N S Ford

Tag: Daphne du Maurier

  • Review of ‘The Rendezvous and Other Stories’ by Daphne du Maurier

    You can’t go wrong with a Daphne du Maurier story collection. There will be twists, suspense, mystery, atmosphere… and people being cruel to each other. Most stories in this book include characters who are violent, selfish or uncaring. Interestingly, the book was published in 1980 and is a mix of early and later stories. It’s not quite as good as The Birds and Other Stories but is definitely worth a read, more than once.

    Book cover is light red and shows a gun on a table.

    The best story is the last one, ‘Split Second’, which is about a genteel lady who feels strange, goes for a walk, and comes back to find her house occupied by other people and no one in the neighbourhood knows her. Is she a victim of a conspiracy, or mentally unwell, or is something supernatural going on?

    I like ‘Adieu Sagesse’ very much, in which a man whom everyone dismisses as boring decides to sail away. ‘Leading Lady’ is quite amusing, about an actress who uses her excellent skills to ensure that her lover gets the lead part. ‘Escort’ is quite a different kind of read, a supernatural story about the Navy in the Second World War. ‘The Closing Door’ is a sad, impactful story with a cruel twist.

    The title story, ‘The Rendezvous’, is not one of my favourites, but it’s a sophisticated story about a famous author who mistakenly thinks a female fan, with whom he corresponds by post and has arranged to meet, has romantic intentions.

    This edition published by Virago, 2005, with an introduction by Minette Walters.

  • Review of ‘The Birds and Other Stories’ by Daphne du Maurier

    A re-read of Daphne du Maurier’s short stories is always a great experience. This collection of six stories are marvellous as usual. They are the kind of stories where you have to turn back to the beginning and realise how clever it is. The interesting thing is that the book was originally titled The Apple Tree in 1952 and this was changed to The Birds in 1963, when the famous film was released. In my opinion, ‘The Birds’ is not the best story in the book, although it’s certainly the most sinister. I feel that its reputation overshadows the other stories, exemplified by the introduction from David Thomson in the 2004 Virago edition, which is completely useless because it talks mainly about Alfred Hitchcock, with a bit about Daphne and nothing about her other stories.

    Book cover shows birds flying against orange glow.

    ‘The Birds’ is set on the coast and explores a family’s reactions to the violent behaviour of the birds, which have for some unknown reason banded together and attacked people. Cold War paranoia suffuses the story.

    ‘Monte Verità’ is almost a novella, a long story about a frightening and irresistible mountain where there is a cult of immortality. Upon a quest for the truth, the narrator follows in the footsteps of his friend and finds mind-bending mysteries.

    ‘The Apple Tree’ is about a man who’s enjoying his life now that he’s free of his self-sacrificing, miserable wife. Then he notices an apple tree which bears an uncanny resemblance to her and she’s haunting him. I think this is the best story in the book.

    ‘The Little Photographer’ follows the languid holiday of a bored marquise who starts an affair with a young man from the photographic shop, but is not prepared for the consequences of his love and makes a terrible mistake.

    ‘Kiss Me Again, Stranger’ is narrated by a mechanic who is a simple fellow with a good heart. He has an impulsive night out with a cinema usherette, who for some reason likes to hang out in cemeteries, but he might have a lucky escape…

    ‘The Old Man’ is about a family, ruled by a grumpy patriarch, who live in a rough way by a lake. They send their grown children away, but the boy comes back and the narrator is shocked at what happens to him. The twist on this one is brilliant.

    If you’ve not read Daphne du Maurier’s short stories yet, this would be the ideal volume to start with.

  • Review of ‘Sunless Solstice’ edited by Lucy Evans and Tanya Kirk

    A fab collection of spooky seasonal stories. They’re ideal if you want to read something darker for Christmas. Surprisingly, only two of these twelve stories are by famous authors (Muriel Spark and Daphne du Maurier), as there is usually more of a balance between well-known and more obscure writers in volumes of this series (British Library Tales of the Weird). The stories span 1893 to 1974. I have marked those I liked best with asterisks.

