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Lucy's Reviews > The Birds and Other Stories
The Birds and Other Stories
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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’s writing and the atmosphere she captures. I’ll 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’t any cheesiness to it. There’s 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’s Du Maurier, so it’s 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’s writing and the atmosphere she captures. I’ll 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’t any cheesiness to it. There’s 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’s Du Maurier, so it’s 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.
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Reading Progress
June 4, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
June 4, 2018
– Shelved
October 11, 2021
–
Started Reading
October 14, 2021
–
Finished Reading
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Jenna
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Oct 14, 2021 04:21PM
Nice synopsis of each of the stories, Lucy. They sound intriguing!
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Great review, Lucy! So glad you mostly enjoyed this collection of short stories! Sounds like a fun mix! :)
Fabulous review, Lucy! This sounds like an intriguing collection of stories!
Splendid review, Lucy!! I need to queue up some Daphne Du Maurier!! 💖
Thank you everyone so much ☺️☺️
Excellent review, Lucy. I will never forget seeing 'The Birds' TV movie. It was released in 1963 but it was later than that when I saw it, so it must have been a rerun. I was likely between 10 and 12 years old and so scared I called my mother to my bedroom after everyone had gone to sleep. I thought I heard birds on the roof. LOL, I've never read the story version, but if it's more savage, I'm not sure I could take it, but your review certainly makes it sound intriguing :-)
Oooh, this sounds fantastic! I appreciate you breaking down each of the stories. I had no idea the movie "The Birds" was based on one of her shorts. Thanks!
Fabulous review, Lucy! I loved The Birds and have read some of du Maurier's other short stories as well. It seems to me, she was skilled at both the long and short forms of writing!
@Libby oh no !! It’s always these sorts of films that stay with you when younger. I watched it young as well and all I remember is the dead man with his eyes pecked out which stayed with me for years 🙈 until i rewatched it and understood more.
@Regina thank you :) yes I didn’t know either until someone else told me!
@Candi thank you !! I’ve just gotten out of the library “don’t look now and other short stories� so I can’t wait to delve into those either :D
