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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 Verità" 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 Verità" (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 Verità" 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.

"‘I 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.�" 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 � 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 risqué (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!