Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne Du Maurier (New York Review Books Classics)

A collection of Daphne du Maurier's short stories, Don't Look Now reminds readers that du Maurier should be remembered for more than just gothic romances or adapted films. Including gems such as "The Blue Lenses" that tells the story of a woman whose eye surgery leaves her with better sight than she ever could have desired and "Monte Verita" that is a mix of...more

A collection of Daphne du Maurier's short stories, Don't Look Now reminds readers that du Maurier should be remembered for more than just gothic romances or adapted films. Including gems such as "The Blue Lenses" that tells the story of a woman whose eye surgery leaves her with better sight than she ever could have desired and "Monte Verita" that is a mix of love story, truth quest, and obsession, this collection offers a little bit for everyone. Any collection of du Maurier's would be incomplete, of course, without "The Birds," the short story that inspired Hitchcock's movie. Also included are "Escort," a benevolent ghost story; "Split Second," what might be considered a science fiction, time travel story; "Kiss Me Again, Stranger," a murder-centric story; "La Sainte-Vierge," the story of an idealistic young wife; "Indiscretion," a love story gone wrong; and of course the title story "Don't Look Now," a psychic thriller. The quality of the selections varies. Stories such as "The Blue Lenses" and "Don't Look Now" display du Maurier's ability to create uncanny situations beautifully. Others, such as "La Sainte-Vierge" and "Indiscretion" seem dated and worn to current audiences. Patrick McGrath's introduction does little to further intrigue readers in the writing ability or life of the author. Still, taken as a collection, Don't Look Now provides a good introduction to du Maurier's writings as well as good examples of the short story style.   hide