    ‘The Ghost at the Cross-Roads’ by Frederick Manley – supernatural Irish story with a moral message

    ‘The Blue Room’ by Lettice Galbraith – excellent gothic tale narrated by a housekeeper *

    ‘On the Northern Ice’ by Elia Wilkinson Peattie – sad atmospheric tale *

    ‘The Black Cat’ by W J Wintle – a man is terrorised by a demonic cat *

    ‘Ganthony’s Wife’ by E Temple Thurston – strange modern ghost story

    ‘Mr Huffam’ by Hugh Walpole – socially-conscious story with a literature theme

    ‘The Man Who Came Back’ by Margery Lawrence – creepy spiritualism-themed story

    ‘The Third Shadow’ by H Russell Wakefield – weird tale of mountaineering and misogyny

    ‘The Apple Tree’ by Daphne du Maurier – fantastic longer story, the best in the collection *

    ‘The Leaf-Sweeper’ by Muriel Spark – unusual satirical piece *

    ‘The Visiting Star’ by Robert Aickman – strange theatrical tale

    ‘A Fall of Snow’ by James Turner – very chilling story, brilliantly written *

    This collection is perhaps not quite as memorable as Chill Tidings but I certainly recommend it. I also liked the mini introductions, which were spoiler-free.

    Published in 2021 by the British Library.

  • Review of ‘I’ll Never Be Young Again’ by Daphne du Maurier

    I always thought the title of Daphne du Maurier’s second novel was very sad, bitter even. Now on re-reading, I think it could be an expression of relief, as in ‘thank God I’ve already been through that awful business of being young’. She was only twenty-three when she wrote the book, which makes the choice of title even more intriguing. It’s not one of her best novels, however.

    The story is narrated by Dick, a restless young man who left home to escape from the shadow of his famous poet father. He’s about to throw himself off a bridge when he is saved by Jake, who is several years older, has a quiet wisdom and a dangerous edge. Despite their differences in character, the pair become close friends and go travelling. Then tragedy strikes and Dick has to decide what to make of his life.

    This is a kind of doomed romance in two parts, the first about Jake, the second about an insipid teenager named Hesta. It’s almost two separate stories in the same volume and not the better for it. There is some powerful atmospheric writing, almost exclusively confined to the first part. I think if you’ve read most of Daphne du Maurier’s other work then this one is worth a try, even just to see the development of her style, some clearly autobiographical content and some trademark features (such as the male perspective, the obsession with boats and modern conversations about relationships). I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re new to the author.

    First published in 1932. This edition by Virago, 2005, with an introduction by Elaine Dundy.

  • My most-read authors

    Which authors’ books have you read the most? I checked my spreadsheet, which records my reading since 2002, and searched for the number of books by authors I know I’ve read a lot. I here present to you a list of my top 10 most-read authors! Since my records began, that is…

    10. Philip Pullman – 20 books. The majority of these would be re-reads of His Dark Materials, but I have also read the Sally Lockhart series, some standalone books and, much more recently, The Secret Commonwealth.

    9. H G Wells – 21 books. Obviously some of these are re-reads (such as The Time Machine) – I couldn’t name 21 books Wells wrote, although I know he was very prolific and that only a small number of his works are famous today.

    8. Christopher Pike – 21 books. This is a tie with H G Wells but I have given him 8th place because I used to have a Point Horror short story collection which included Pike and which I read 3 times. The best Pike book is, I think, Remember Me.

    7. Daphne du Maurier – 24 books. We had an almost-complete set of her works at home and so I felt qualified enough to write a ‘recommended author’ post on her. I’ve re-read a few, most notably Rebecca, which I studied in comparison to Jane Eyre.

    6. Arthur C Clarke – 26 books. I was quite surprised at how many of his books turned up when I searched my records. However, I’ve re-read the ‘Odyssey’ series and some short story collections several times, plus a few other novels, and they all added up.

