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The Birds & Don't Look Now
Du Maurier is of course world famous for many of her novels. These two stories are perhaps even better known as films (The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock and Don't Look Now by Nic Roeg), but here we bring you the full terrifying texts, superbly read by Peter Capaldi, who brings the true dimension of these works to the imagination.
Audiobook
First published October 1, 1997
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About the author
Daphne du Maurier
425 books10.3k followersDaphne du Maurier was born on 13 May 1907 at 24 Cumberland Terrace, Regent's Park, London, the middle of three daughters of prominent actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and actress Muriel, née Beaumont. In many ways her life resembles a fairy tale. Born into a family with a rich artistic and historical background, her paternal grandfather was author and Punch cartoonist George du Maurier, who created the character of Svengali in the 1894 novel Trilby, and her mother was a maternal niece of journalist, author, and lecturer Comyns Beaumont. She and her sisters were indulged as a children and grew up enjoying enormous freedom from financial and parental restraint. Her elder sister, Angela du Maurier, also became a writer, and her younger sister Jeanne was a painter.
She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories. Her family connections helped her establish her literary career, and she published some of her early work in Beaumont's Bystander magazine. A prestigious publishing house accepted her first novel when she was in her early twenties, and its publication brought her not only fame but the attentions of a handsome soldier, Major (later Lieutenant-General Sir) Frederick Browning, whom she married.
She continued writing under her maiden name, and her subsequent novels became bestsellers, earning her enormous wealth and fame. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn, and the short stories The Birds and Don't Look Now/Not After Midnight. While Alfred Hitchcock's films based upon her novels proceeded to make her one of the best-known authors in the world, she enjoyed the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called Menabilly, which served as the model for Manderley in Rebecca.
Daphne du Maurier was obsessed with the past. She intensively researched the lives of Francis and Anthony Bacon, the history of Cornwall, the Regency period, and nineteenth-century France and England. Above all, however, she was obsessed with her own family history, which she chronicled in Gerald: A Portrait, a biography of her father; The du Mauriers, a study of her family which focused on her grandfather, George du Maurier, the novelist and illustrator for Punch; The Glassblowers, a novel based upon the lives of her du Maurier ancestors; and Growing Pains, an autobiography that ignores nearly 50 years of her life in favour of the joyful and more romantic period of her youth. Daphne du Maurier can best be understood in terms of her remarkable and paradoxical family, the ghosts which haunted her life and fiction.
While contemporary writers were dealing critically with such subjects as the war, alienation, religion, poverty, Marxism, psychology and art, and experimenting with new techniques such as the stream of consciousness, du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.
In some of her novels, however, she went beyond the technique of the formulaic romance to achieve a powerful psychological realism reflecting her intense feelings about her father, and to a lesser degree, her mother. This vision, which underlies Julius, Rebecca and The Parasites, is that of an author overwhelmed by the memory of her father's commanding presence. In Julius and The Parasites, for example, she introduces the image of a domineering but deadly father and the daring subject of incest.
In Rebecca, on the other hand, du Maurier fuses psychological realism with a sophisticated version of the Cinderella story.
She spent her youth sailing boats, travelling on the Continent with friends, and writing stories. Her family connections helped her establish her literary career, and she published some of her early work in Beaumont's Bystander magazine. A prestigious publishing house accepted her first novel when she was in her early twenties, and its publication brought her not only fame but the attentions of a handsome soldier, Major (later Lieutenant-General Sir) Frederick Browning, whom she married.
She continued writing under her maiden name, and her subsequent novels became bestsellers, earning her enormous wealth and fame. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca, Frenchman's Creek, My Cousin Rachel, and Jamaica Inn, and the short stories The Birds and Don't Look Now/Not After Midnight. While Alfred Hitchcock's films based upon her novels proceeded to make her one of the best-known authors in the world, she enjoyed the life of a fairy princess in a mansion in Cornwall called Menabilly, which served as the model for Manderley in Rebecca.
Daphne du Maurier was obsessed with the past. She intensively researched the lives of Francis and Anthony Bacon, the history of Cornwall, the Regency period, and nineteenth-century France and England. Above all, however, she was obsessed with her own family history, which she chronicled in Gerald: A Portrait, a biography of her father; The du Mauriers, a study of her family which focused on her grandfather, George du Maurier, the novelist and illustrator for Punch; The Glassblowers, a novel based upon the lives of her du Maurier ancestors; and Growing Pains, an autobiography that ignores nearly 50 years of her life in favour of the joyful and more romantic period of her youth. Daphne du Maurier can best be understood in terms of her remarkable and paradoxical family, the ghosts which haunted her life and fiction.
While contemporary writers were dealing critically with such subjects as the war, alienation, religion, poverty, Marxism, psychology and art, and experimenting with new techniques such as the stream of consciousness, du Maurier produced 'old-fashioned' novels with straightforward narratives that appealed to a popular audience's love of fantasy, adventure, sexuality and mystery. At an early age, she recognised that her readership was comprised principally of women, and she cultivated their loyal following through several decades by embodying their desires and dreams in her novels and short stories.
In some of her novels, however, she went beyond the technique of the formulaic romance to achieve a powerful psychological realism reflecting her intense feelings about her father, and to a lesser degree, her mother. This vision, which underlies Julius, Rebecca and The Parasites, is that of an author overwhelmed by the memory of her father's commanding presence. In Julius and The Parasites, for example, she introduces the image of a domineering but deadly father and the daring subject of incest.
In Rebecca, on the other hand, du Maurier fuses psychological realism with a sophisticated version of the Cinderella story.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 13, 2020
This audiobook contains two stories by Daphne du Maurier that were turned into pretty well-known movies.
