鈥淏茅same otra vez, forastero鈥� se cierra con excesiva prisa tras encandilarnos con un retrato (autorretrato involuntario) fabuloso de un c谩ndido y algo simple mec谩nico que se enamora de una atractiva y enigm谩tica se帽orita que encierra un inesperado y terrible secreto.
Mi problema con 鈥淓l viejo鈥� es que el cuento se apoya mucho en la sorpresa final y yo tuve la mala suerte de, en cierta manera, anticiparlo.
Por el contrario, nada puedo reprochar a 鈥淓l manzano鈥� , me encant贸 de principio a fin. Aunque el cuento juguetea con lo sobrenatural, yo prefiero ver una historia subterr谩nea de vida frustrada, de sentimiento de culpa y de b煤squeda inconsciente de castigo y redenci贸n por parte del protagonista al que le persigue el recuerdo del trato dado a su mujer recientemente fallecida y que parece haberse reencarnado en un viejo manzano. No por nada, este era el relato que se destacaba en el t铆tulo original del libro.
P.D. Lamentablemente, esta edici贸n no incluye el relato 鈥淢onte Verit脿鈥� que la editorial ha decidido publicar por separado. Para compensar esta mala noticia, la editorial anuncia la publicaci贸n de un nuevo libro de relatos de la autora: 鈥淣o mires ahora鈥�.
Aunque por su evidente atractivo comercial se destaque en el t铆tulo el relato de 鈥淟os p谩jaros鈥� , este no ha podido alcanzar m谩s que el segundo lugar en mis preferencias. Una historia que dista mucho de la llevada por Hitchcock a la pantalla: nada hay aqu铆 de relaciones rom谩nticas ni de tensiones ed铆picas, pero s铆 la misma angustia por el inexplicable comportamiento de los p谩jaros y s铆 un inquietante final que ni el genio del suspense se atrevi贸 a llevar a su pel铆cula. Daphne du Maurier, m谩s all谩 de las posible connotaciones ecol贸gicas, pone el acento en la persona del granjero que, en contra de la opini贸n de sus vecinos, en contra de la opini贸n de su propia familia, tiene que enfrentarse sin ayuda a un peligro que solo 茅l ve en toda su magnitud. Un tema, este de la defensa de la propia opini贸n en contra de todo y de todos, que me hubiera gustado que tuviera un mayor desarrollo.
Tambi茅n se pod铆a haber rematado mejor el cuento de 鈥淓l joven fot贸grafo鈥� , cuyo planteamiento 鈥� la necesidad patol贸gica de admiraci贸n f铆sica, la monoton铆a y aburrimiento de una vida insulsa, el desprecio por los sentimientos ajenos- se despliega brillantemente para no rematarlo con un final a la altura. Del mismo modo, pienso que 鈥淏茅same otra vez, forastero鈥� se cierra con excesiva prisa tras encandilarnos con un retrato (autorretrato involuntario) fabuloso de un c谩ndido y algo simple mec谩nico que se enamora de una atractiva y enigm谩tica se帽orita que encierra un inesperado y terrible secreto.
Mi problema con 鈥淓l viejo鈥� es que el cuento se apoya mucho en la sorpresa final y yo tuve la mala suerte de, en cierta manera, anticiparlo.
Por el contrario, nada puedo reprochar a 鈥淓l manzano鈥� , me encant贸 de principio a fin. Aunque el cuento juguetea con lo sobrenatural, yo prefiero ver una historia subterr谩nea de vida frustrada, de sentimiento de culpa y de b煤squeda inconsciente de castigo y redenci贸n por parte del protagonista al que le persigue el recuerdo del trato dado a su mujer recientemente fallecida y que parece haberse reencarnado en un viejo manzano. No por nada, este era el relato que se destacaba en el t铆tulo original del libro.
P.D. Lamentablemente, esta edici贸n no incluye el relato 鈥淢onte Verit脿鈥� que la editorial ha decidido publicar por separado. Para compensar esta mala noticia, la editorial anuncia la publicaci贸n de un nuevo libro de relatos de la autora: 鈥淣o mires ahora鈥�.
August 6, 2020
This collection of short stories was a spontaneous purchase in a secondhand book store. The title story is prominently displayed on the front cover and that made me curious. I really had no idea that Daphne du Maurier was the author of 'The Birds'. Well, it proved to be a very intriguing collection of supernatural stories. They were a joy to read as they are all written in a very elegant and haunting prose. The stories ranged from the apocalyptic to the mysterious, varying in atmosphere from tale to tale, such as the one about a really creepy haunting apple tree (of all ghosts stories, this certainly is a really weird one!) and of a silly murderous Marquise on the south coast of France and another nice one about a female serial killer of aircraft pilots. The collection ends with a few stories of only 10 pages or less.
'The Birds' was my favorite story and it is much more scary and claustrophobic than Hitchcock's movie. There is one image in that story which struck me as really terrifying, when the main character looks out over the sea and the sea is white as far as the eye can see, covered with floating seagulls that are waiting for the tide to turn to start their attack. If Hitchcock would have used that image, it would have made a terrible impact. All the stories were interesting in their own way and mood, except for 'Mount Verita', which gave me the impression that Ms du Maurier was perhaps under the influence of a narcotic substance, as it had that certain woozy atmosphere where the story evaporated into nothingness.
I read that there are other collections of short stories of Daphne du Maurier, including one with 'Don't look now', another story that was the basis for a terrific movie. No doubt, that will be a pleasure to read as well.
'The Birds' was my favorite story and it is much more scary and claustrophobic than Hitchcock's movie. There is one image in that story which struck me as really terrifying, when the main character looks out over the sea and the sea is white as far as the eye can see, covered with floating seagulls that are waiting for the tide to turn to start their attack. If Hitchcock would have used that image, it would have made a terrible impact. All the stories were interesting in their own way and mood, except for 'Mount Verita', which gave me the impression that Ms du Maurier was perhaps under the influence of a narcotic substance, as it had that certain woozy atmosphere where the story evaporated into nothingness.
I read that there are other collections of short stories of Daphne du Maurier, including one with 'Don't look now', another story that was the basis for a terrific movie. No doubt, that will be a pleasure to read as well.
April 10, 2023
4.5/5
Matko, ten klimat! W jednym z opowiada艅 co艣 mi nie zagra艂o (Jab艂onka), ale reszta cudowna!
Matko, ten klimat! W jednym z opowiada艅 co艣 mi nie zagra艂o (Jab艂onka), ale reszta cudowna!
May 14, 2024
EXCERPT: The birds had been more restless than ever this fall of the year, the agitation more marked because the days were still. As the tractor traced its path up and down the western hills, the figure of the farmer silhouetted on the driving-seat, the whole machine and the man upon it would be lost momentarily in the great cloud of wheeling, crying birds. There were many more than usual, Nat was sure of this. Always, in autumn, they followed the plough, but not in great flocks like these, nor with such clamour.
ABOUT 'THE BIRDS AND OTHER STORIES': How long he fought with them in the darkness he could not tell, but at last the beating of the wings about him lessened and then withdrew...
A classic of alienation and horror, The Birds was immortalised by Hitchcock in his celebrated film. The five other chilling stories in this collection echo a sense of dislocation and mock man's sense of dominance over the natural world. The mountain paradise of Monte Verit脿 promises immortality, but at a terrible price; a neglected wife haunts her husband in the form of an apple tree; a professional photographer steps out from behind the camera and into his subject's life; a date with a cinema usherette leads to a walk in the cemetery; and a jealous father finds a remedy when three's a crowd...
MY THOUGHTS: A collection of six stories; mostly novellas with a couple of short stories mixed in. Du Maurier's writing is compelling. Even when not particularly enjoying the story (I blew hot and cold on Monte Verit脿), I could no more have stopped reading than I could turn down a piece of my favorite chocolate. She has a particular way of writing, of creating an atmosphere, of creating characters that worm their way into your psyche.
The Birds - this was one of my 2 favourite stories in the book. Unrecognisable from the movie and, sorry Mr Hitchcock, a better tale for it. A sinister story about the unrealised power of nature should she decide to turn on us. Brilliant, dark, chilling.
Monte Verita - this was quite a long story, and one I blew hot and cold on. It was simply too long and, in the end, I was glad to turn the last page. The moral of the story is that paradise/beauty comes with a price.
The Apple Tree - A man is not exactly heart-broken when his wife dies. He finds himself enjoying life rather more than he had done when she was alive. But there is a stunted apple tree in his orchard that reminds him somewhat of her and he is determined to be rid of it.
The Little Photographer - A beautiful marquise who is bored with her life of luxury embarks on an affair with a villager while on holiday, with far reaching consequences.
Kiss Me Again, Stranger - A man has a chance meeting with a girl who captivates him. An interesting short story of obsession that unfortunately, I quickly figured out.
The Old Man - A short story that is very cleverly written and has an unexpected twist in the tail.
A 'must have' collection for any fan of Du Maurier.
猸愨瓙猸愨瓙
#DiscoverDuMaurier #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: In many ways her life resembles a fairy tale. Born into a family with a rich artistic and historical background, she and her sisters were indulged as children and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental restraint. Her elder sister, Angela du Maurier, also became a writer, and her younger sister Jeanne was a painter. Daphne spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories.
Daphne du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.
She is most famously known for her novel Rebecca.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK, Virago, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne Du Maurier for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
ABOUT 'THE BIRDS AND OTHER STORIES': How long he fought with them in the darkness he could not tell, but at last the beating of the wings about him lessened and then withdrew...
A classic of alienation and horror, The Birds was immortalised by Hitchcock in his celebrated film. The five other chilling stories in this collection echo a sense of dislocation and mock man's sense of dominance over the natural world. The mountain paradise of Monte Verit脿 promises immortality, but at a terrible price; a neglected wife haunts her husband in the form of an apple tree; a professional photographer steps out from behind the camera and into his subject's life; a date with a cinema usherette leads to a walk in the cemetery; and a jealous father finds a remedy when three's a crowd...