    5. J K Rowling – 27 books. This number would be higher if my pre-2002 reading was included – I was hooked on the first 3 books and was extremely excited when the 4th was published! As you might expect, nearly all of the reads were Harry Potter books or from the same world, such as Fantastic Beasts. The exception is The Casual Vacancy.

    4. Paul Stewart – 27 books. Considering how many books there are in the Edge Chronicles series – for which he collaborated with Chris Riddell and which I’m re-reading again – this number of reads isn’t surprising. Others by him I’ve read are Muddle Earth and The Weather Witch. Although he is tying with J K Rowling, he is placed here on the list because the number of reads will soon be higher, as I still have several more of the Edge books to re-read.

    3. Sue Townsend – 28 books. Most of these are the Adrian Mole series – my favourite being The Secret Diary – but as demonstrated in my ‘recommended author’ post, she wrote a variety of things. I’m sad that there won’t be any more.

    2. Anthony Horowitz – 38 books. I love the Diamond Brothers, Alex Rider and Groosham Grange series and have read several of his standalone works too, most recently two of his novels for adults, featuring himself as a character. One of my favourite books at my secondary school library was his Horowitz Horror short story collection.

    And at number 1, my most-read author is…

    Terry Pratchett! I’ve read 52 of his books (including re-reads) so far. I haven’t read all of the Discworld series – probably three quarters of them, though. I’m starting to re-read the few I own, such as The Witches Trilogy. I’ve also read some of his non-Discworld books, such as the Bromeliad trilogy, Johnny Maxwell trilogy, Long Earth series (with Stephen Baxter), Strata, Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman) and The Dark Side of the Sun. I did guess that Terry Pratchett would be my most-read author but I didn’t realise how far ahead of the others he would be!

    Who’s your most-read author? Let me know!

  • The time-travelling bookworm: ‘The Parasites’ by Daphne du Maurier

    I’ve read this book a couple times and recommended it in my post about Daphne du Maurier. However, I can’t remember the plot at all. I suspect that this doesn’t matter, as the novel is character-driven. First published in 1949, The Parasites follows the Delaney family. The parasites in question are the siblings Maria, Niall and Celia. They live off the privilege and reflected glory of their parents. There is certainly an autobiographical element here, the author being the daughter of two famous actors and the granddaughter of a famous cartoonist and writer. It’s surely not one of Daphne du Maurier’s better known novels but I think it’s underrated.

    Read the most recent posts in this series here: Junk, Wuthering Heights, Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater, Not Dressed Like That, You Don’t.

  • Film of the book: ‘Rebecca’ (2020)

    Does the new adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s classic 1938 novel deserve all the critics’ spite? Absolutely not.

    While not as atmospheric and tense as Alfred Hitchcock’s famous 1940 film, Ben Wheatley’s version is very watchable and it crucially restores the ending. The settings are beautiful, the attention to detail impressive, the actors likeable. The characters are even a little improved upon, as the second Mrs de Winter (played by Lily James) is more lively and undergoes more of a development throughout the story, while Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer) is more believable and human. Kristin Scott Thomas makes a fantastic Mrs Danvers, the creepy housekeeper. I’m not sure how much a viewer unfamiliar with the book would enjoy this adaptation, but certainly it shouldn’t be compared too much with Hitchcock’s film. It’s not trying to be a remake. The tone is more romantic than sinister, which will disappoint anyone hoping for the original gothic flavour. I like the focus on the love story because it’s different. There are a few details changed from the book, particularly towards the end, but generally the plot is quite close.

    The film is not so good that I’d consider watching it more than once, however. It could have been improved upon, I’ll admit that. Don’t expect too much and you may be pleasantly surprised. As in the vast majority of cases, the book is still better than all its screen adaptations.

    Low-resolution image from Wikipedia.

  • Review of ‘The Doll: Short Stories’ by Daphne du Maurier

    This slim collection of short stories has the hallmarks of classic du Maurier – jealousy, sinister atmospheres, men who are not what they appear to be, relationships in decline. However, they were mostly underwhelming for me and not of the standard of her other published short stories. In her defence, these stories are mainly from her very early career (one of them was written when she was 19) and have only recently been tracked down and published in this collection.

