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xdarkthunderx's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I really did not like this collection. My overwhelming feeling is that du Maurier is just not the right author for short stories, and she seems to lack the ability to wrap them up. They seem hastily concluded, especially Don't Look Now, which had so much potential but almost seemed to be stopped short. I want to still read her novel, Rebecca, so hopefully her writing works better in long-form content.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Misogyny, Grief, Gaslighting, and Sexism
Minor: Transphobia, Child death, and Alcohol
toffishay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I really enjoyed this short story collection. Like many people, I maybe know this author best from her novels, specifically Rebecca, and I didn't know that she wrote short stories at all! I was glad for the introduction which provided some background on the author, her writing, and some of the stories themselves, although it almost approaches spoiler territory with some. My absolute favorite story was "The Birds" (I had no idea that it was the basis for the Alfred Hitchcock movie of the same name!), but I also really liked "Don't Look Now", "The Blue Lenses", and "Monte Verita". Even the stories that I didn't love were still enjoyable because of how well written they were. A lot of the stories are really good at building tension, but they also explore themes of sex, relationships between men and women, nature versus man, failure of governments and institutions, and the horrors that women subject themselves too, are subjected to, and live or die under. If you are a fan of Shirley Jackson, I think that Daphne Du Maurier is worth checking out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
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