The Birds
(first published in 1952)
The basis for the Hitchcock classic, this novelette provides some nice imagery, and a couple of eerie moments. The audio adds some classic horror tunes to the mix, which was the most unnerving thing for me, as I never really get scared by books. However, I listened to this while I was walking across farm land on a cloudy day. And as the wind picked up there was a lot of activity among the birds. So that was nice.
Overall this story was a little too short for my liking. It also ends rather abruptly. Which would have been okay, I guess, if there had been a little more happening before that.
3.25 stars
Don't Look Now
(first published in 1971)
A married couple's holiday in Venice turns into a haunting tale of mistaken identities, possible sightings of dead or missing people, and encounters with strangers with presumed sinister agendas.
This was amazing. The plot felt a lot like that of an actual Hitchcock movie. But it is, of course, the basis for the quite famous Nicolas Roeg movie of the same name. I know it by its German title "Wenn die Gondeln Trauer tragen". But I'm not sure I've actually seen it. At least I did not make the connection while I was listening to this rather delightful story.
4.5 stars
The Birds
(first published in 1952)
The basis for the Hitchcock classic, this novelette provides some nice imagery, and a couple of eerie moments. The audio adds some classic horror tunes to the mix, which was the most unnerving thing for me, as I never really get scared by books. However, I listened to this while I was walking across farm land on a cloudy day. And as the wind picked up there was a lot of activity among the birds. So that was nice.
Overall this story was a little too short for my liking. It also ends rather abruptly. Which would have been okay, I guess, if there had been a little more happening before that.
3.25 stars
Don't Look Now
(first published in 1971)
A married couple's holiday in Venice turns into a haunting tale of mistaken identities, possible sightings of dead or missing people, and encounters with strangers with presumed sinister agendas.
This was amazing. The plot felt a lot like that of an actual Hitchcock movie. But it is, of course, the basis for the quite famous Nicolas Roeg movie of the same name. I know it by its German title "Wenn die Gondeln Trauer tragen". But I'm not sure I've actually seen it. At least I did not make the connection while I was listening to this rather delightful story.
4.5 stars
October 13, 2020
So, first of all, I've only known for a couple of years that The Birds was written by Daphne du Maurier. And also to find that she wrote more than three books, which was shocking, especially since I'm such a fan of Rebecca!
But here are two deeply creepy stories: First the Birds, which is far bleaker and more concise than the film, and Don't Look Now, which very reminiscent of one of Ray Bradbury's horror stories. In fact, if I'd done a "blind reading" I would have sworn it was Bradbury. And Peter Capaldi is a fabulous reader, I would love to listen to him narrate more of her things. Or Ray Bradbury's.
But here are two deeply creepy stories: First the Birds, which is far bleaker and more concise than the film, and Don't Look Now, which very reminiscent of one of Ray Bradbury's horror stories. In fact, if I'd done a "blind reading" I would have sworn it was Bradbury. And Peter Capaldi is a fabulous reader, I would love to listen to him narrate more of her things. Or Ray Bradbury's.
June 25, 2017
I read Rebecca relatively recently, and it was not my favorite because I find it hard to take melodrama seriously. Really, it's that hard to fire an aggressively mean housekeeper. But even at that, I was highly impressed by du Maurier's style: Mrs. De Winter's milquetoast personality and pearl-clutchy narration drove me nuts, but it was absolutely intentional and a masterful feat of characterization—the other characters talked like rational, recognizable humans. I probably would have enjoyed the book had it been told from somebody else's point of view!
These two short stories drive this home: du Maurier was a genius, of story and of style. The good news is that neither "The Birds" nor "Don't Look Now" are the least bit overwrought. They are, however, creepy as hell.
Full disclosure: I downloaded this audiobook after discovering that there will be no Doctor Who in 2016, excepting a Christmas special. Naturally feeling anxious, I was happy to find this one narrated by Peter Capaldi (speaking RP, not Scots...which threw me at first). I'm so glad I did.
I've always been a fan of the Hitchcock movie, but the source material for the "The Birds" couldn't be more different. It's a tight, sparse story set in Cornwall, and it's far darker than the movie. No romance. No lovebirds...or "lovebirds." It's one of the most perfect short stories I've heard, on par with Shirley Jackson or Flannery O'Connor. The avian invasion is definitely a metaphor for something...but whether it's the blitz or Communism (my vote) or modernity, it's hard to say. One thing is for sure, birds are freaky bastards. We all know this.
Toward the end, the main character confronts his fate (not without some flicker of hope):
Nat listened to the tearing sound of splintering wood, and wondered how many million years of memory were stored in those little brains, behind the stabbing beaks, the piercing eyes, now giving them this instinct to destroy mankind with all the deft precision of machines.
SO GOOD. And with a great economy of words that I was wanting in Rebecca.
"Don't Look Now" was more suspenseful, somehow. I haven't seen the movie, but definitely will. It takes place in Venice and involves creepy twins, which is solid.
These two short stories drive this home: du Maurier was a genius, of story and of style. The good news is that neither "The Birds" nor "Don't Look Now" are the least bit overwrought. They are, however, creepy as hell.
Full disclosure: I downloaded this audiobook after discovering that there will be no Doctor Who in 2016, excepting a Christmas special. Naturally feeling anxious, I was happy to find this one narrated by Peter Capaldi (speaking RP, not Scots...which threw me at first). I'm so glad I did.