    I thought the best in the collection was ‘The Doll’. It stands out as being the most mysterious and painful. Coincidentally (or not?) the desirable yet cruel woman in the story is named Rebecca. Questions are left unanswered and it’s probably the only story in the book I’d re-read. I liked the other stories well enough but they aren’t as good as the other du Mauriers I’ve read. I was quite surprised to read stories where prostitutes (not named as such – or sex workers as they are usually called today) were the main characters, as I don’t think I’ve seen them in her work before. The author is known for writing many of her works from a male character’s perspective but in this collection there are a variety of perspectives and narrative angles, including a series of one-sided letters detailing a romance between a man (the letter writer) and a married woman.

    I would recommend this book if you’ve read du Maurier’s other short story collections and are looking for more. I wouldn’t suggest it as a starting point to get into her work.

  • My mum’s favourite books

    As it’s Mother’s Day and my mum likes books as much as I do… Here are some of her favourites!

    “I would choose either Animal Farm or 1984 (both brilliant, although 1984 is too rambling at the end and apparently Orwell was going to edit and shorten the story but died before he could do so). I would also pick The Handmaid’s Tale, Pride and Prejudice (I like Emma but P&P is my favourite) and The Railway Children (much preferred it to The Phoenix & the Carpet) as I love steam trains and had a childhood fantasy about living next to a railway line. Another is Anne of Green Gables (the relationship between Anne and Diana was a bit like that between my friend Penny and myself – she was always getting into scrapes and I was seen as the “sensible” one). My favourite Dickens is A Christmas Carol, even though it gave me nightmares as a child. Also, either Rebecca or My Cousin Rachel (can’t decide which). My fave “chick lit” is the Shopaholic series – I find them so funny.”

    I think we share similar reading tastes, although I read a lot more non-fiction and I’m not as keen on dystopias or chick lit. We both like classic authors and have a fondness for children’s literature. This means we can share and recommend books!

    Do you like to read the same books as your mum or other family? I wonder if one ‘inherits’ reading tastes…

  • Recommended author: Daphne du Maurier

    Welcome to the first in a series of posts! I’ll be summarising the work of authors I like, which might help you decide whether to try them, or if you’ve already read one of their books, which others to read next. Today’s recommended author is Daphne du Maurier.

    Rebecca is the best known of du Maurier’s novels. Atmospheric and menacing, the novel is a must-read. It’s influenced by Jane Eyre, in a good way. One interesting aspect of Rebecca is that we don’t find out the narrator’s name, which reflects her low self-esteem. The dead first wife, Rebecca, becomes the obsession of the second, unnamed, wife. There’s a sequel to the book, written by Susan Hill, called Mrs de Winter. I remember liking it, but I can’t remember much about the story.

    One of the best things about Daphne du Maurier is how varied her work is, but you can be sure to find plot twists, atmosphere and compelling characters in all of her books.

    Are you into time travel? Try The House on the Strand, the story of a man who tests a hallucinogenic drug (developed by his wacky scientist friend) and is transported to the medieval era. It all gets complicated when the past and present collide…

    Interested in character-driven novels or family dynamics? The Parasites is in my opinion an underrated book and is probably based somewhat on the author’s own experiences.

    If you’re a Wuthering Heights fan, try Jamaica Inn or Frenchman’s Creek. There’s an historical novel called Mary Anne, which I wasn’t a fan of, but then I’m not really into the genre. There are some oddities such as Flight of the Falcon, Castle Dor and I’ll Never Be Young Again, which I had mixed opinions about.

    My Cousin Rachel I would categorise as a psychological thriller and I think it’s equally good as Rebecca.

    Daphne du Maurier wrote many short stories. These can be variable but it’s very subjective – it depends what you like in a short story. They are collected into various editions, such as The Birds and Other Stories.

    Want to read an excellent biography of Daphne du Maurier? I recommend Margaret Forster’s, which looks in detail at Daphne’s life, what she was like as a person, her relationships and how her work was received on publication.