MY THOUGHTS: A collection of six stories; mostly novellas with a couple of short stories mixed in. Du Maurier's writing is compelling. Even when not particularly enjoying the story (I blew hot and cold on Monte Verit脿), I could no more have stopped reading than I could turn down a piece of my favorite chocolate. She has a particular way of writing, of creating an atmosphere, of creating characters that worm their way into your psyche.
The Birds - this was one of my 2 favourite stories in the book. Unrecognisable from the movie and, sorry Mr Hitchcock, a better tale for it. A sinister story about the unrealised power of nature should she decide to turn on us. Brilliant, dark, chilling.
Monte Verita - this was quite a long story, and one I blew hot and cold on. It was simply too long and, in the end, I was glad to turn the last page. The moral of the story is that paradise/beauty comes with a price.
The Apple Tree - A man is not exactly heart-broken when his wife dies. He finds himself enjoying life rather more than he had done when she was alive. But there is a stunted apple tree in his orchard that reminds him somewhat of her and he is determined to be rid of it.
The Little Photographer - A beautiful marquise who is bored with her life of luxury embarks on an affair with a villager while on holiday, with far reaching consequences.
Kiss Me Again, Stranger - A man has a chance meeting with a girl who captivates him. An interesting short story of obsession that unfortunately, I quickly figured out.
The Old Man - A short story that is very cleverly written and has an unexpected twist in the tail.
A 'must have' collection for any fan of Du Maurier.
猸愨瓙猸愨瓙
#DiscoverDuMaurier #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: In many ways her life resembles a fairy tale. Born into a family with a rich artistic and historical background, she and her sisters were indulged as children and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental restraint. Her elder sister, Angela du Maurier, also became a writer, and her younger sister Jeanne was a painter. Daphne spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories.
Daphne du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.
She is most famously known for her novel Rebecca.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK, Virago, via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne Du Maurier for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
October 27, 2019
The Birds is one of my favourite movies, so I鈥檇 predominantly brought this short story collection to see how the two compared.
It鈥檚 easy to see how the 40 page tale makes such an impact as there鈥檚 a real sense of terror and being cut off from the outside world as the strangely sinister birds attack the Cornish farmhouse.
Being set just after the Second World War also highlighted the way people could consume the news, with the 鈥榳ireless鈥� down the Hocken family are unaware of the scale of the situation.
This edition also included five other stories that were quite enjoyable.
It鈥檚 easy to see how the 40 page tale makes such an impact as there鈥檚 a real sense of terror and being cut off from the outside world as the strangely sinister birds attack the Cornish farmhouse.
Being set just after the Second World War also highlighted the way people could consume the news, with the 鈥榳ireless鈥� down the Hocken family are unaware of the scale of the situation.
This edition also included five other stories that were quite enjoyable.
February 23, 2023
Sze艣膰 opowiada艅 jednej z najznamienitszych pisarek pierwszej po艂owy XX wieku, prawdziwej mistrzyni suspensu, muzy samego Alfreda Hitchcocka 鈥� Daphne du Maurier.
W tytu艂owych 鈥濸takach鈥� weteran wojenny musi stawi膰 czo艂a gromadom ptak贸w, kt贸re atakuj膮 farmy z przestworzy. W 鈥濵onte Verit脿鈥� m艂oda kobieta szuka swojej prawdy po艣r贸d g贸rskich, niedost臋pnych szczyt贸w. W 鈥濲ab艂once鈥� wspomnienie zmar艂ej 偶ony dr臋czy umys艂 m臋偶a i doprowadza na skraj szale艅stwa. W 鈥濸rowincjonalnym fotografie鈥� s艂odki wakacyjny romans przynosi gorzkie owoce. W 鈥濸oca艂uj mnie jeszcze raz鈥� by艂y 偶o艂nierz prze偶ywa bliskie spotkanie ze 艣mierci膮. W 鈥濻tarym鈥� rodzina nad jeziorem budzi skrajne i bolesne emocje.
Lektura 鈥濸tak贸w i innych opowiada艅鈥� budzi niepok贸j, wprowadza w stan zadumy i zamy艣lenia. Mo偶e zbudzi膰 u艣pion膮 melancholi臋, poczucie jakiej艣 niedopowiedzianej straty. Opowiadanie przerwane w po艂owie potrafi dr臋czy膰 czytelnika, w ko艅cu Daphe du Maurier dobrze wiedzia艂a, jak op臋ta膰 my艣li, jak zakorzeni膰 si臋 w naszej wyobra藕ni. I to w opowiadaniach te偶 wida膰 najwyra藕niej jej kunszt snucia opowie艣ci niesamowitych i dusznych, w kt贸rych nawet to co pozornie niewyja艣nione okazuje si臋 mie膰 g艂臋bszy, pod艣wiadomy, podsk贸rny sens.
Dla mnie: majstersztyk.
W tytu艂owych 鈥濸takach鈥� weteran wojenny musi stawi膰 czo艂a gromadom ptak贸w, kt贸re atakuj膮 farmy z przestworzy. W 鈥濵onte Verit脿鈥� m艂oda kobieta szuka swojej prawdy po艣r贸d g贸rskich, niedost臋pnych szczyt贸w. W 鈥濲ab艂once鈥� wspomnienie zmar艂ej 偶ony dr臋czy umys艂 m臋偶a i doprowadza na skraj szale艅stwa. W 鈥濸rowincjonalnym fotografie鈥� s艂odki wakacyjny romans przynosi gorzkie owoce. W 鈥濸oca艂uj mnie jeszcze raz鈥� by艂y 偶o艂nierz prze偶ywa bliskie spotkanie ze 艣mierci膮. W 鈥濻tarym鈥� rodzina nad jeziorem budzi skrajne i bolesne emocje.
Lektura 鈥濸tak贸w i innych opowiada艅鈥� budzi niepok贸j, wprowadza w stan zadumy i zamy艣lenia. Mo偶e zbudzi膰 u艣pion膮 melancholi臋, poczucie jakiej艣 niedopowiedzianej straty. Opowiadanie przerwane w po艂owie potrafi dr臋czy膰 czytelnika, w ko艅cu Daphe du Maurier dobrze wiedzia艂a, jak op臋ta膰 my艣li, jak zakorzeni膰 si臋 w naszej wyobra藕ni. I to w opowiadaniach te偶 wida膰 najwyra藕niej jej kunszt snucia opowie艣ci niesamowitych i dusznych, w kt贸rych nawet to co pozornie niewyja艣nione okazuje si臋 mie膰 g艂臋bszy, pod艣wiadomy, podsk贸rny sens.
Dla mnie: majstersztyk.
December 25, 2020
There are some rather solid reasons why Daphne Du Maurier is one of my favourite authors. She was a wordsmith, and she could tell an atmospheric story effortlessly, but, most importantly, she keeps me up at night, and that's a winning recipe to make me fall in love with an author. Ever since I read Rebecca, I'm always on the lookout for more Du Maurier material that I can sink my teeth into. This is my fourth Du Maurier book, and although I didn't love all six of the stories in here, I haven't been left disappointed.
Maybe the most famous story in here, is "The birds" and it was told wonderfully, although, I've not watched the film, so I'm unable to make any comparison like so many do. I don't think it was my favourite, though.
The story I disliked was "Monte Verita." This was also the longest story in the collection. I must say, I was completely intrigued at first, but as it went on, it felt terribly stretched, and the plot had lost it's way.
The one that totally winded me, was the shortest of the collection, and it is called "The old man." I just did not see that ending coming! It was pure Du Maurier magic.
I'm so glad I've read this collection, and I'd recommend it to anyone that loves Daphne Du Maurier as much as I do.
Maybe the most famous story in here, is "The birds" and it was told wonderfully, although, I've not watched the film, so I'm unable to make any comparison like so many do. I don't think it was my favourite, though.
The story I disliked was "Monte Verita." This was also the longest story in the collection. I must say, I was completely intrigued at first, but as it went on, it felt terribly stretched, and the plot had lost it's way.
The one that totally winded me, was the shortest of the collection, and it is called "The old man." I just did not see that ending coming! It was pure Du Maurier magic.
I'm so glad I've read this collection, and I'd recommend it to anyone that loves Daphne Du Maurier as much as I do.
May 3, 2020
The Birds was excellent but the other 5 stories were 1 or 2 star reads for me.
December 24, 2022
兀賳丕 丕禺丕賮 禺賵賮 丕賱丨賷賵丕賳丕鬲
賵 丕禺丕賮 丕賱丨賷賵丕賳丕鬲 丕賷囟丕賸貨 毓丿丕 丕賱胤賷賵乇
賱匕丕 噩丕亍鬲 賯氐丞 丕賱胤賷賵乇 賵 賮賷賱賲賴丕 丕賱賴鬲卮賰賵賰賷 賰賰丕亘賵爻 孬賱丕孬賷 丕賱兀亘毓丕丿
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賵 丕禺乇噩賴丕 賴賷鬲卮賰賵賰 賱賱爻賷賳賲丕 毓丕賲 佴伲 賱鬲禺乇噩 賲乇丞 丕禺乇賷 賱賱賳賵乇 賮賷 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賯氐氐賷丞貨 賱賲 兀賯乇兀 賲賳賴丕 爻賵賷 丕賱胤賷賵乇 賲賳賮乇丿丞 賵 亘胤賱賴丕 乇噩賱 亘毓賰爻 丕賱賮賷賱賲
賮賷 鬲丨賵賱 賰丕亘賵爻賷 亘丕賱賯氐丞 貨 賷鬲夭丕賷丿 丕賱賯鬲賱賷 賮賷 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 賵 鬲賳賮賯 丕賱丕賮 丕賱胤賷賵乇 丕孬賳丕亍 賴噩賵賲 丕賱賰丕賲丕賰丕夭賷貨 賵 鬲賳鬲賴賷 丕賱賯氐丞 賳賴丕賷丞 賲賮鬲賵丨丞
亘賷賳賲丕 賷賳鬲賴賷 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賱賲乇毓亘听 亘丕賳鬲賴丕亍 丕賱賴噩賵賲 賮噩兀丞 賰賲丕 亘丿兀 賮噩丕丞 賵 賱賰賳 賴賱 鬲賳爻賷 丕賱亘賱丿丞責
賵 丕禺丕賮 丕賱丨賷賵丕賳丕鬲 丕賷囟丕賸貨 毓丿丕 丕賱胤賷賵乇
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賵 丕禺乇噩賴丕 賴賷鬲卮賰賵賰 賱賱爻賷賳賲丕 毓丕賲 佴伲 賱鬲禺乇噩 賲乇丞 丕禺乇賷 賱賱賳賵乇 賮賷 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賯氐氐賷丞貨 賱賲 兀賯乇兀 賲賳賴丕 爻賵賷 丕賱胤賷賵乇 賲賳賮乇丿丞 賵 亘胤賱賴丕 乇噩賱 亘毓賰爻 丕賱賮賷賱賲
賮賷 鬲丨賵賱 賰丕亘賵爻賷 亘丕賱賯氐丞 貨 賷鬲夭丕賷丿 丕賱賯鬲賱賷 賮賷 丕賱賲丿賷賳丞 賵 鬲賳賮賯 丕賱丕賮 丕賱胤賷賵乇 丕孬賳丕亍 賴噩賵賲 丕賱賰丕賲丕賰丕夭賷貨 賵 鬲賳鬲賴賷 丕賱賯氐丞 賳賴丕賷丞 賲賮鬲賵丨丞
亘賷賳賲丕 賷賳鬲賴賷 丕賱賮賷賱賲 丕賱賲乇毓亘听 亘丕賳鬲賴丕亍 丕賱賴噩賵賲 賮噩兀丞 賰賲丕 亘丿兀 賮噩丕丞 賵 賱賰賳 賴賱 鬲賳爻賷 丕賱亘賱丿丞責
December 28, 2024
Los p谩jaros se lee enseguida y la tensi贸n se mantiene intacta en todo momento.
