Don't Look Now - February 2026 > Likes and Comments
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What other stories are we reading, or was this the only Goodreads listing for Don't Look Now? I have a different collection, but was probably just going to read the one story now due to time constraints.
Title Story Only, April. Any collection you read it from is fine.
This is not one of my favorite stories of Daphne du Maurier. I read it sometime in the last 4 or 5 years, but didn't record it on Goodreads. It has suspense and a bit of mystery. I think "The Birds" may be her best short story. But I do like du Maurier so I think everything she writes is worth reading.
Got it! Thanks!Started reading a big chunk tonight, but i think i will finish it tomorrow. Too distracted and also a bit nervous about this one. I mean the story is leaving me in suspense, and i dont want to read anything sad right now. Ha! (Not a spoiler because i dont know what happens, just guessing something tragic, since it is "macabre.") So ill be reading something else now or watch tv.
I feel like I can only handle so many mysteries at once at far as reads and am reading one right now, but I'm interested in this one because I have enjoyed reading this author before. As Lynn says, The Birds is one of the most memorable and I've read some of du Maurier's novels. I was less impressed with Jamaica Inn, a recent read, but loved Rebecca, and thought Our Cousin Rachel a solid one too.
Franky wrote: "I feel like I can only handle so many mysteries at once at far as reads and am reading one right now, but I'm interested in this one because I have enjoyed reading this author before. As Lynn says,..."Oh The Birds was Du Maurier? While i technically havent read that, i know the story and film. Yeah, super creepy! (I think it is the same film. Gonna go double check now though. Ha)
The popularity of this story was greatly increased by the release of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 film adaptation of the same name. It has often been cited to demonstrate the difference between film and prose with film fans praising the film's superiority. I do recommend the film whether you like the story or not just to see what Roeg did with it. I am linking a short trailer but this is a film that is been seen with no foreknowledge at all.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXP8O...
The film is available as a streaming rental from various sources and there is a Criterion Edition available for purchase for film buffs.
Sam wrote: "The popularity of this story was greatly increased by the release of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 film adaptation of the same name. It has often been cited to demonstrate the difference between film and pr..."I enjoyed the film very much Sam!
April wrote: "Franky wrote: "I feel like I can only handle so many mysteries at once at far as reads and am reading one right now, but I'm interested in this one because I have enjoyed reading this author before..."I used to teach the short story "The Birds" in my 8th grade Literature class. The original story is set in the countryside of England just post World War II. It was changed a good bit for the Hitchcock movie. I used the emphasise the symbolism of birds to a population recovering from the trauma of the Blitz.
Sam wrote: "The popularity of this story was greatly increased by the release of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 film adaptation of the same name. It has often been cited to demonstrate the difference between film and pr..."Interesting that there is a film adaptation from the 70s. It's always interesting to compare book/story to the film adaptation.
Well, I read it, and it was well written and actually had me until the ending. I just didn't find it either shocking or believable. So for me the story ended with a shrug - but it's not my type of tale, either. Others will like it a lot more than me, I'm sure. :)
Teri-K wrote: "Well, I read it, and it was well written and actually had me until the ending. I just didn't find it either shocking or believable. So for me the story ended with a shrug - but it's not my type of ..."I took it slightly opposite. I was enjoying the story and was gob-smacked at the ending. A complete surprise I didn't see coming. But on reflection it was typical of du Maurier, I should have seen something coming, oh well.
I listened to it tonight on YouTube, read by a young woman. I am glad I did.At first, the game in the restaurant reminded me of the Simon and Garfunkle lyrics, “She said the man in the gaberdine suit was a spy. I said be careful, his bow tie is really a camera.” I thought it was fun.
And then the story got darker and darker. I started to think it was like a tale from Poe, only updated to the 20th Century, and of course, in du Maurier’s voice. I didn’t see the ending until almost the end of the story. I had a forboding as the ladies were walked home from the police station, but the actual ending had some surprising details.
Good choice of a short story to read!
Franky wrote: "Sam wrote: "The popularity of this story was greatly increased by the release of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 film adaptation of the same name. It has often been cited to demonstrate the difference between..."I saw that movie when it came out and thought it was excellent. Recently I read the story and was impressed that someone could make an intelligent movie out of it because there is so much in the story that happens in people's emotional space. The film has some beautiful visual symbolism in it. I feel sure that I appreciated the story much more having seen the film.
So far I really like the two Daphne du Maurier works I've read. Does anyone have a favorite?
Klowey wrote: "Franky wrote: "Sam wrote: "The popularity of this story was greatly increased by the release of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 film adaptation of the same name. It has often been cited to demonstrate the dif..."My favorite is Rebecca, next the short story The Birds, and I really enjoyed the strange book we read last year The House on the Strand.
Everyone reads Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel, but I also really loved The Scapegoat and The Flight of the Falcon. I confess to loving all her fictional works, but not so much those like Mary Anne that are based on real people.
I just had a useless, but slightly interesting thought. I think I understand why du Maurier used Venice as the vacation setting for this story. It’s the Grand Canal. During the pivotal scene, as John travels down the canal by boat , he spots Laura and the twin sisters heading up the canal, also by boat. On the water, there is no quick turnaround in order to give immediate chase. If this had taken place in another city, on a road, in taxi cabs, John could have said the immortal movie line, “Quick driver, follow that cab.” Thus spoiling the whole psychic plot. Indubitably, Sherlock Holmes has nothing on me.
I read this today while waiting in the doctor's office for my sister. I had read it before, and I remembered the basic story, but oddly I had no memory at all of the ending. Isn't that strange? I liked the psychological aspects of the story, seeing things through John's eyes. Very good deduction, Dr. Watson. I had not given that a second's thought.
Lynn wrote: "Klowey wrote: "Franky wrote: "Sam wrote: "The popularity of this story was greatly increased by the release of Nicholas Roeg's 1973 film adaptation of the same name. It has often been cited to demo..."Thank you.
Klowey wrote: "So far I really like the two Daphne du Maurier works I've read. Does anyone have a favorite?"I liked Rebecca, and thought The Birds was creepy (it’s never been a favorite Hitchcock movie either), but my favorite by her so far was Frenchman's Creek read last year.
As for this story, though I was expecting what happened, I didn’t expect the twist. As I have this in a collection, I read the other four stories as well, liking some better than others.
I liked the second story, The Breakthrough, more than Don't Look Now. I felt very connected to the young man, Ken, and worried for what was going to happen to him. I read all these stories so long ago that no memory of them is there anymore--making it like an entirely new collection for me.
I agree about The Birds: That story is top tier. I also liked Rebecca a lot.This one: I liked the many turns and twists the story takes, but not the supernatural elements.
I’m reading this collection After Midnight: Thirteen Chilling Tales for the Dark Hours. Don’t Look Now is the second story and I found it quite gripping. I didn’t predict the ending but kinda guessed that the husband was also psychic, or at least had a vision of the future.The third story is The Alibi. Is that in your collection Sarah? It’s a weird one.
I found it hard to get into initially, but enjoyed it and the twist was surprising. She's very good at psychological suspense. I'm reading it in a collection called Not After Midnight, and Other Stories, will try to read the others before it is due at the library.
Oh yeah, i finished this one a while back now and am getting fuzzy already on the ending. Geez! I know i felt a bit disappointed by it though, because like we got all excited and nervous and then it was just kind of over. I remember some more of it now, like (view spoiler)and i think i was frustrated because (view spoiler)
I did enjoy this story, but I guessed the ending too quickly. Not the details of how it would happen, just that it would happen.
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