I've always been a fan of the Hitchcock movie, but the source material for the "The Birds" couldn't be more different. It's a tight, sparse story set in Cornwall, and it's far darker than the movie. No romance. No lovebirds...or "lovebirds." It's one of the most perfect short stories I've heard, on par with Shirley Jackson or Flannery O'Connor. The avian invasion is definitely a metaphor for something...but whether it's the blitz or Communism (my vote) or modernity, it's hard to say. One thing is for sure, birds are freaky bastards. We all know this.
Toward the end, the main character confronts his fate (not without some flicker of hope):
Nat listened to the tearing sound of splintering wood, and wondered how many million years of memory were stored in those little brains, behind the stabbing beaks, the piercing eyes, now giving them this instinct to destroy mankind with all the deft precision of machines.
SO GOOD. And with a great economy of words that I was wanting in Rebecca.
"Don't Look Now" was more suspenseful, somehow. I haven't seen the movie, but definitely will. It takes place in Venice and involves creepy twins, which is solid.
March 25, 2020
These two stories definitely have creepy or menacing vibes.
For me, The Birds wasn't horror, or at least not the horror that I appreciate. She definitely went into some detail about the sound, look, and feel of the birds as they crashed into rooms, windows, and hurled themselves down chimneys but blood and gore are not where it's at for me. These descriptions definitely made me squeamish but not scared. The ending was so abrupt. I had to go back and listen to it again because I thought I missed something. It turns out I didn't miss anything. It just ended
Don't Look Now and Other Stories was more promising because it seemed to start off with more of an air of menace. I kept trying to predict what would happen and I never would have guessed that ending. In fact, I had questions after the ending that the book didn't solve. In some ways I wonder if it was a cop out because going back and looking at clues never could have prepared the reader for the ending, nor could it have answered the questions I still had.
I'm sure these stories were at the forefront of horror at their time. The problem for me, is that a lot of other horror authors have popped up since Du Maurier and readers' expectations for good horror have increased. I question whether or not they still hold up as well as they did in the era in which they were most popular.
For me, The Birds wasn't horror, or at least not the horror that I appreciate. She definitely went into some detail about the sound, look, and feel of the birds as they crashed into rooms, windows, and hurled themselves down chimneys but blood and gore are not where it's at for me. These descriptions definitely made me squeamish but not scared. The ending was so abrupt. I had to go back and listen to it again because I thought I missed something. It turns out I didn't miss anything. It just ended
Don't Look Now and Other Stories was more promising because it seemed to start off with more of an air of menace. I kept trying to predict what would happen and I never would have guessed that ending. In fact, I had questions after the ending that the book didn't solve. In some ways I wonder if it was a cop out because going back and looking at clues never could have prepared the reader for the ending, nor could it have answered the questions I still had.
I'm sure these stories were at the forefront of horror at their time. The problem for me, is that a lot of other horror authors have popped up since Du Maurier and readers' expectations for good horror have increased. I question whether or not they still hold up as well as they did in the era in which they were most popular.
October 25, 2013
Either I never knew or I'd forgotten that the movies "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now" were based on Daphne du Maurier stories. She's a genius. These are so much more chilling than the movies--and those movies are pretty good (understatement).
It's safe to say you should read anything by Daphne du Maurier that you can get your hands on.
"suicide gulls"
"Don't Look Now" kept me on the literal edge-of-my-seat.
It's safe to say you should read anything by Daphne du Maurier that you can get your hands on.
"suicide gulls"
"Don't Look Now" kept me on the literal edge-of-my-seat.
February 21, 2019
There must be something amiss, I'm baffled while drifting through a sea of 5-star reviews with nothing in the horizon.
The Birds is literally about a massive number of birds appearing out of nowhere, and the apocalyptic frenzy it caused in small farming community. Don't Look Now is about a couple on vacation trying to forget a recently lost child, and meeting a pair of twins who seem to have clairvoyance.
The Birds appeal to the survivalists who dig the ultimate apocalypse, with chaos, fear, and a dwindling of resources. Don't Look Now is about seeing other realities where the dead and the future reside. It's also a story of self-fulfilling prophesy.
The premise of both stories were interesting, the stories themselves were too short and ended too abruptly. I get one popular way of ending scary stories is with a cliffhanger, but these two short works lacked the depth to be enjoyable for me.
The Birds is literally about a massive number of birds appearing out of nowhere, and the apocalyptic frenzy it caused in small farming community. Don't Look Now is about a couple on vacation trying to forget a recently lost child, and meeting a pair of twins who seem to have clairvoyance.
The Birds appeal to the survivalists who dig the ultimate apocalypse, with chaos, fear, and a dwindling of resources. Don't Look Now is about seeing other realities where the dead and the future reside. It's also a story of self-fulfilling prophesy.
The premise of both stories were interesting, the stories themselves were too short and ended too abruptly. I get one popular way of ending scary stories is with a cliffhanger, but these two short works lacked the depth to be enjoyable for me.
Read
May 3, 2021First things first, Peter Calpaldi's magnificent voice MADE this audiobook. Petition for him to narrator all future audiobooks?
Now, into the actual stories.
The Birds: While based on a rather nonsensical premise, it did deliver on a survival apocalyptic scenario in a relatively isolated area. So if you can get past the urge to laugh, you may find a semi enjoyable story ahead of you. 3/5 stars.