Agradezco mucho cuando en una historia hay originalidad y valent铆a鈥� y aqu铆 la autora va con todo. La idea 鈥渧oy a escribir una historia donde los p谩jaros ataquen enloquecidos a las personas鈥� es tan arriesgada que lo normal hubiera sido naufragar al plasmarla en papel. Lo que hace Daphne du Maurier me parece complicad铆simo ya que la historia est谩 tan bien contada que en ning煤n momento me he planteado su verosimilitud. Hay que ser muy buena narrando para transmitir toda esa angustia concentrada; de hecho, hay tanta claustrofobia en algunos de sus p谩rrafos como la que sent铆a la familia atacada en aquella habitaci贸n.
Lo recomiendo... 隆Las p谩ginas pasan volando! 馃馃槈
Agradezco mucho cuando en una historia hay originalidad y valent铆a鈥� y aqu铆 la autora va con todo. La idea 鈥渧oy a escribir una historia donde los p谩jaros ataquen enloquecidos a las personas鈥� es tan arriesgada que lo normal hubiera sido naufragar al plasmarla en papel. Lo que hace Daphne du Maurier me parece complicad铆simo ya que la historia est谩 tan bien contada que en ning煤n momento me he planteado su verosimilitud. Hay que ser muy buena narrando para transmitir toda esa angustia concentrada; de hecho, hay tanta claustrofobia en algunos de sus p谩rrafos como la que sent铆a la familia atacada en aquella habitaci贸n.
Lo recomiendo... 隆Las p谩ginas pasan volando! 馃馃槈
May 7, 2019
Instead of a review, here is a love-letter...
"Dear Daphne,
Have you heard that Cole Porter song? I guess you are not one of those starry-eyed romantics; you would be much more content with the sound of your typewriter keys or the scratch of the nib on a sheet of paper. If not, well let me quote it for you verbatim.
'Let's do it, Daphne. Let's fall in love'.
Of course, it will be an uphill task to woo you. How can it not be? I can imagine you, staring at me with your calm, quietly exquisite eyes and there is a question lingering at their edges. 'What is all this now? How come you fell in love with me, when we have not even met, when you happen to be living in an island city far away in India, that land of spices and seduction, while I am here in the gale-swept coast of Cornwall (forgive my limited knowledge of geography, Daphne darling)? And I suspect that you have evil designs, you might be trying to get rid of a lover (no, no, it's not true, Daphne!) or you are merely infatuated with me, with how beautiful I must be looking and you don't really care about how I feel inside.' Yes, they might be very valid arguments and you would not like it too if I called you 'darling' just for the fun of it.
But please, oh please, listen to me, Daphne, or at least just come back from the heavens and read what I have to write about this book of yours, a book of stories (I am so sorry, dear, I could not read 'Rebecca' or 'Jamaica Inn' yet but they are on the way) that really made me fall in love with your fingers (I am sorry, I did not mean to objectify you that way) or rather with that beautiful, maddeningly intriguing mind of yours that drove your fingers to write these stories.
Will you read this first, please? Here it goes:
'It begins with a flock of birds going a little restless in the throes of winter. It ends with a pair of swans flying into the winter sunlit sky.
Six stories that are not entirely made of suspense, or even romance or tragedy. Rather, six beautiful, haunting, richly suspenseful, romantic and even elegiac stories that leave the reader at the end with a swirling blend of these feelings at the same time.
Each story is more melancholic, intense, brilliantly crafted and indelible than the last and while I am perfectly aware that one of them got filmed as a seminal horror film by a master filmmaker (no, Daphne dear, even he cannot better you, darling), I will always treasure what you wrote first and as a favor to the uninitiated, I am not revealing even the names so that the suspense, horror and brilliance remain intact and untouched. How dare does anyone spoil it all!
And these stories feature an extraordinary cast of people to be found in the most vivid dreams and the most horrifying nightmares. No creatures or ghouls. No monsters or aliens. No zombies or vampires. Just men and women, driven to the edge of reason and evil by their crazy, selfish, greedy, inscrutable hearts.
There are men weighed down with the burden of their toxic masculinity, there are other men who are struggling nobly against forces that they cannot quite fathom, there are women who are sad-eyed and yet eloquent, there are women who claw and struggle for escape and there are many femme fatales to be found lurking in the shadows with their own heart-breaking secrets. (Who, I ask now aloud, can create femme fatales as brilliantly as you do, Daphne?)
And so, we are taken along on a mesmeric dance of beauty and terror, into the sweeping seaside and menacing, mysterious mountains, deep inside melancholic woods and on the desolate streets of London, set to the music of the weeping willows and the roaring gulls, the crash of waves on rocks and the drop of rain on the pavements. Oh, it's positively lovely, like sin, like the night, like death.'
I hope you liked it, Daphne. Now, I urge you again, let's fall in love. Let's go on a date some night, preferably in a double-deck bus (they have those too in my city as well), and dance a waltz among the graves in the night. Or rather let's go to the countryside, perhaps to the coast (my city is by the sea already) and sit there to listen to the gulls and the waves. And perhaps then, we can feel that love engulfing our hearts too. And we can then stare each other down over dinner. Just make sure that they don't serve apple pie for dessert.
And I imagine your reply.
'But, you are so busy in the company of those... men. That man with the name of a colour! I know he writes brilliantly and I admire that film he wrote as well but can't you leave him for a while, on his lascivious, lusty hunt for pot and drink and women across the world? That is not that dignified a thing to do, you know! And what about that bearded wizard who writes the funny papers as if they are novels? He is up to no good too! And what about that India-loving imperialist poet? I know he writes beautifully, no matter what he thinks of the Raj! But still, how can you admire him so much?'
And I lower my head humbly and with a faint voice of sad indecisiveness, I admit that they are family, crazy as they might be, but I cannot leave them completely. And that does it. You are already walking away and I go down on my knees and beg you to stay.
Oh, how I wish I had been a better man, a better lover, Daphne darling! Please be mine.
With Love,
Zoeb"
"Dear Daphne,
Have you heard that Cole Porter song? I guess you are not one of those starry-eyed romantics; you would be much more content with the sound of your typewriter keys or the scratch of the nib on a sheet of paper. If not, well let me quote it for you verbatim.
'Let's do it, Daphne. Let's fall in love'.
Of course, it will be an uphill task to woo you. How can it not be? I can imagine you, staring at me with your calm, quietly exquisite eyes and there is a question lingering at their edges. 'What is all this now? How come you fell in love with me, when we have not even met, when you happen to be living in an island city far away in India, that land of spices and seduction, while I am here in the gale-swept coast of Cornwall (forgive my limited knowledge of geography, Daphne darling)? And I suspect that you have evil designs, you might be trying to get rid of a lover (no, no, it's not true, Daphne!) or you are merely infatuated with me, with how beautiful I must be looking and you don't really care about how I feel inside.' Yes, they might be very valid arguments and you would not like it too if I called you 'darling' just for the fun of it.
But please, oh please, listen to me, Daphne, or at least just come back from the heavens and read what I have to write about this book of yours, a book of stories (I am so sorry, dear, I could not read 'Rebecca' or 'Jamaica Inn' yet but they are on the way) that really made me fall in love with your fingers (I am sorry, I did not mean to objectify you that way) or rather with that beautiful, maddeningly intriguing mind of yours that drove your fingers to write these stories.
Will you read this first, please? Here it goes:
'It begins with a flock of birds going a little restless in the throes of winter. It ends with a pair of swans flying into the winter sunlit sky.
Six stories that are not entirely made of suspense, or even romance or tragedy. Rather, six beautiful, haunting, richly suspenseful, romantic and even elegiac stories that leave the reader at the end with a swirling blend of these feelings at the same time.
Each story is more melancholic, intense, brilliantly crafted and indelible than the last and while I am perfectly aware that one of them got filmed as a seminal horror film by a master filmmaker (no, Daphne dear, even he cannot better you, darling), I will always treasure what you wrote first and as a favor to the uninitiated, I am not revealing even the names so that the suspense, horror and brilliance remain intact and untouched. How dare does anyone spoil it all!
And these stories feature an extraordinary cast of people to be found in the most vivid dreams and the most horrifying nightmares. No creatures or ghouls. No monsters or aliens. No zombies or vampires. Just men and women, driven to the edge of reason and evil by their crazy, selfish, greedy, inscrutable hearts.
There are men weighed down with the burden of their toxic masculinity, there are other men who are struggling nobly against forces that they cannot quite fathom, there are women who are sad-eyed and yet eloquent, there are women who claw and struggle for escape and there are many femme fatales to be found lurking in the shadows with their own heart-breaking secrets. (Who, I ask now aloud, can create femme fatales as brilliantly as you do, Daphne?)
