Time for another review this time on another Daphne du Maurier publication. Not a novel like Rebecca but some of her short stories. There are a number of short stories Daphne du Maurier wrote this is from the collection called The Doll Short Stories. In this collection du Maurier’s stories deal with human traits so well: obsession, jealousy, possession, fear and fragility.
The first story deals with jealousy – a marriage which has become mundane, boring and routine. Yet when that marriage is tested by lust, the love is clearly there, but jealousy if not controlled can drive us all mad. The second story of lust, desire, uncertainty of what we truly want, has the horror of humour behind it, reminding me very much of DV8’s Enter Achilles where it’s all fun until you realise the horror of the object that should be fun.
The third story perhaps hits home to modern times more than a lot of the other stories. Whilst all play on human emotions, the third story talks of hypocrisy of the church also, the actions of corruption. Not that this represents all or any particular church of religion but it makes you question good and bad for sure.
Two stories deal with a prostitute. One when she is at the top of her game, witty, sharp, in control, ruthless almost, and one at the end of her game when she knows her time is running out. These stories are perhaps two that really hit my emotions most, because you could see the character development between the first character we see of the prostitute to the end character we see of her. We know her story, we know her life, we see her mistakes, her good and bad points and our own emotions of empathy and love come into play to make her a friend. It was almost a novel in itself reading both short stories of this character.
All of the stories play on human emotion. The writing of du Maurier never fails to be colourfully descriptive and as a result she hits home. She awakens your inner feelings, inner insecurities, inner wanderings. The story about the mother and daughter in particular, I think, is all relatable at some point and what brings the story even more alive is not only the emotion shown in the mother but the growing up of the daughter, the fear and naivety of growing up. The fear of growing up but the excitement that comes with it until you realise that growing up isn’t what you imagined.
None of the stories have happy endings, that isn’t a spoiler in any way. What the stories do offer is a very real insight into human emotions, including our own, questioning our own emotions, choices. The characters are very real, very present and in many ways the characters for me are almost testers for the characters in Rebecca. They aren’t but almost could be.
What I enjoy so much about du Maurier’s writing is the description she uses, the places, the characters, the stories are very vivid, very real and for me that’s what makes her stories so fantastic and makes me want to read more, which doesn’t often happen for me.
From The Doll collection of short stories I have now bought The Breaking Point Short Stories which I shall review when finished. For now enjoy reading and definitely check out The Doll Short Stories.
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