Don't Look Now: *Sigh* I really don't know how to feel about this one. It was so well written, and I was downright impressed at the sense of urgency and grief pervading throughout the whole thing. The author was able to establish it in a limited amount of pages, and it honestly felt like a gem of a story when contrasted with The Birds. But then came the ending. Big Spoilers ahead! Seriously, if you don't want a major part of the ending spoiled stop reading right now. So in the last few minutes of the audiobook there are some very ableist descriptions of a person with dwarfism (who turns out to be a serial killer no less). From descriptions of a "too large head" and of "the creature gibbering in the corner" as well as the "hideous strength the creature used when throwing the knife", all the language used was used in a way to cause the reader uneasiness over the body of a little person. I haven't seen anyone else mention this, and it almost feels like I fever dreamed it. But alas, I did not. I'm not necessarily surprised, after all this was written in the forties, and the horror/thriller genre isn't exactly great with it's history of portraying the physically/mentally disabled. But the whole thing still left a bad taste in my mouth. There were definitely other things in Don't Look Now that have aged poorly, but it was the ending that was genuinely uncomfortable for me. Leaving this one unrated.
Now, into the actual stories.
The Birds: While based on a rather nonsensical premise, it did deliver on a survival apocalyptic scenario in a relatively isolated area. So if you can get past the urge to laugh, you may find a semi enjoyable story ahead of you. 3/5 stars.
Don't Look Now: *Sigh* I really don't know how to feel about this one. It was so well written, and I was downright impressed at the sense of urgency and grief pervading throughout the whole thing. The author was able to establish it in a limited amount of pages, and it honestly felt like a gem of a story when contrasted with The Birds. But then came the ending. Big Spoilers ahead! Seriously, if you don't want a major part of the ending spoiled stop reading right now. So in the last few minutes of the audiobook there are some very ableist descriptions of a person with dwarfism (who turns out to be a serial killer no less). From descriptions of a "too large head" and of "the creature gibbering in the corner" as well as the "hideous strength the creature used when throwing the knife", all the language used was used in a way to cause the reader uneasiness over the body of a little person. I haven't seen anyone else mention this, and it almost feels like I fever dreamed it. But alas, I did not. I'm not necessarily surprised, after all this was written in the forties, and the horror/thriller genre isn't exactly great with it's history of portraying the physically/mentally disabled. But the whole thing still left a bad taste in my mouth. There were definitely other things in Don't Look Now that have aged poorly, but it was the ending that was genuinely uncomfortable for me. Leaving this one unrated.
May 1, 2021
I've been working my way through Alfred Hitchcock's movies, and hadn't realized that his movie The Birds was based loosely on a short story by Daphne du Maurie.
Don't Look Now was well written, and I enjoyed the twist at the ending, but it was extremely problematic, and honestly downright insulting towards people of short stature. I realize this was written quite a long time ago, but it should still be pointed out.
Don't Look Now was well written, and I enjoyed the twist at the ending, but it was extremely problematic, and honestly downright insulting towards people of short stature. I realize this was written quite a long time ago, but it should still be pointed out.
March 23, 2023
pretty basic short stories tbh but the birds were very creepy !! i enjoyed being creeped out by the birds
June 10, 2023
Finally, some de Maurier that I actually like!
February 15, 2022
I loved The Birds it was very sinister with tension increasing all the time. I don’t like seagulls at all and I think this added to the horror of the story, having been dived bombed whilst having beach BBQs and also having an ice-cream snatched out of my hand, a frightening experience as they’re big birds!! The Birds was excellent and nothing like the Hitchcock film, well the bits I’ve seen, as it’s set on farmland in England, not in America. Don’t Look Now however was just okay, it felt very dated and the tension wasn’t that high probably because I’ve read or seen similar plots in films or on TV. Peter Capaldi’s narration was superb confirming to me what a fantastic narrator he is. I especially enjoyed his narration of The Birds.
January 1, 2020
Two short stories by Daphne du Maurier, each made into deeply disconcerting films, and each read by Peter Capaldi - what's gonna be wrong with that?
Not much at all, frankly. This original version of The Birds is, not to put too fine a point on it, much creepier and more believable than the Hitchcock movie, the sense of siege more like a heartbeat, the ending more dark and downbeat. Capaldi's accent is a little wobbly from time to time, but let's not forget the important point that this is Peter Capaldi, and he can do literally no wrong in this universe, and so dismiss such trifling concerns from our mind.
I've actually never seen the movie of Don't Look Now, though from what I've heard, it sticks more closely to the text than The Birds does. That being so, I'm not sure I WANT to see the movie, because that story's a real flesh-creeper and something that will stay with me rather longer than I want it to. The pacing's unusual, the sense of dislocation from reality gets creepier the further into the story you go, and the ending hits you like a knife in the heart, leaving you with a sense of 'Wait! Hang on...WHAT just happened?' which only develops into its full horror when you feed it back through the events of the story. Two creepy tales, one pseudo-scientific, one supernatural, combining to make a great introduction for newbies to du Maurier, read by the practically perfect Peter Capaldi. Listen, ideally, by daylight.
Not much at all, frankly. This original version of The Birds is, not to put too fine a point on it, much creepier and more believable than the Hitchcock movie, the sense of siege more like a heartbeat, the ending more dark and downbeat. Capaldi's accent is a little wobbly from time to time, but let's not forget the important point that this is Peter Capaldi, and he can do literally no wrong in this universe, and so dismiss such trifling concerns from our mind.
I've actually never seen the movie of Don't Look Now, though from what I've heard, it sticks more closely to the text than The Birds does. That being so, I'm not sure I WANT to see the movie, because that story's a real flesh-creeper and something that will stay with me rather longer than I want it to. The pacing's unusual, the sense of dislocation from reality gets creepier the further into the story you go, and the ending hits you like a knife in the heart, leaving you with a sense of 'Wait! Hang on...WHAT just happened?' which only develops into its full horror when you feed it back through the events of the story. Two creepy tales, one pseudo-scientific, one supernatural, combining to make a great introduction for newbies to du Maurier, read by the practically perfect Peter Capaldi. Listen, ideally, by daylight.