And so, we are taken along on a mesmeric dance of beauty and terror, into the sweeping seaside and menacing, mysterious mountains, deep inside melancholic woods and on the desolate streets of London, set to the music of the weeping willows and the roaring gulls, the crash of waves on rocks and the drop of rain on the pavements. Oh, it's positively lovely, like sin, like the night, like death.'
I hope you liked it, Daphne. Now, I urge you again, let's fall in love. Let's go on a date some night, preferably in a double-deck bus (they have those too in my city as well), and dance a waltz among the graves in the night. Or rather let's go to the countryside, perhaps to the coast (my city is by the sea already) and sit there to listen to the gulls and the waves. And perhaps then, we can feel that love engulfing our hearts too. And we can then stare each other down over dinner. Just make sure that they don't serve apple pie for dessert.
And I imagine your reply.
'But, you are so busy in the company of those... men. That man with the name of a colour! I know he writes brilliantly and I admire that film he wrote as well but can't you leave him for a while, on his lascivious, lusty hunt for pot and drink and women across the world? That is not that dignified a thing to do, you know! And what about that bearded wizard who writes the funny papers as if they are novels? He is up to no good too! And what about that India-loving imperialist poet? I know he writes beautifully, no matter what he thinks of the Raj! But still, how can you admire him so much?'
And I lower my head humbly and with a faint voice of sad indecisiveness, I admit that they are family, crazy as they might be, but I cannot leave them completely. And that does it. You are already walking away and I go down on my knees and beg you to stay.
Oh, how I wish I had been a better man, a better lover, Daphne darling! Please be mine.
With Love,
Zoeb"
February 9, 2025
Absolutely and positively terrifying. As scary as the film. Maybe scarier.
I don't know how many of you have seen the classic film "The Birds" but this is the short story and man is it dark and absolutely horrifying And so REAL. If I had to describe it with one word it would be "brooding."
I love how the farm, the dark sea with the waves crashing are described. But the birds -- and their terrifiying sound -- I mean it's just genuinely frightening. If this story does not scare you, I admire your bravery.
The utter helplessness and being so cut off from humanity is so strong. I saw the movie so long ago but I will never forget all those birds. It was a sight that can still send shivers down the spine and though I suspect I may have read this early in life, I just read it now and man i mean it is JUST as scary all grown up. It's terror is unrelenting. It's scarier than any slasher flick because it's so atmospheric and real and the reader feels as helpless as the characters are.
I give it 3.5 stars. Not my favorite book in the world but absolutely one of the most genuinely tense experiences.
I don't know how many of you have seen the classic film "The Birds" but this is the short story and man is it dark and absolutely horrifying And so REAL. If I had to describe it with one word it would be "brooding."
I love how the farm, the dark sea with the waves crashing are described. But the birds -- and their terrifiying sound -- I mean it's just genuinely frightening. If this story does not scare you, I admire your bravery.
The utter helplessness and being so cut off from humanity is so strong. I saw the movie so long ago but I will never forget all those birds. It was a sight that can still send shivers down the spine and though I suspect I may have read this early in life, I just read it now and man i mean it is JUST as scary all grown up. It's terror is unrelenting. It's scarier than any slasher flick because it's so atmospheric and real and the reader feels as helpless as the characters are.
I give it 3.5 stars. Not my favorite book in the world but absolutely one of the most genuinely tense experiences.
October 11, 2024
袘褨谢褜褕械 写芯锌懈褋褨胁 褌邪 褨薪褎懈 胁 屑芯褦屑褍 邪胁褌芯褉褋褜泻芯屑褍 斜谢芯蟹褨 -
"袩褌邪褏懈 褌邪 褨薪褕褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟" 袛邪褎薪懈 袛褞 袦芯褉'褦 - 褑械 蟹斜褨褉泻邪 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪褜, 褟泻邪 屑械薪械 蟹邪褔械锌懈谢邪, 蟹邪褑褨泻邪胁懈谢邪 褑褨谢泻芯屑 褨 锌芯胁薪褨褋褌褞, 褋褌邪谢邪 谐邪褉薪懈屑 锌芯褔邪褌泻芯屑 写谢褟 褌芯谐芯, 褖芯斜 褉芯蟹锌芯褔邪褌懈 锌芯写芯褉芯卸 泻芯褉芯褌泻芯褞 锌褉芯蟹芯褞.
携 薪械 屑芯卸褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌懈, 褖芯 胁褋褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟 屑械薪械 褑褨谢泻芯屑 褨 锌芯胁薪褨褋褌褞 胁褉邪蟹懈谢懈.
"袩褌邪褏懈" - 褑械 锌芯胁薪邪 褨 褌芯褌邪谢褜薪邪 锌械褉械屑芯谐邪. 袪械邪谢褜薪芯 屑芯褌芯褉芯褕薪邪, 屑邪泄卸械 邪锌芯泻邪谢褨锌褌懈褔薪邪 褨褋褌芯褉褨褟. 袩褉芯褔懈褌邪胁 褟 褩褩, 薪械 胁褨写褉懈胁邪褞褔懈 芯褔械泄 胁褨写 褋褌芯褉褨薪芯泻. 袦械薪褨 斜褍谢芯 褉械邪谢褜薪芯 褋褌褉邪褕薪芯 蟹邪 谐械褉芯褩胁. 袙褨写泻褉懈褌邪 泻褨薪褑褨胁泻邪 蟹邪谢懈褕懈谢邪 屑械薪褨 斜褨谢褜褕械 蟹邪锌懈褌邪薪褜, 薪褨卸 胁褨写锌芯胁褨写械泄. 携泻 胁褋械 蟹邪泻褨薪褔懈谢芯褋褜? 袛芯斜褉械 褔懈 锌芯谐邪薪芯? 袨褋芯斜懈褋褌芯 褟 褏芯褔褍 胁褨褉懈褌懈 胁 泻褉邪褖械.
"袦芯薪褌械-袙械褉懈褌邪" - 薪邪泄泻褉邪褖械 写谢褟 屑械薪械 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟 褌褍褌. 袚褨锌薪芯褌懈褔薪械, 蟹邪谐邪写泻芯胁械, 褔邪褋芯屑 褕芯泻褍褞褔械 褔褌懈胁芯. 孝褍褌 屑褨褎芯谢芯谐褨褟 褌邪 谢械谐械薪写懈 薪懈褌泻邪屑懈 锌褉芯褕懈胁邪褦 胁褋褞 芯锌芯胁褨写褜. 携 薪褨泻芯谢懈 薪械 斜褍胁 褍 谐芯褉邪褏, 邪谢械 芯锌懈褋懈 褋褌邪谢懈 写谢褟 屑械薪械 谢械写胁械 薪械 芯褌泻褉芯胁械薪薪褟屑 - 褟 褍褟胁谢褟胁 褋械斜械 褋械褉械写 斜械蟹屑械卸薪芯谐芯 薪械斜邪 薪邪 褌邪泻褨泄 胁懈褋芯褌褨, 泻褍写懈 薪械 写芯谢械褌懈褌褜 泻芯卸薪邪 锌褌邪褏邪.
袨锌芯胁褨写泻邪 "携斜谢褍薪褟" 褌械卸 蟹写懈胁褍胁邪谢邪 薪邪褋锌褉邪胁写褨. 笑械 斜褨谢褜褕械, 薪褨卸 屑褨褋褌懈褔薪邪 褨褋褌芯褉褨褟. 袗胁褌械薪褌懈褔薪懈泄 胁邪泄斜 胁褨写 薪械褩 胁褨褟胁, 泻芯谢懈 褔懈褌邪胁. 袉 锌褉芯屑芯胁懈褋褌邪 芯锌芯胁褨写褜 胁懈泄褕谢邪 - 胁懈斜褨褉 锌邪褉褌薪械褉邪 褌褉械斜邪 褉芯斜懈褌懈 胁懈胁邪卸械薪芯, 斜芯, 褟泻 斜褍胁邪褦, 胁褨薪 胁卸械 薪邪蟹邪胁卸写懈.
"袦邪谢械薪褜泻懈泄 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎" - 薪邪泄褋谢邪斜褕械, 褟泻 薪邪 屑械薪械, 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟. 袗谢械 屑芯褉邪谢褜 屑邪褦 - 卸褨薪泻邪屑 薪械 屑芯卸薪邪 写芯胁褨褉褟褌懈褋褜, 褌懈屑 斜褨谢褜褕械 薪械蟹薪邪泄芯屑懈屑. 袉 褌懈屑 斜褨谢褜褕械 薪邪 泻褍褉芯褉褌邪褏.
袨褋褌邪薪薪褨 芯锌芯胁褨写泻懈 "袩芯褑褨谢褍泄 屑械薪械 褖械 褉邪蟹, 薪械蟹薪邪泄芯屑褑褞" 褌邪 "小褌邪褉懈泄" - 薪邪泄屑械薪褕褨 蟹邪 芯斜'褦屑芯屑. 袩械褉褕邪 - 锌褉芯褋褌邪 蟹邪 褋褞卸械褌芯屑, 邪谢械 蟹邪 谐芯谢芯胁薪芯褞 谐械褉芯褟 褟 褉械邪谢褜薪芯 褏胁懈谢褞胁邪胁褋褟. 袡芯屑褍 写褍卸械 锌芯褖邪褋褌懈谢芯. 袛褉褍谐邪 - 褦屑泻邪, 锌褉芯屑芯胁懈褋褌邪, 蟹 薪械褋锌芯写褨胁邪薪芯褞 泻褨薪褑褨胁泻芯褞.
携泻褖芯 褍蟹邪谐邪谢褜薪懈褌懈, 写芯褋胁褨写 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪薪薪褟 蟹斜褨褉泻懈 "袩褌邪褏懈 褌邪 褨薪褕褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟" 袛邪褎薪懈 袛褞 袦芯褉'褦 芯褑褨薪褞褞, 褟泻 锌芯蟹懈褌懈胁薪懈泄. 孝褉械斜邪 蟹胁械褉薪褍褌懈 褍胁邪谐褍 薪邪 蟹斜褨褉泻懈 褨薪褕懈褏 邪胁褌芯褉褨胁 胁 卸邪薪褉褨 写械褌械泻褌懈胁褍/褌褉懈谢械褉褍/谐芯褉芯褉褍.
