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Bren fall in love with the sea.'s Reviews > The Birds: and Other Stories
The Birds: and Other Stories
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Bren fall in love with the sea.'s review
bookshelves: classics, dark-and-heavy, animals, short-story, thriller-horror, all-different-types, historical
Nov 17, 2022
bookshelves: classics, dark-and-heavy, animals, short-story, thriller-horror, all-different-types, historical
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.
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Reading Progress
November 17, 2022
–
Started Reading
November 17, 2022
– Shelved
November 17, 2022
– Shelved as:
classics
November 17, 2022
– Shelved as:
dark-and-heavy
November 17, 2022
– Shelved as:
animals
November 17, 2022
– Shelved as:
short-story
November 17, 2022
– Shelved as:
thriller-horror
November 17, 2022
–
Finished Reading
February 14, 2024
– Shelved as:
all-different-types
February 8, 2025
– Shelved as:
historical
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Helen
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Nov 18, 2022 07:11AM
Great review! It's a weird coincidence, but I literally just placed this book on hold at the library last night! :O
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I just saw your comment now. Did you read it yet? If so let me know how you like it.
Wow! Scarier than the movie?! I've seen the movie a few times and there is little that has scared me more. The end with the birds on the Golden Gate Bridge gives me as many chills as the carnage scenes. I'm sure that scene was put in for the movie. I do love the movie though so I'm not sure I want to read the story, especially since you didn't love the story. Great review, Bren!
Ooo!! Wonderful review, Bren!! I didn't realize it was written by Du Maurier; no wonder it's so good! I loved Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel. She was definitely a master of dark suspense! Like you and Lisa I saw the movie years ago and it scared me to death. My husband and I visited Bodega Bay where it was filmed as part of our honeymoon trip. Who doesn't think of the movie when we see a large flock of crows or large numbers of birds?! I might not read this as I don't want nightmares, but I loved your review, Bren! ( I am just now getting an email update for your review. I don't know what's wrong with GR, but I don't get updates for a lot of my friends. I wish they would fix that!)
Margie wrote: "Ooo!! Wonderful review, Bren!! I didn't realize it was written by Du Maurier; no wonder it's so good! I loved Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel. She was definitely a master of dark suspense! Like you an..."I have the same issue with reviews and comments. Yes, the book was scary and yes as much as the film. But it is better suited I think to be a film than a book, because of the imagery.
Vert scary story and the movie too I saw as a kid and wow!
Lisa wrote: "Wow! Scarier than the movie?! I've seen the movie a few times and there is little that has scared me more. The end with the birds on the Golden Gate Bridge gives me as many chills as the carnage sc..."I know Lisa. It is imprinted on my mind, that last scene!
Bren fall in love with the sea. wrote: "I know Lisa. It is imprinted on my mind, that last scene! "Bren, Hitchcock was the master of creating suspense & fear without violence in many movie scenes.
Bren, I was young when I saw it and living in San Francisco. Brrrrr.
Lisa wrote: "Bren fall in love with the sea. wrote: "I know Lisa. It is imprinted on my mind, that last scene! "Bren, Hitchcock was the master of creating suspense & fear without violence in many movie scenes."
Until the violent shower scene in Psycho, Lisa! I was in junior high when I saw Psycho (my mom was so mad when she found out that my aunt and uncle let us see it when we visited them; my brother was still in grade school). Anyway, after seeing the horrible shower scene (which was 45 seconds long!), I was terrified to take a shower and would only take a bath for months. That movie traumatized me for years.
Margie wrote: "Until the violent shower scene in Psycho, Lisa! I was in junior high when I saw Psycho (my mom was so mad when she found out that my aunt and uncle let us see it when we visited them; my brother was still in grade school). Anyway, after seeing the horrible shower scene (which was 45 seconds long!), I was terrified to take a shower and would only take a bath for months. That movie traumatized me for years. "Margie, I've never seen the movie though I eventually saw the scene. Ever since the movie though I have see through shower curtains. The one I have now has whales & sea themed pattern on it but it's basically clear and see through. That movie traumatized me without even seeing it. I didn't mean that there isn't violence in his films. There is! There was in The Birds. It's just that some of the scenes, such as the last one in The Birds on the Golden Gate Bridge, are just as creepy as the violent scenes in THAT movie. Yeah, no Psycho for me. That movie is NOT for the young. Definitely not in grade school! I will never be old enough to watch that movie.