December 6, 2016
I grabbed this one from the library so I could have an audio edition of the current group read.
My review of The Birds is on that story page. It's a solid 4 star.
Don't Look Now is more like 3.5. I like the spookiness of the first 3/4 of it but wasn't a fan of the ending.
My review of The Birds is on that story page. It's a solid 4 star.
Don't Look Now is more like 3.5. I like the spookiness of the first 3/4 of it but wasn't a fan of the ending.
March 28, 2014
Two great, unsettling stories read by one of my favorites, Peter Capaldi. I will admit to listening to these solely BECAUSE of him and his fantastic voice, but these are legitimately enjoyable stories. I've seen the film version of The Birds, and it's always interesting to note the differences between the film and book versions. Definitely recommend this two-fer download.
November 21, 2017
A pair of strong short stories with questionable audio direction--Capaldi's reading is fine but the music and exaggerated tone, while intended to compliment the suspense/horror, come off as corny. But the stories themselves hold up. "The Birds" is smaller than I anticipated, more intimate; it gets away with its premise because of the local focus. The pacing is superb, and it's an accessible, effective metaphor for the Blitz. "Don't Look Now" succeeds thanks to voice and atmosphere; the protagonist's deterioration, his increasingly paranoid mindset and the way it confronts the sexism implicit in his view of his wife, makes for an effective unreliable narrator and strong, claustrophobic atmosphere. I love how du Maurier engages genre; her stories are atmospheric, compelling, honestly a lot of fun, but what sells them is the artistry--the intimate minutia of the first story, the choice of narrator in the second. Great writing! So-so recording.
December 9, 2020
3.75 stars overall.
3.5 for The Bird. I was so immersed in the story and suddenly it ended. Pulling the 4 into 3 rating with an extra 0.5 more for the superb narration that left the listener on the edge of their seats. (Yeah, I'm petty like that)
Don't Look Now, on the other hand, was good and I totally impressed with the twist. I've been eyeing Rebecca for a couple of years so next year (probably) is a good time to pick it up!
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January 6, 2023the birds: interesting to find out how much hitchcock changed about the story, I do think the changes work well for the movie but I also liked Nat and his protective pragmatism.
don't look now: I will have to watch at least one of the movies soon... :)
don't look now: I will have to watch at least one of the movies soon... :)
November 1, 2024
The Birds
Surely a major source of artistic influence upon both Spielberg and Shyamalan in the way it's single-focused story is sinister and outlandish in equal measure.
Don't Look Now
There's a lot to admire in here but, hot damn, I wished I'd written the line, "...while John, glancing furtively at the twins' table, noticed that they were tucking into plates piled high with spaghetti, in very un-psychic fashion."
Du Maurier walked, so King could run.
Surely a major source of artistic influence upon both Spielberg and Shyamalan in the way it's single-focused story is sinister and outlandish in equal measure.
Don't Look Now
There's a lot to admire in here but, hot damn, I wished I'd written the line, "...while John, glancing furtively at the twins' table, noticed that they were tucking into plates piled high with spaghetti, in very un-psychic fashion."
Du Maurier walked, so King could run.
October 18, 2019
Some spooky stories for spooky October
April 23, 2021
Three stars for The Birds. Four stars for Don't Look Now.
That puts me at 3.5 stars. Rounding up because the narrator, Peter Capaldi, is exceptionally gifted.
April 18, 2021
I loved both stories, these were so well written, so thrilling, and continuously building on tension and plot.
The first story is really darker than the famous movie, it focuses more on the apocalyptic dimension of the bird attack, unlike the Alfred Hitchcock plot. Du Maurier focuses on a family and it shows how the world succumbs under the evergrowing wave of birds that turn into mindless predators. It does not have a clear ending, rather it leaves the reader in high suspense, not knowing for how long the family will resist. Will they all die the next night or will they make it for a few more days, being eventually doomed?
The second story is very dynamic and it brings in the frontline a couple who tries to heal themselves after the loss of a girl child. They are in Venice and meet an unlikely couple of old twins with some paranormal powers, who tell them a positive message from their daughter's specter and announce to them on an impending danger and urgency to return to their son. The wife has to travel without the husband, who rests behind, having a vision with the wife and the twins, urgently returning to Venice. The final twist shows us that this vision is from the future, not from the present, as the women were returning as he lay dead, a victim of an unknown murderer. The story is really thrilling and the plot twist is unpredictable.
The first story is really darker than the famous movie, it focuses more on the apocalyptic dimension of the bird attack, unlike the Alfred Hitchcock plot. Du Maurier focuses on a family and it shows how the world succumbs under the evergrowing wave of birds that turn into mindless predators. It does not have a clear ending, rather it leaves the reader in high suspense, not knowing for how long the family will resist. Will they all die the next night or will they make it for a few more days, being eventually doomed?
The second story is very dynamic and it brings in the frontline a couple who tries to heal themselves after the loss of a girl child. They are in Venice and meet an unlikely couple of old twins with some paranormal powers, who tell them a positive message from their daughter's specter and announce to them on an impending danger and urgency to return to their son. The wife has to travel without the husband, who rests behind, having a vision with the wife and the twins, urgently returning to Venice. The final twist shows us that this vision is from the future, not from the present, as the women were returning as he lay dead, a victim of an unknown murderer. The story is really thrilling and the plot twist is unpredictable.