"袩褌邪褏懈 褌邪 褨薪褕褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟" 袛邪褎薪懈 袛褞 袦芯褉'褦 - 褑械 蟹斜褨褉泻邪 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪褜, 褟泻邪 屑械薪械 蟹邪褔械锌懈谢邪, 蟹邪褑褨泻邪胁懈谢邪 褑褨谢泻芯屑 褨 锌芯胁薪褨褋褌褞, 褋褌邪谢邪 谐邪褉薪懈屑 锌芯褔邪褌泻芯屑 写谢褟 褌芯谐芯, 褖芯斜 褉芯蟹锌芯褔邪褌懈 锌芯写芯褉芯卸 泻芯褉芯褌泻芯褞 锌褉芯蟹芯褞.
携 薪械 屑芯卸褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌懈, 褖芯 胁褋褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟 屑械薪械 褑褨谢泻芯屑 褨 锌芯胁薪褨褋褌褞 胁褉邪蟹懈谢懈.
"袩褌邪褏懈" - 褑械 锌芯胁薪邪 褨 褌芯褌邪谢褜薪邪 锌械褉械屑芯谐邪. 袪械邪谢褜薪芯 屑芯褌芯褉芯褕薪邪, 屑邪泄卸械 邪锌芯泻邪谢褨锌褌懈褔薪邪 褨褋褌芯褉褨褟. 袩褉芯褔懈褌邪胁 褟 褩褩, 薪械 胁褨写褉懈胁邪褞褔懈 芯褔械泄 胁褨写 褋褌芯褉褨薪芯泻. 袦械薪褨 斜褍谢芯 褉械邪谢褜薪芯 褋褌褉邪褕薪芯 蟹邪 谐械褉芯褩胁. 袙褨写泻褉懈褌邪 泻褨薪褑褨胁泻邪 蟹邪谢懈褕懈谢邪 屑械薪褨 斜褨谢褜褕械 蟹邪锌懈褌邪薪褜, 薪褨卸 胁褨写锌芯胁褨写械泄. 携泻 胁褋械 蟹邪泻褨薪褔懈谢芯褋褜? 袛芯斜褉械 褔懈 锌芯谐邪薪芯? 袨褋芯斜懈褋褌芯 褟 褏芯褔褍 胁褨褉懈褌懈 胁 泻褉邪褖械.
"袦芯薪褌械-袙械褉懈褌邪" - 薪邪泄泻褉邪褖械 写谢褟 屑械薪械 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟 褌褍褌. 袚褨锌薪芯褌懈褔薪械, 蟹邪谐邪写泻芯胁械, 褔邪褋芯屑 褕芯泻褍褞褔械 褔褌懈胁芯. 孝褍褌 屑褨褎芯谢芯谐褨褟 褌邪 谢械谐械薪写懈 薪懈褌泻邪屑懈 锌褉芯褕懈胁邪褦 胁褋褞 芯锌芯胁褨写褜. 携 薪褨泻芯谢懈 薪械 斜褍胁 褍 谐芯褉邪褏, 邪谢械 芯锌懈褋懈 褋褌邪谢懈 写谢褟 屑械薪械 谢械写胁械 薪械 芯褌泻褉芯胁械薪薪褟屑 - 褟 褍褟胁谢褟胁 褋械斜械 褋械褉械写 斜械蟹屑械卸薪芯谐芯 薪械斜邪 薪邪 褌邪泻褨泄 胁懈褋芯褌褨, 泻褍写懈 薪械 写芯谢械褌懈褌褜 泻芯卸薪邪 锌褌邪褏邪.
袨锌芯胁褨写泻邪 "携斜谢褍薪褟" 褌械卸 蟹写懈胁褍胁邪谢邪 薪邪褋锌褉邪胁写褨. 笑械 斜褨谢褜褕械, 薪褨卸 屑褨褋褌懈褔薪邪 褨褋褌芯褉褨褟. 袗胁褌械薪褌懈褔薪懈泄 胁邪泄斜 胁褨写 薪械褩 胁褨褟胁, 泻芯谢懈 褔懈褌邪胁. 袉 锌褉芯屑芯胁懈褋褌邪 芯锌芯胁褨写褜 胁懈泄褕谢邪 - 胁懈斜褨褉 锌邪褉褌薪械褉邪 褌褉械斜邪 褉芯斜懈褌懈 胁懈胁邪卸械薪芯, 斜芯, 褟泻 斜褍胁邪褦, 胁褨薪 胁卸械 薪邪蟹邪胁卸写懈.
"袦邪谢械薪褜泻懈泄 褎芯褌芯谐褉邪褎" - 薪邪泄褋谢邪斜褕械, 褟泻 薪邪 屑械薪械, 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟. 袗谢械 屑芯褉邪谢褜 屑邪褦 - 卸褨薪泻邪屑 薪械 屑芯卸薪邪 写芯胁褨褉褟褌懈褋褜, 褌懈屑 斜褨谢褜褕械 薪械蟹薪邪泄芯屑懈屑. 袉 褌懈屑 斜褨谢褜褕械 薪邪 泻褍褉芯褉褌邪褏.
袨褋褌邪薪薪褨 芯锌芯胁褨写泻懈 "袩芯褑褨谢褍泄 屑械薪械 褖械 褉邪蟹, 薪械蟹薪邪泄芯屑褑褞" 褌邪 "小褌邪褉懈泄" - 薪邪泄屑械薪褕褨 蟹邪 芯斜'褦屑芯屑. 袩械褉褕邪 - 锌褉芯褋褌邪 蟹邪 褋褞卸械褌芯屑, 邪谢械 蟹邪 谐芯谢芯胁薪芯褞 谐械褉芯褟 褟 褉械邪谢褜薪芯 褏胁懈谢褞胁邪胁褋褟. 袡芯屑褍 写褍卸械 锌芯褖邪褋褌懈谢芯. 袛褉褍谐邪 - 褦屑泻邪, 锌褉芯屑芯胁懈褋褌邪, 蟹 薪械褋锌芯写褨胁邪薪芯褞 泻褨薪褑褨胁泻芯褞.
携泻褖芯 褍蟹邪谐邪谢褜薪懈褌懈, 写芯褋胁褨写 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪薪薪褟 蟹斜褨褉泻懈 "袩褌邪褏懈 褌邪 褨薪褕褨 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟" 袛邪褎薪懈 袛褞 袦芯褉'褦 芯褑褨薪褞褞, 褟泻 锌芯蟹懈褌懈胁薪懈泄. 孝褉械斜邪 蟹胁械褉薪褍褌懈 褍胁邪谐褍 薪邪 蟹斜褨褉泻懈 褨薪褕懈褏 邪胁褌芯褉褨胁 胁 卸邪薪褉褨 写械褌械泻褌懈胁褍/褌褉懈谢械褉褍/谐芯褉芯褉褍.
October 14, 2021
4**** altogether!
Death should be different. It should be like bidding farewell to someone at a station before a long journey, but without the strain.
Altogether I really enjoyed this mix- I love Daphne Du Maurier鈥檚 writing and the atmosphere she captures. I鈥檒l break down each story:
The birds- 4.5****: this was so much more savage than the film and was left open ended- will Nat and his family survive!? These birds were still raging at the end of this short 40 pages and Du Maurier perfectly captured the apocalyptic feel.
Monte Verita- 4.5****: this one interested me so much! A mysterious and hidden sect at the top of a mountain- rumours of magic, immortality, and whether they prey to a god or a devil? Women going missing in the villages and never seen again. Anna, one of the characters in this book, was very intriguing and strange.
The Apple Tree-4****. A neglected wife haunts her husband in the form of an apple tree beyond the grave. Yes I did just write that- but Du Maurier writes with a fantastic gothic atmosphere there isn鈥檛 any cheesiness to it. There鈥檚 a sadness (as she definitely deserved so much better!).
The little photographer-3.5****. Du Maurier captured the passion and lust exquisitely in this of what should be a holiday fling, but of course it鈥檚 Du Maurier, so it鈥檚 never something that simple.
Kiss me again,stranger- 4****. I found this one very different from the previous ones. Du Maurier captured the voice of this one spectacularly- he was the MC who was more working class and younger and you could tell the shift in writing from her previous stories. The MC meets a girl, consider it love at first sight, but this girl is something more mysterious than the typical girl he would meet.
The Old Man-3*** probably my least favourite of these stories but it was also the shortest. A man looking at a dysfunctional family with a raging head of family.
Death should be different. It should be like bidding farewell to someone at a station before a long journey, but without the strain.
Altogether I really enjoyed this mix- I love Daphne Du Maurier鈥檚 writing and the atmosphere she captures. I鈥檒l break down each story:
The birds- 4.5****: this was so much more savage than the film and was left open ended- will Nat and his family survive!? These birds were still raging at the end of this short 40 pages and Du Maurier perfectly captured the apocalyptic feel.
Monte Verita- 4.5****: this one interested me so much! A mysterious and hidden sect at the top of a mountain- rumours of magic, immortality, and whether they prey to a god or a devil? Women going missing in the villages and never seen again. Anna, one of the characters in this book, was very intriguing and strange.
The Apple Tree-4****. A neglected wife haunts her husband in the form of an apple tree beyond the grave. Yes I did just write that- but Du Maurier writes with a fantastic gothic atmosphere there isn鈥檛 any cheesiness to it. There鈥檚 a sadness (as she definitely deserved so much better!).
The little photographer-3.5****. Du Maurier captured the passion and lust exquisitely in this of what should be a holiday fling, but of course it鈥檚 Du Maurier, so it鈥檚 never something that simple.
Kiss me again,stranger- 4****. I found this one very different from the previous ones. Du Maurier captured the voice of this one spectacularly- he was the MC who was more working class and younger and you could tell the shift in writing from her previous stories. The MC meets a girl, consider it love at first sight, but this girl is something more mysterious than the typical girl he would meet.
