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The Birds

Daphne du Maurier

Start date: December 1, 2016

Finish date: December 31, 2016

Discussion: Short Story/Novella Collection

Why we're reading this: Short Story Read, December 06
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Short Story/Novella Collection

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What Members Thought

Nov 14, 2018 Candi rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics-shelf, animals, horror-creepy, birds

"The sky was hard and leaden, and the brown hills that had gleamed in the sun the day before looked dark and bare. The east wind, like a razor, stripped the trees, and the leaves, crackling and dry, shivered and scattered with the wind’s blast… Black winter had descended in a single night."

Indeed, more than just black winter had descended…

This past summer my kids demanded a road trip out to Cedar Point, Ohio. The roller coasters at this amusement park are almost as terrifying as this story! I r "The sky was hard and leaden, and the brown hills that had gleamed in the sun the day before looked dark and bare. The east wind, like a razor, stripped the trees, and the leaves, crackling and dry, shivered and scattered with the wind’s blast… Black winter had descended in a single night."

Indeed, more than just black winter had descended…

This past summer my kids demanded a road trip out to Cedar Point, Ohio. The roller coasters at this amusement park are almost as terrifying as this story! I refrained from paying admission to the park itself and entertained myself elsewhere. I laid a blanket down at a local park that offered a clear view of the thrill rides in the distance, and pulled a book from my bag. It wasn’t long before a gull, followed by another, and then a third, perched nearby in the grass. Each bird chose a side and peered at me from those beady little eyes. Eventually the gap between bird and blanket was closed, and the pleasure I sought had instantly vanished. Thankfully, my own story did not become gruesome, but it definitely offered up several minutes of unease – as well as a funny phone video that I shared on the car ride home later! Following the debacle of my day of peace, I made a mental note to read this little book this October.

The Birds is an eerie and perfectly atmospheric classic short story by one of my favorite authors. I just adore du Maurier, and although this one did not pack quite as big a punch as her full length novels, it was still wholly satisfying and did the trick – it gave me the creeps on a cold autumn night! For some reason, rather than migrating as usual, thousands of birds of all varieties have congregated in a small peninsular town in England. Their appearance is menacing, and the tension builds at a swift crescendo throughout. I have a vague memory of the movie by Alfred Hitchcock and this is completely different! An entertaining read should you choose to pick it up. You might not look at those cute little songbirds outside your window the same way ever again.

"They waited and watched… on the hedge-rows, on the soil, crowded in the trees, outside in the field, line upon line of birds, all still, doing nothing." ...more

126 likes · Like · see review

Dec 04, 2016 Melanti rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook, group-reads, e-book, short-story-novella, 2016, classics

A very creepy and claustrophobic novel.

I really liked all the WWII references. I have to wonder, how much of England is left alive? How many could have survived? Managed to take refuge in their former bomb shelters, or had a well-built closet they could hide in? Could the London subway system - which was a vital shelter during the blitz - be nearly as secure against an enemy like the birds as it was against German bombs?

And I also have to wonder about all the references to Communism... Cold war ...more

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May 02, 2022 Tom Britz rated it it was amazing

This short story is the basis for the famous Alfred Hitchcock film. It was a different setting. Where the film seemed to be in a town, this story was on a farm. Like the movie there really was no explanation as to why the sudden attacks by birds. But the story was more immediate and forceful. The sense of dread and despair was more immediate. Nat only had time to think of his family and how they could make it. There was no future plans other than to raid a nearby farm for supplies when they foun ...more

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