May 19, 2020
Aye, so, I only read Don't Look Now. When I eventually find my way to The Birds, I'll possibly finish this review; in any case, don't come looking here for things you already know aren't contained herein.
I very much liked Don't Look Now. In the beginning, I thought that du Maurier was going to vilify people who look/act different. Laura and her husband (the lead narrator) make fun of two twins. The most pertinent 'joke' from them, to me, is that of men in drag. The two continually make fun of this, and later in the story, the husband brings this theme back in his intense fear and paranoia. One of the twins is blind, and one of our narrators - John, I mean - always finds this somewhat strange.
So, I guess this evaluation isn't that hard to reach, but I think it goes a bit deeper. The two twins, despite being wrapped in mystery for much of the story, eventually turn out to be not only correct, but very kind. Indeed, their efforts to help John and Laura - to get them out of Venice, and to mention that Cristine (their dead child) is still around - are good actions. John is simply too biased and, moreover, too emotional to see this. (He has reason to be. Their daughter is dead, his wife hasn't fully recovered from it, threatening their happiness together, and - doom of dooms - these two women who he distrusts are becoming part of his life. Not to mention his drunkenness, and the psychological stress the disappearance of his wife. He has quite a bit on his plate.)
Thematically, the apparently visual uneasiness that manifests itself in John's mind and which is wrong has some purpose. After all, Daphne does kill him off with a dwarfed woman who is visibly described as rather unfortunate. In this, the relative looks of a person does not seem to matter, so much as their character (or, well, the amount of character that can be had from a murderess who is only shown twice). The fact that this woman is a dwarf, and is mistaken for a child by John, is also prescient to the story, considering the grief caused by the death the of Cristine (also a little girl). In a way, that grief motivates and helps separate Laura and John, with a bit of failed communication mixed in (John has trouble saying his true feelings, and also has a tendency to get rather angry/emotional, as I above described). Thus, we can read her existence as an ironic twist. That her appearance tricked John can be seen as a symbol of the emotional sight-blinders that can be put up not only through grief, but through anger and fear (also as the story shows). When John dies, it might be that he dies of his own failures as a person, with the addition of irreversibly and the un-redeeming nature of a death too early in one's own growth.
Obviously, I am putting a lot of interpretation onto the story, but that is probably the most fun part about art - I, anyway, love doing it. I hope you liked this review. Goodnight.
I very much liked Don't Look Now. In the beginning, I thought that du Maurier was going to vilify people who look/act different. Laura and her husband (the lead narrator) make fun of two twins. The most pertinent 'joke' from them, to me, is that of men in drag. The two continually make fun of this, and later in the story, the husband brings this theme back in his intense fear and paranoia. One of the twins is blind, and one of our narrators - John, I mean - always finds this somewhat strange.
So, I guess this evaluation isn't that hard to reach, but I think it goes a bit deeper. The two twins, despite being wrapped in mystery for much of the story, eventually turn out to be not only correct, but very kind. Indeed, their efforts to help John and Laura - to get them out of Venice, and to mention that Cristine (their dead child) is still around - are good actions. John is simply too biased and, moreover, too emotional to see this. (He has reason to be. Their daughter is dead, his wife hasn't fully recovered from it, threatening their happiness together, and - doom of dooms - these two women who he distrusts are becoming part of his life. Not to mention his drunkenness, and the psychological stress the disappearance of his wife. He has quite a bit on his plate.)
Thematically, the apparently visual uneasiness that manifests itself in John's mind and which is wrong has some purpose. After all, Daphne does kill him off with a dwarfed woman who is visibly described as rather unfortunate. In this, the relative looks of a person does not seem to matter, so much as their character (or, well, the amount of character that can be had from a murderess who is only shown twice). The fact that this woman is a dwarf, and is mistaken for a child by John, is also prescient to the story, considering the grief caused by the death the of Cristine (also a little girl). In a way, that grief motivates and helps separate Laura and John, with a bit of failed communication mixed in (John has trouble saying his true feelings, and also has a tendency to get rather angry/emotional, as I above described). Thus, we can read her existence as an ironic twist. That her appearance tricked John can be seen as a symbol of the emotional sight-blinders that can be put up not only through grief, but through anger and fear (also as the story shows). When John dies, it might be that he dies of his own failures as a person, with the addition of irreversibly and the un-redeeming nature of a death too early in one's own growth.
Obviously, I am putting a lot of interpretation onto the story, but that is probably the most fun part about art - I, anyway, love doing it. I hope you liked this review. Goodnight.
Read
September 29, 2022220929: "Don't Look Now" was much closer to the movie. Some troubling depictions (assumptions about cross-dressing, and of people of short stature). Finally, with fifteen minutes left to go, Peter Capaldi got to do a Scottish accent (though it still sounded put-on)—an old Scottish lady saying things in Italian with a Scottish accent, no less. XD
I'd like to state for the record that this story gave me nightmares. I was listening to it in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, and then I had a horrible dream that someone was outside my window on the roof, trying to look in or get in. It was terrifying. Serves me right for listening to horror stories during the devil's hour.
(And, by the way, the only thing I found disturbing about the movie was the sex scene. It was not a scary movie. It was barely even a creepy movie. The story was definitely more suspenseful, and I pretty much already knew what happened.)
220921: Wanted to add: So, there was a convention panel (circa 2015?) where one of the questions was about the actors' favourite fairy tale, and Peter Capaldi retold the gruesome ending of Grimms' version of "Rumplestiltskin," and there was joking that he should do an album/audiobook of grisly Scottish bedtime stories for children. So I was especially delighted to find that in 1997ish(?) he recorded these two short horror stories for this child right here to listen to at bedtime (or more properly at 3 o'clock in the morning when I can't sleep).