The Old Man-3*** probably my least favourite of these stories but it was also the shortest. A man looking at a dysfunctional family with a raging head of family.
June 19, 2018
I watched Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds as a child, and now I read the original story for the first time.
LINK:
LINK:
(1) The Birds: Of course it is the best story! The sense of dread and tension is priceless! And the depressing ending is also brillant too!
(2) Monte Verit脿: I honestly don't know what this story is about, perhaps it is du Maurier's way of expressing her homosexuality and the desire to break from the mundane of the normal society.
Kiss Me Again, Stranger: it is the story I like best after The Birds, it is about a young man having a date with a young girl he had just met in the cinema. I like how the young man's feeling of anticipation, nervousness and infatuation is described by the author, plus the plot keeps me guessing at who this girl really is (is she a ghost?) and the ending still took me completely by surprise: .
The Old Man: the story is so short but it is so unsettling and it is scary to think just some 70 or 80 years ago, parents could basically just turn their barely adult children out of the house to fend for themselves.
LINK:
LINK:
(1) The Birds: Of course it is the best story! The sense of dread and tension is priceless! And the depressing ending is also brillant too!
(2) Monte Verit脿: I honestly don't know what this story is about, perhaps it is du Maurier's way of expressing her homosexuality and the desire to break from the mundane of the normal society.
Kiss Me Again, Stranger: it is the story I like best after The Birds, it is about a young man having a date with a young girl he had just met in the cinema. I like how the young man's feeling of anticipation, nervousness and infatuation is described by the author, plus the plot keeps me guessing at who this girl really is (is she a ghost?) and the ending still took me completely by surprise: .
The Old Man: the story is so short but it is so unsettling and it is scary to think just some 70 or 80 years ago, parents could basically just turn their barely adult children out of the house to fend for themselves.
April 3, 2024
Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel are two of my favorite novels. And even though du Maurier is no favorite writer of mine, I was curious to check out a lot more from her. She's mostly known for her four Cornish novels, but has made a name for herself through her shorter fiction as well, especially "The Birds", a story that was turned into an iconic movie by Alfred Hitchcock, is widely known.
And what can I say? This collection of six short stories is SOLID. "Kiss Me Again, Stranger" is the only meh one. The rest is either good or great. Reviewing this book three months after the fact also made me realise how memorable the other five stories are. Like, I think about them all the time. "Monte Verit脿" is the standout, of course, with writing reminiscent of Rebecca (du Maurier at her peak, if you'd ask me), but the horror of "The Birds" is bone-chilling, the twist of "The Old Man" stays with you, and the audacity of the protagonists of "The Apple Tree" and "The Little Photographer" is striking and impossible to forget.
"The Birds" (4 stars) is set in du Maurier's home county of Cornwall shortly after the end of the Second World War. We witness as Nat Hocken, a disabled war veteran, his family and community come under the lethal attack from flocks of birds. This story truly fucked with my brain because, bestie babes, I HATE BIRDS. I know it's not a popular thing to say but these shits terrify me. Having them literally gang up on this community, breaking into people's houses, and murdering people left and right (HIDE YO KIDS, HIDE YO WIFE, NAT!) had me at the edge of my seat. I love how du Maurier told this story because she truly makes you feel the horror that this family feels, as well as the exasperation that Nat feels when he realises that A) some members of the community act so irresponsibly, thereby endangering their lives (bestie babes, they end up dead, what can I tell you) and B) the government is of no help whatsoever and the people have to face this threat on their own. It is rough.
Nat is such a hero though, and if I had to choose, I would choose his house to live in during this plague. It's somewhat patriarchal that he's the only one in his family who knows what's up (his wife's kinda useless in this situation, but that's very me coded, so imma keep my mouth shut). I also reeeaaaallly love the ending ("I'll smoke that last fag.") because it foreshadows that no matter how much power Nat assumes in his household to protect his family, he knows it is meaningless, the birds will get them all eventually. Ahhhh.
"Monte Verit脿" (5 stars) tells of an isolated mountain, home to a mysterious sect rumoured to be immortal and feared by the local communities from whom it attracts young women who are never heard of again. It is told from the viewpoint of a nameless mountaineer whose best friend's wife disappears on a trip to climb the peak.
"Monte Verit脿" is one of those stories that's too good to be true. Du Maurier's writing is delicious, her characterisation flawless, the plot intriguing and satisfying. It's just a perfect story. And besties, I have a lot of quotes to share: "They told me afterwards they had found nothing. No trace of anyone, living or dead .Maddened by anger, and I believe by fear, they had succeeded at last in breaking into those forbidden walls, dreaded and shunned through countless years - to be met by silence. Frustrated, bewildered, frightened, driven to fury at the sight of those empty cells, that bare court, the valley people resorted to the primitive methods that have served so many peasants through so many centuries: fire and destruction." And this is only the first sentence!!! In general, it's worthwhile to reread the story once you know how it goes because it isn't told chronologically and there's a lot of foreshadowing in the beginning. Also, "Let Victor keep his dream." is very "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."-coded and you can't convince me otherwise.
"鈥業 don't know. I try not to think about it. All I cling to is that Anna said she had found what she was searching for, that she was happy. I'm not going to destroy that happiness.鈥�" Besties, the way this has me crying in the club right now. This story is so fucking tragiccc. Victor is such a good husband. Can't say the same about our narrator though, lmao. Anna telling him: "If I've destroyed the fantasy you made of me, forgive me." Damn. Cracked.
"The Apple Tree" (4 stars) follows the actions of a man who is recently widowed. Following his wife's death, the man revels in his new freedom, not mourning his wife at all 鈥� he even remembers with some nostalgia the pretty land girl he once kissed some years earlier. There's one thing that spoils his new-found happiness though: the apple tree in his garden long thought to be barren begins to show signs of new life. When the tree starts to produce apples, the fruit taste fine to everyone but the widower for whom it tastes disgusting. The man starts to hate the tree with an all consuming bitterness, he sees it overshadowing the smaller, younger prettier trees next to it, stealing the very life from them. He is convinced that the malign spirit of his dead wife has possessed it. He eventually cuts it down, with tragic consequence.
This story was something else and our protagonist is one shady how. I swear to God it's impossible to feel sorry for him. The glee he feels after his wife's death? Could not be me. She had every right to haunt his ass.
"The Little Photographer" (4 stars) tells of a rich Marquise bored and dissatisfied with her life who attempts to spice up her life by having an affair with a photographer whilst holidaying on the French Mediterranean coast. Her husband has remained at home to attend to business. She is bored and restless, many of her friends have had passing liaisons which they tell her about and make sound so exciting. On a visit to the village she meets a young photographer and hires him to take photos of her and the children. They start meeting up in the hot afternoons, while everyone else rests. However, the photographer soon gets too attached and starts speaking of following the Marquise home. When push comes to shove (quite literally, lmao), everything goes terribly wrong.
This one was great. It's a bit sexy and risqu茅 (du Maurier doing her thang) but it's also giving Fitzgerald and rich, privileged people who don't know what to do with her free time, so you're in for a treat. I loved the twists and turns (so much drama at the end!) but my favorite quote is probably: "Enfin, he is a man, he will get over it." BECAUSE SAME.
"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" (3 stars) relates an episode in which a shy mechanic follows a cinema usherette home from work, and is led to a cemetery. Only later does the mechanic discover the terrible truth about her. I honestly didn't care for this story at all. 3 stars is probably generous but the episode set in the graveyard was unnerving as hell. Literally don't have anything of substance to say about this.
The final story, "The Old Man" (4 stars) follows a family history as told by a neighbour who suspects the father of killing one of their children. There's not much more to say without giving too much away. Just read it. The entire collection is worth your time, SO PICK IT UP!
And what can I say? This collection of six short stories is SOLID. "Kiss Me Again, Stranger" is the only meh one. The rest is either good or great. Reviewing this book three months after the fact also made me realise how memorable the other five stories are. Like, I think about them all the time. "Monte Verit脿" is the standout, of course, with writing reminiscent of Rebecca (du Maurier at her peak, if you'd ask me), but the horror of "The Birds" is bone-chilling, the twist of "The Old Man" stays with you, and the audacity of the protagonists of "The Apple Tree" and "The Little Photographer" is striking and impossible to forget.
"The Birds" (4 stars) is set in du Maurier's home county of Cornwall shortly after the end of the Second World War. We witness as Nat Hocken, a disabled war veteran, his family and community come under the lethal attack from flocks of birds. This story truly fucked with my brain because, bestie babes, I HATE BIRDS. I know it's not a popular thing to say but these shits terrify me. Having them literally gang up on this community, breaking into people's houses, and murdering people left and right (HIDE YO KIDS, HIDE YO WIFE, NAT!) had me at the edge of my seat. I love how du Maurier told this story because she truly makes you feel the horror that this family feels, as well as the exasperation that Nat feels when he realises that A) some members of the community act so irresponsibly, thereby endangering their lives (bestie babes, they end up dead, what can I tell you) and B) the government is of no help whatsoever and the people have to face this threat on their own. It is rough.
Nat is such a hero though, and if I had to choose, I would choose his house to live in during this plague. It's somewhat patriarchal that he's the only one in his family who knows what's up (his wife's kinda useless in this situation, but that's very me coded, so imma keep my mouth shut). I also reeeaaaallly love the ending ("I'll smoke that last fag.") because it foreshadows that no matter how much power Nat assumes in his household to protect his family, he knows it is meaningless, the birds will get them all eventually. Ahhhh.
"Monte Verit脿" (5 stars) tells of an isolated mountain, home to a mysterious sect rumoured to be immortal and feared by the local communities from whom it attracts young women who are never heard of again. It is told from the viewpoint of a nameless mountaineer whose best friend's wife disappears on a trip to climb the peak.
"Monte Verit脿" is one of those stories that's too good to be true. Du Maurier's writing is delicious, her characterisation flawless, the plot intriguing and satisfying. It's just a perfect story. And besties, I have a lot of quotes to share: "They told me afterwards they had found nothing. No trace of anyone, living or dead .Maddened by anger, and I believe by fear, they had succeeded at last in breaking into those forbidden walls, dreaded and shunned through countless years - to be met by silence. Frustrated, bewildered, frightened, driven to fury at the sight of those empty cells, that bare court, the valley people resorted to the primitive methods that have served so many peasants through so many centuries: fire and destruction." And this is only the first sentence!!! In general, it's worthwhile to reread the story once you know how it goes because it isn't told chronologically and there's a lot of foreshadowing in the beginning. Also, "Let Victor keep his dream." is very "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."-coded and you can't convince me otherwise.