Lisa wrote: "Margie, I've never seen the movie though I eventually saw the scene. Ever since the movie though I have see through shower curtains. The one I have now has whales & sea themed pattern on it but it's basically clear and see through. That movie traumatized me without even seeing it. I didn't mean that there isn't violence in his films. There is! There was in The Birds. It's just that some of the scenes, such as the last one in The Birds on the Golden Gate Bridge, are just as creepy as the violent scenes in THAT movie. Yeah, no Psycho for me. That movie is NOT for the young. Definitely not in grade school! I will never be old enough to watch that movie...."I don't know what my aunt and uncle were thinking, Lisa, (their own kids who were younger didn't go and I don't think my aunt and uncle did either.) We have a clear glass door on our shower; like you, I don't like not being able to see out of a shower; I think the movie did that to me. Hitchcock definitely knew how to create suspense, but he went overboard with the violence in Psycho and The Birds too. I'm not a fan of horror though. After those Hitchcock movies, I stayed permanently away from horror flicks.
Margie wrote: � I don't know what my aunt and uncle were thinking, Lisa, (their own kids who were younger didn't go and I don't think my aunt and uncle did either.) We have a clear glass door on our shower; like you, I don't like not being able to see out of a shower; I think the movie did that to me. Hitchcock definitely knew how to create suspense, but he went overboard with the violence in Psycho and The Birds too. I'm not a fan of horror though. After those Hitchcock movies, I stayed permanently away from horror flicks ..."Margie, I don’t like horror either. Hardly ever. I do like Hitchcocks movie Rear Window though I don’t want to see it again. I think we are far from alone and how we approach shower safety. Because of that movie! I have to say it shows how well done it was because there’s lots of horrible scenes in lots of movies but I didn’t even see that movie and it still freaked me out. I don’t know what they were thinking either. They weren’t thinking.
Lisa wrote: "Margie, I don’t like horror either. Hardly ever. I do like Hitchcocks movie Rear Window though I don’t want to see it again. I think we are far from alone and how we approach shower safety. Because of that movie! I have to say it shows how well done it was because there’s lots of horrible scenes in lots of movies but I didn’t even see that movie and it still freaked me out. I don’t know what they were thinking either. They weren’t thinking..."I liked Rear Window too, Lisa, and North by Northwest - just enough suspense and violence for me. They were made in the 50s before he went overboard in the 60s with Psycho and The Birds.
Margie wrote: "I liked Rear Window too, Lisa, and North by Northwest - just enough suspense and violence for me. They were made in the 50s before he went overboard in the 60s with Psycho and The Birds. ."Margie, I don't know when he made it but I also like The Man Who Knew Too Much partly because of Doris Day singing Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be). I think that must have been a 1950s movie. I've seen North by Northwest only once and don't remember it well except for the plane flying over scene. I also liked his "comedy" The Trouble with Harry. That was a hoot.
Lisa wrote: "Margie, I don't know when he made it but I also like The Man Who Knew Too Much partly because of Doris Day singing Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be). I think that must have been a 1950s movie. I've seen North by Northwest only once and don't remember it well except for the plane flying over scene. I also liked his "comedy" The Trouble with Harry. That was a hoot...." I'll have to look for those two, Lisa! I love that song, Que Sera, Sera. I vaguely remember The Trouble with Harry. The trouble is that he is dead, right?! I remember my mom liked it a lot too; I will look for it.
Margie wrote: "I'll have to look for those two, Lisa! I love that song, Que Sera, Sera. I vaguely remember The Trouble with Harry. The trouble is that he is dead, right?! I remember my mom liked it a lot too; I will look for it. ."Margie, Yes, he's dead but it's a comedy. A bunch of people try to hide that fact. I don't remember all the details but I remember it was amusing. Yes, I love that song too.
Margie wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Margie, I don’t like horror either. Hardly ever. I do like Hitchcocks movie Rear Window though I don’t want to see it again. I think we are far from alone and how we approach shower sa..."I LOVE Rear Window.
Lisa wrote: "Margie wrote: � I don't know what my aunt and uncle were thinking, Lisa, (their own kids who were younger didn't go and I don't think my aunt and uncle did either.) We have a clear glass door on ou..."I like old school horror. The scariest film I ever saw was "The other." OMG! I saw it as a child and -- well -- it was simply terrifiying. I just cannot even describe the horror. Not bloody or gory, all psychological but managed to be scarier than any full on gory film.
Lisa wrote: "Margie wrote: "Until the violent shower scene in Psycho, Lisa! I was in junior high when I saw Psycho (my mom was so mad when she found out that my aunt and uncle let us see it when we visited them..."Psycho was terrifiying. Scared my mom a lot. I know. That is one if the scariest scenes.
Lisa wrote: "Margie wrote: "Until the violent shower scene in Psycho, Lisa! I was in junior high when I saw Psycho (my mom was so mad when she found out that my aunt and uncle let us see it when we visited them..."Whales and sea themed is my favorite type!
Bren, I read the book The Other. I tolerate horror better in books than on screen. Yes, whales & sea scenes are good for the bathroom/shower. :-)