He took an adorable stab at BBC newscasting English for the radio report. I couldn't help but think during most of the story (1) I like birds so much, and (2) there probably aren't even enough birds left in the world to be very threatening en masse; poor nature. The story itself was lovely and suspenseful and gruesome. I do like the movie better (which apart from the basic premise is very different, with extra layers of wonderfully oblique and unexplained things), but I thought the story was excellent. On to "Don't Look Now"!
220920: I love Daphne du Maurier and Peter Capaldi, so finding this audiobook was a real treat. Haven't read either of these stories before (though I've seen the films based on both, and The Birds is my favourite Hitchcock film, tied with The Trouble With Harry and [surprise, surprise] Rebecca, oh, and also The 39 Steps—don't make me choose!), but so far "The Birds" has the sort of gorgeous, immediate/immersive writing I have come to expect from du Maurier (mainly because of Jamaica Inn; I read Rebecca decades ago and don't rightly recall the prose style). ANYWAY, Peter Capaldi is doing an RP-ish English accent for the text and, like, a Cornish/West Country accent for the dialogue, and I . . . yep. More than I can take without losing my cool. (Though I wish he'd been allowed to use his actual Glaswegian accent, too.)
I'd like to state for the record that this story gave me nightmares. I was listening to it in the middle of the night when I couldn't sleep, and then I had a horrible dream that someone was outside my window on the roof, trying to look in or get in. It was terrifying. Serves me right for listening to horror stories during the devil's hour.
(And, by the way, the only thing I found disturbing about the movie was the sex scene. It was not a scary movie. It was barely even a creepy movie. The story was definitely more suspenseful, and I pretty much already knew what happened.)
220921: Wanted to add: So, there was a convention panel (circa 2015?) where one of the questions was about the actors' favourite fairy tale, and Peter Capaldi retold the gruesome ending of Grimms' version of "Rumplestiltskin," and there was joking that he should do an album/audiobook of grisly Scottish bedtime stories for children. So I was especially delighted to find that in 1997ish(?) he recorded these two short horror stories for this child right here to listen to at bedtime (or more properly at 3 o'clock in the morning when I can't sleep).
He took an adorable stab at BBC newscasting English for the radio report. I couldn't help but think during most of the story (1) I like birds so much, and (2) there probably aren't even enough birds left in the world to be very threatening en masse; poor nature. The story itself was lovely and suspenseful and gruesome. I do like the movie better (which apart from the basic premise is very different, with extra layers of wonderfully oblique and unexplained things), but I thought the story was excellent. On to "Don't Look Now"!
220920: I love Daphne du Maurier and Peter Capaldi, so finding this audiobook was a real treat. Haven't read either of these stories before (though I've seen the films based on both, and The Birds is my favourite Hitchcock film, tied with The Trouble With Harry and [surprise, surprise] Rebecca, oh, and also The 39 Steps—don't make me choose!), but so far "The Birds" has the sort of gorgeous, immediate/immersive writing I have come to expect from du Maurier (mainly because of Jamaica Inn; I read Rebecca decades ago and don't rightly recall the prose style). ANYWAY, Peter Capaldi is doing an RP-ish English accent for the text and, like, a Cornish/West Country accent for the dialogue, and I . . . yep. More than I can take without losing my cool. (Though I wish he'd been allowed to use his actual Glaswegian accent, too.)
December 15, 2017
I listened to this mostly with the hope of gaining some new insight into Don’t Look Now. I saw the film for the first time about 5 years ago and was left puzzled and largely unafraid. The bizarre and completely out of nowhere ending has haunted me for years as I tried to figure out what the actual fuck happened. My quest for knowledge was destined to go unfulfilled, however.
Reading the actual story did not provide any clarity for me. Even though I knew the end, I was still surprised and confused by it. I don’t think I’ll ever understand this story, which for the first 98% is brilliantly crafted and satisfyingly creepy.
As for The Birds, it’s intimate setting gives it a wonderful skin-crawling discomfort.
And as always, since this was an audiobook, I have to give lots of credit to Peter Capaldi for giving such life to these stories. There wasn’t any doubt in my mind he’d be brilliant, and he was.
Reading the actual story did not provide any clarity for me. Even though I knew the end, I was still surprised and confused by it. I don’t think I’ll ever understand this story, which for the first 98% is brilliantly crafted and satisfyingly creepy.
As for The Birds, it’s intimate setting gives it a wonderful skin-crawling discomfort.
And as always, since this was an audiobook, I have to give lots of credit to Peter Capaldi for giving such life to these stories. There wasn’t any doubt in my mind he’d be brilliant, and he was.
January 24, 2018
"The Birds" and "Don't Look Now" have both been made into Hollywood films. Hitchcock's "The Birds" is very different from du Maurier's. Her post-war "Birds" is a metaphor for the terror experienced by British citizens when faced with peril coming from the sky--kamikaze pilots on suicie missions and the Blitz. There are no sexy out-of-towners (or any sex at all) but the elemental need for a man to protect his family in the face of destruction. I love both the book and film; they are very different.
"Don't Look Now" is follows the story of a couple in Venice trying to recover from the death of their daughter. Like the film, odd things happen because of their heightened emotional state, including some paranormal experiences. For those who have not read or seen "Don't Look Now," I'll stop here--but don't miss it! It is chilling and disconcerting.
"Don't Look Now" is follows the story of a couple in Venice trying to recover from the death of their daughter. Like the film, odd things happen because of their heightened emotional state, including some paranormal experiences. For those who have not read or seen "Don't Look Now," I'll stop here--but don't miss it! It is chilling and disconcerting.