"鈥業 don't know. I try not to think about it. All I cling to is that Anna said she had found what she was searching for, that she was happy. I'm not going to destroy that happiness.鈥�" Besties, the way this has me crying in the club right now. This story is so fucking tragiccc. Victor is such a good husband. Can't say the same about our narrator though, lmao. Anna telling him: "If I've destroyed the fantasy you made of me, forgive me." Damn. Cracked.
"The Apple Tree" (4 stars) follows the actions of a man who is recently widowed. Following his wife's death, the man revels in his new freedom, not mourning his wife at all 鈥� he even remembers with some nostalgia the pretty land girl he once kissed some years earlier. There's one thing that spoils his new-found happiness though: the apple tree in his garden long thought to be barren begins to show signs of new life. When the tree starts to produce apples, the fruit taste fine to everyone but the widower for whom it tastes disgusting. The man starts to hate the tree with an all consuming bitterness, he sees it overshadowing the smaller, younger prettier trees next to it, stealing the very life from them. He is convinced that the malign spirit of his dead wife has possessed it. He eventually cuts it down, with tragic consequence.
This story was something else and our protagonist is one shady how. I swear to God it's impossible to feel sorry for him. The glee he feels after his wife's death? Could not be me. She had every right to haunt his ass.
"The Little Photographer" (4 stars) tells of a rich Marquise bored and dissatisfied with her life who attempts to spice up her life by having an affair with a photographer whilst holidaying on the French Mediterranean coast. Her husband has remained at home to attend to business. She is bored and restless, many of her friends have had passing liaisons which they tell her about and make sound so exciting. On a visit to the village she meets a young photographer and hires him to take photos of her and the children. They start meeting up in the hot afternoons, while everyone else rests. However, the photographer soon gets too attached and starts speaking of following the Marquise home. When push comes to shove (quite literally, lmao), everything goes terribly wrong.
This one was great. It's a bit sexy and risqu茅 (du Maurier doing her thang) but it's also giving Fitzgerald and rich, privileged people who don't know what to do with her free time, so you're in for a treat. I loved the twists and turns (so much drama at the end!) but my favorite quote is probably: "Enfin, he is a man, he will get over it." BECAUSE SAME.
"Kiss Me Again, Stranger" (3 stars) relates an episode in which a shy mechanic follows a cinema usherette home from work, and is led to a cemetery. Only later does the mechanic discover the terrible truth about her. I honestly didn't care for this story at all. 3 stars is probably generous but the episode set in the graveyard was unnerving as hell. Literally don't have anything of substance to say about this.
The final story, "The Old Man" (4 stars) follows a family history as told by a neighbour who suspects the father of killing one of their children. There's not much more to say without giving too much away. Just read it. The entire collection is worth your time, SO PICK IT UP!
December 4, 2019
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date:听December 17, 2013
Publisher:听Little, Brown and Company
Language:听English
ASIN:听B00GR5N2Q6
Amazon.com Sales Rank:听3848
208 pages
The Birds and Other Stories was originally published in 1952 as听"The Apple Tree: A Short Novel and Several Long Stories". In 1963 Penguin published a new edition as "The Birds and Other Stories.". Also in 1963, Alfred Hitchcock released his movie adaptation of "The Birds." Another story from this collection, "Kiss Me Again Stranger" was a 1953 CBS television program.
Editors Anthony Boucher and J. Francis McComas reviewed the collection in the May 1953 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Among other things they found that nearly half the work fell into the fantasy genre with some being close to science fiction with most being "largely overlong and not too original.". I found this to be largely true with "The Birds" and "Kiss Me Again Stranger" being notable exceptions.
The forward to this edition, by British writer David Thomson, can not match the elegance of du Maurier but does demonstrate some of why Thomson has been called such things as the greatest living film critic and historian. Thomson, as might be expected, writes more about cinema than du Maurier's stories. He concentrates on Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" but he also provides looks at other du Maurier works which Hitchcock adapted to cinema. Thomson reveals fascinating information about how Alfred Hitchcock made movies. He also offers some insight into differences between authors and directors. The forward is almost worth the modest price of this Kindle edition.
My word du Maurier could write prose. The first few pages of "The Birds" have an elegance, a way with words that I can only wish for but at this late date in my life never achieve. But then very few can or have. Along with this wondrous prose there is also du Maurier's ability to tell a story and create characters which draw in the reader. All, taken together, make "The Birds" gripping reading and definitely worth the price of the Kindle edition.
In the second story, wondrous prose can not prevent "Monte Veritas", from meandering along tediously until it finally ends. The end proves to have not been worth the journey. At least not worth it to me. It is one of those stories which I find to be almost pointless. Besides, so much of the ending is given away at the beginning that there are few surprises. Perhaps I would feel differently were the story shorter. It would be easy to cut it by about 25% without losing anything of note. A person of skill could probably could it by half. "The Birds" is tense and gripping. Monte Veritas is not.
"The Apple Tree" begins much like an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. If this had been Hitchcock, the husband, who finds his wife tiresome and unpleasant, would have murdered her. But in this story she dies of natural causes and even in death will not leave the poor man in peace. An interesting story which I found overly long with too much buildup and too little action.
"The Little Photographer" is an engaging story of boredom, adultery and the unintended consequences.
"Kiss Me Again Stranger" is a nice bit of horror which builds slowly to an almost inevitable ending. But is it going to be supernatural or psychological? The reader does not know what is going to happen but does know that it won't be good.
"The Old Man" is a peculiar, unexpected sort of story. Of course it won't appeal to all but I liked it in a mild sort of way.
Publication date:听December 17, 2013
Publisher:听Little, Brown and Company
Language:听English
ASIN:听B00GR5N2Q6
Amazon.com Sales Rank:听3848
208 pages
The Birds and Other Stories was originally published in 1952 as听"The Apple Tree: A Short Novel and Several Long Stories". In 1963 Penguin published a new edition as "The Birds and Other Stories.". Also in 1963, Alfred Hitchcock released his movie adaptation of "The Birds." Another story from this collection, "Kiss Me Again Stranger" was a 1953 CBS television program.
Editors Anthony Boucher and J. Francis McComas reviewed the collection in the May 1953 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Among other things they found that nearly half the work fell into the fantasy genre with some being close to science fiction with most being "largely overlong and not too original.". I found this to be largely true with "The Birds" and "Kiss Me Again Stranger" being notable exceptions.
The forward to this edition, by British writer David Thomson, can not match the elegance of du Maurier but does demonstrate some of why Thomson has been called such things as the greatest living film critic and historian. Thomson, as might be expected, writes more about cinema than du Maurier's stories. He concentrates on Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" but he also provides looks at other du Maurier works which Hitchcock adapted to cinema. Thomson reveals fascinating information about how Alfred Hitchcock made movies. He also offers some insight into differences between authors and directors. The forward is almost worth the modest price of this Kindle edition.
My word du Maurier could write prose. The first few pages of "The Birds" have an elegance, a way with words that I can only wish for but at this late date in my life never achieve. But then very few can or have. Along with this wondrous prose there is also du Maurier's ability to tell a story and create characters which draw in the reader. All, taken together, make "The Birds" gripping reading and definitely worth the price of the Kindle edition.
In the second story, wondrous prose can not prevent "Monte Veritas", from meandering along tediously until it finally ends. The end proves to have not been worth the journey. At least not worth it to me. It is one of those stories which I find to be almost pointless. Besides, so much of the ending is given away at the beginning that there are few surprises. Perhaps I would feel differently were the story shorter. It would be easy to cut it by about 25% without losing anything of note. A person of skill could probably could it by half. "The Birds" is tense and gripping. Monte Veritas is not.
"The Apple Tree" begins much like an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. If this had been Hitchcock, the husband, who finds his wife tiresome and unpleasant, would have murdered her. But in this story she dies of natural causes and even in death will not leave the poor man in peace. An interesting story which I found overly long with too much buildup and too little action.
"The Little Photographer" is an engaging story of boredom, adultery and the unintended consequences.
"Kiss Me Again Stranger" is a nice bit of horror which builds slowly to an almost inevitable ending. But is it going to be supernatural or psychological? The reader does not know what is going to happen but does know that it won't be good.
"The Old Man" is a peculiar, unexpected sort of story. Of course it won't appeal to all but I liked it in a mild sort of way.
May 8, 2023
If you haven't had a chance to read something by Daphne du Maurier, this is a great way to start.
The Birds and Other Stories are 6 short stories that are all equally good but yet different in plot. My favorites would have to be The Little Photographer, The Apple Tree and The Birds.
The Birds - 4 stars
Monte Verit脿 - 4 stars
The Apple Tree - 4 stars
The Little Photographer - 4/4.5 stars
Kiss Me Again, Stranger - 3.5/4 stars
The Old Man - 4 stars
I'm excited to get to more books by du Maurier after reading this collection!
The Birds and Other Stories are 6 short stories that are all equally good but yet different in plot. My favorites would have to be The Little Photographer, The Apple Tree and The Birds.
The Birds - 4 stars
Monte Verit脿 - 4 stars
The Apple Tree - 4 stars
The Little Photographer - 4/4.5 stars
Kiss Me Again, Stranger - 3.5/4 stars
The Old Man - 4 stars
I'm excited to get to more books by du Maurier after reading this collection!
February 18, 2017
A unique and bizarre collection of entertaining short stories that certainly ends on a shockingly good high note!
The Birds: Much less to the storyline than the well-known Hitchcock movie version.....with the exception of the killer birds, but still creepy good with an old cottage on a farm for a setting and blustery winter winds to add to the eerie suspense of attack.......but oh so short! (I wanted more)
Monte Verita: This was definitely my least favorite (and unfortunately the longest) of the six shorts. The beginning did grab my attention with the mysterious mountain and disappearances, but fell short for me in the end.