August 13, 2023
I learned and then subsequently forgot that Du Maurier wrote the short story that the Hitchcock movie The Birds is based on, so it was a lovely surprise to find this gem. The narrator's voice was great, but it took an embarassingly long time for me to register that it was Peter Capaldi! He cloaks that Scottish accent so well that there was just some background sense of familiarity. "The Birds" is deliciously eerie and doesn't waste time trying to explain the birds' actions the way the movie does; the birds are just a massive, malevolent force against which the characters (probably) don't have a chance. 5 stars.
"Don't Look Now" wasn't as good by comparison; it's a serviceable, unsettling story with a good twist ending, but the buildup is pretty slow. I didn't love the portrayal of the disabled characters in this either, but that's the 70s for you. 3 stars.
"Don't Look Now" wasn't as good by comparison; it's a serviceable, unsettling story with a good twist ending, but the buildup is pretty slow. I didn't love the portrayal of the disabled characters in this either, but that's the 70s for you. 3 stars.
May 10, 2022
2.875/5
Rounded up to 3/5
The Birds
3/5
I’m not familiar with this story because I haven’t watched the movie.
This was my first Du Maurier and her descriptive writing is incredible!
I’m not scared of birds: I actually think they’re really cute, so this wasn’t really scary for me.
BUT Du Maurier’s writing is really good and that makes me excited to read her other books!
I’ll have to watch the movie and compare it with this story!
Don’t Look Now
2.75/5
It took me awhile to get into this book. And it wasn’t my favourite.
I found the story to be predictable. But it was marginally scarier than The Birds
So if you come across this book then yes I’d say read it or listen to it. But it’s not something I’d seek out.
*consumed as an audiobook
Rounded up to 3/5
The Birds
3/5
I’m not familiar with this story because I haven’t watched the movie.
This was my first Du Maurier and her descriptive writing is incredible!
I’m not scared of birds: I actually think they’re really cute, so this wasn’t really scary for me.
BUT Du Maurier’s writing is really good and that makes me excited to read her other books!
I’ll have to watch the movie and compare it with this story!
Don’t Look Now
2.75/5
It took me awhile to get into this book. And it wasn’t my favourite.
I found the story to be predictable. But it was marginally scarier than The Birds
So if you come across this book then yes I’d say read it or listen to it. But it’s not something I’d seek out.
*consumed as an audiobook
November 9, 2025
For some inexplicable reason, I hadn’t realised that both The Birds and Don’t look now were written by Daphne du Maurier! Being a fan of her other books, I am somewhat embarrassed by this 🙈
I just happened to be scrolling through available titles on Apple Books and came across this absolute gem. How do you make a Du Maurier audiobook even better? You sign up Peter Capaldi to narrate said book of course! Capaldi’s incredible RP narration is on point - bringing these classic horror stories to life. I totally recommend this recording but be warned - if you are not a fan of unresolved endings you probably won’t appreciate The Birds and if you like your horror to be served amidst blood and gore you might not like Don’t look now.
I just happened to be scrolling through available titles on Apple Books and came across this absolute gem. How do you make a Du Maurier audiobook even better? You sign up Peter Capaldi to narrate said book of course! Capaldi’s incredible RP narration is on point - bringing these classic horror stories to life. I totally recommend this recording but be warned - if you are not a fan of unresolved endings you probably won’t appreciate The Birds and if you like your horror to be served amidst blood and gore you might not like Don’t look now.
May 8, 2023
A pleasure to read both--Hitchcock's THE BIRDS remains one of my favorites by him, even if modern audiences may find it slow. The du Maurier short story of THE BIRDS wastes no time (the first bird attack occurs a few pages in), and her words signify even more terrifying possibilities (attacks by hawks and vultures). The film and short story: very different, but both work.
I am TERRIFIED of birds--I think it all dates back to riding my bike in the country in Iowa as a child and constantly having to deal with attacks from red-wing blackbirds, defending their nests in the ditches. They swarmed, swept down, and would peck at your HEAD AND FACE. Now, I live in NYC and am constantly being overwhelmed by pigeons.
DON'T LOOK NOW I remember as a film with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie--on the surface, the film and short story seem to follow each other much more closely. I didn't remember or see the end coming!
Both nifty little short stories that would make for good Halloween reads.
I am TERRIFIED of birds--I think it all dates back to riding my bike in the country in Iowa as a child and constantly having to deal with attacks from red-wing blackbirds, defending their nests in the ditches. They swarmed, swept down, and would peck at your HEAD AND FACE. Now, I live in NYC and am constantly being overwhelmed by pigeons.
DON'T LOOK NOW I remember as a film with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie--on the surface, the film and short story seem to follow each other much more closely. I didn't remember or see the end coming!
Both nifty little short stories that would make for good Halloween reads.
March 5, 2024
Even though I love Daphne Du Maurier and I love Hitchcock, I suddenly realized I had never read the Birds. It did not disappoint. The film is definitely only "loosely based" on this story which revolves around a man, his wife and two young children. It is otherwise filled with things Du Maurier is good at like suspense and good old fashioned drama.
I also love the film version of Don't Look Now and I can't remember reading that one either so added bonus! This story is much closer to the events in the film. I found the story to be nice and scary even though I knew what was going to happen. Good reader on the audio as well.
I also love the film version of Don't Look Now and I can't remember reading that one either so added bonus! This story is much closer to the events in the film. I found the story to be nice and scary even though I knew what was going to happen. Good reader on the audio as well.
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