The Apple Tree: There once was a crooked old woman.....who looked like a crooked old tree.....who drove her hubby to madness.....so they could forever be. Hauntingly Good!
The Little Photographer: When a bored, rich marquise on holiday lures a hard-working sole to the beach (during siesta time) .....mucho trouble begins.
Kiss Me Again Stranger: An innocent first encounter with an alluringly unusual movie usherette (with a liking for cemeteries) turns into a killer of a first date for an unsuspecting auto mechanic.
The Old Man: As a voyeur neighbor secretly watches a family living in squalor on the beach, he witnesses a horror that turns unbelievably magical. The ending blew me away! By far the best of the collection!
September 16, 2023
Easily my best read of 2023 this far. Being a massive fan of Hitchcock鈥檚 The Birds movie and being a massive fan of De Maurier, I can鈥檛 really explain why I didn鈥檛 get to this sooner (decades sooner, actually). The biggest discovery, though, is that 鈥淭he Birds鈥� isn鈥檛 even the best story in this collection and another one is that I really liked all of them. The writing is absolutely wonderful.
The Birds
First (not that I didn鈥檛 expect this to some extent) thing to note is how different the story is to the film - Hitchcock ran with the base idea only here and created a largely new context. Secondly, I was a bit surprised with how brutal and gritty the short story is - very effective and scary. It lacks a bit of De Maurier鈥檚 trademark flowing and beautiful prose, but the narrative style fits the story and I still enjoyed it very much.
Monte Verit脿
The best of the bunch - I devoured this surreal and beautiful, sad and moving story. The only thing stopping me from just starting over at the end was that I had 4 more stories to look forward to.
The Apple Tree
Is it a sister story to 鈥淭he Tell-Tale Heart鈥� or is it 鈥渞eal鈥�? I think it鈥檚 both.
The Little Photographer
鈥淟ady Chatterly鈥� theme with a twist (or two).
Kiss Me Again, Stranger
Another amazingly atmospheric piece. I did not see that ending coming.
The Old Man
Talk about being surprised with an ending - she got me here. Did you see that one coming? Short, but really good.
The Birds
First (not that I didn鈥檛 expect this to some extent) thing to note is how different the story is to the film - Hitchcock ran with the base idea only here and created a largely new context. Secondly, I was a bit surprised with how brutal and gritty the short story is - very effective and scary. It lacks a bit of De Maurier鈥檚 trademark flowing and beautiful prose, but the narrative style fits the story and I still enjoyed it very much.
Monte Verit脿
The best of the bunch - I devoured this surreal and beautiful, sad and moving story. The only thing stopping me from just starting over at the end was that I had 4 more stories to look forward to.
The Apple Tree
Is it a sister story to 鈥淭he Tell-Tale Heart鈥� or is it 鈥渞eal鈥�? I think it鈥檚 both.
The Little Photographer
鈥淟ady Chatterly鈥� theme with a twist (or two).
Kiss Me Again, Stranger
Another amazingly atmospheric piece. I did not see that ending coming.
The Old Man
Talk about being surprised with an ending - she got me here. Did you see that one coming? Short, but really good.
February 9, 2023
4.75 猸�
Wow te opowiadania by艂y genialne.
Wow te opowiadania by艂y genialne.
October 13, 2017
This was my first time reading a Du Maurier book and I think this was a very good place to start. I feel like I got a good glimpse into various different stories that Du Maurier has written, and I particularly loved the title story: The Birds. This was my favourite because of the horror elements and the atmosphere that just really built over the course of the tale. I really would recommend reading that if nothing else, but many of the others were also very strong.
The Birds - This story is definitely what I look for in a short story. It's creepy, ominous, eerie, and yet it also has a character you can sympathise with. The story is fast-moving, the threat looms, and the slightly detached feeling of dread sweeping the nation lends this a sense of the surreal. Definitely food for thought, what if this really did happen, how would we survive?? Even today it would be hard to! - 5*s
Monte Verita - Definitely a more gothic exploration based tale. I like the concept of the convent in the mountain. I think it's harder for me to connect with something I've never done, but I enjoyed this all the same. 3.5*s
The Apple Tree - a good story if a slightly predictable one. I enjoy the atmosphere that Du Maurier is so good at creating :) 3.5*
The Little Photographer - very French, very lustrous, very sinister :) I liked it 3*s
Kiss me again stranger - Liked this one a lot. it was shorter but the first person made it easy to get into and there was a cooler storyline overall. Menacing ladies and silly young men. - 4*s
The Old Man - well that was a corker! I didn't see the ending coming, but it was a good little tale overall too and I like first person more I think. Reminded me a little of Of mice and Men with the isolation themes. 4*s
I would certainly recommend this collection, even though it has some I didn't love as much, and I think I may pick up more of her work in future if The Birds is anything to go by! I would give it a 4*s overall :)
The Birds - This story is definitely what I look for in a short story. It's creepy, ominous, eerie, and yet it also has a character you can sympathise with. The story is fast-moving, the threat looms, and the slightly detached feeling of dread sweeping the nation lends this a sense of the surreal. Definitely food for thought, what if this really did happen, how would we survive?? Even today it would be hard to! - 5*s
Monte Verita - Definitely a more gothic exploration based tale. I like the concept of the convent in the mountain. I think it's harder for me to connect with something I've never done, but I enjoyed this all the same. 3.5*s
The Apple Tree - a good story if a slightly predictable one. I enjoy the atmosphere that Du Maurier is so good at creating :) 3.5*
The Little Photographer - very French, very lustrous, very sinister :) I liked it 3*s
Kiss me again stranger - Liked this one a lot. it was shorter but the first person made it easy to get into and there was a cooler storyline overall. Menacing ladies and silly young men. - 4*s
The Old Man - well that was a corker! I didn't see the ending coming, but it was a good little tale overall too and I like first person more I think. Reminded me a little of Of mice and Men with the isolation themes. 4*s
I would certainly recommend this collection, even though it has some I didn't love as much, and I think I may pick up more of her work in future if The Birds is anything to go by! I would give it a 4*s overall :)
December 12, 2024
There are six short stories in all. The stories are sure to send a chill down your spine. The plot is unlike any other terrifying story. The short story Birds holds you in complete attention and in horror all the while praying for the nightmare to end. The story is much engaging then Hitchcock's classic adaptation. One of the stories has an almost evil apple tree in its centre. The third deals with secrets of a mountain peak. The last story is the shortest and its last three lines will blow you away. One of the best endings i have ever read. The other two stories are in crime and mystery genre but with refreshingly unique treatment. Overall a masterpiece that beckons for serious readers.
February 14, 2023
Tytu艂owe Ptaki dobrze zna艂am, ale pozosta艂e opowiadania by艂y dla mnie nowo艣ci膮. I rany, jak mi si臋 one podoba艂y 鉂わ笍 Monte Verita dla mnie wygra艂o ca艂y ten zbi贸r. Fenomenalne opowiadanie, czyta艂am jak odurzona. Jab艂onka i Fotograf te偶 niesamowicie do mnie trafi艂y. Ob艂臋dnie klimatyczne, wci膮gaj膮ce, pomys艂owe. Zakocha艂am si臋 馃ス
Za to nie podoba艂y mi si臋 dwa ostatnie opowiadania, niestety tutaj zauwa偶y艂am tendencj臋 spadkow膮, co nie znaczy oczywi艣cie, 偶e ich nie doceniam.
Za to nie podoba艂y mi si臋 dwa ostatnie opowiadania, niestety tutaj zauwa偶y艂am tendencj臋 spadkow膮, co nie znaczy oczywi艣cie, 偶e ich nie doceniam.
February 28, 2023
Klasyczna groza na poziomie, gdzie od brutalno艣ci wa偶niejszy jest klimat. Uwielbiam!
July 11, 2018
A engaging mix with a fair amount of noir storytelling!
I have been wanting to read The Birds for awhile after finding out that Daphne du Maurier was the writer of this short story, which Hitchcock made legend, as well as Rebecca & many others. The Foreword enlightened me of the Hitchcock/ Daphne connection & that was her actor father who Hitchcock knew through the theatre. I had heard the radio adaption which comes closer than the film, which was more romantic centered which the story was pure horror & with regards to that rang true. I enjoyed the other stories which The Little Photographer was my favorite, about a lady in want of an affair with untold results. Monte Verita, is Daphne's version of Hilton's Lost Horizon. The Apple Tree is my next favorite about a man, his disappointed marriage & an Apple Tree. Kiss Me Stranger is an really dark story of a disturbed girl during World War 2. The Old Man, a really short sad story about a family. Always love reading her stories.
OTR Escape July 10, 1954
I have been wanting to read The Birds for awhile after finding out that Daphne du Maurier was the writer of this short story, which Hitchcock made legend, as well as Rebecca & many others. The Foreword enlightened me of the Hitchcock/ Daphne connection & that was her actor father who Hitchcock knew through the theatre. I had heard the radio adaption which comes closer than the film, which was more romantic centered which the story was pure horror & with regards to that rang true. I enjoyed the other stories which The Little Photographer was my favorite, about a lady in want of an affair with untold results. Monte Verita, is Daphne's version of Hilton's Lost Horizon. The Apple Tree is my next favorite about a man, his disappointed marriage & an Apple Tree. Kiss Me Stranger is an really dark story of a disturbed girl during World War 2. The Old Man, a really short sad story about a family. Always love reading her stories.
OTR Escape July 10, 1954
May 24, 2024
I thouroughly enjoyed pre-season these stories, it reminded me just what a great story teller Daphne Dr Maurier was. I always think short stories would be The hardest to get right. The Birds was definitely my favourite, The Apple Tree was another eerie story. Makes me want to pick up another of her novels.
The introduction to this new issue was interesting and safe to read without giving away spoilers as it concentrated on during Maurier film adaptations.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and Virago for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
Re-read 23/05/2024.
5* for The Birds, 4* for the rest. A very good collection.
The introduction to this new issue was interesting and safe to read without giving away spoilers as it concentrated on during Maurier film adaptations.
*Many thanks to Netgalley and Virago for a review copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
Re-read 23/05/2024.
5* for The Birds, 4* for the rest. A very good collection.
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