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A review by srogan88
The Breaking Point: Short Stories by Daphne du Maurier
3.0
The thing I both love and hate about short story collections is the unevenness of the stories contained within them.
This is only the second book I've read from Daphne du Maurier, the first being her amazing full-length novel, "Rebecca," which is one of my favorite books ever. I was so excited to discover du Maurier had written short stories!
The collection started strong. "The Alibi" is the first entry and perhaps my favorite. It set the bar high with its creepy demeanor, complex characters, and twisted ending. "The Blue Lenses" came next and while it wasn't quite my thing, it was quite other-worldly and "off" enough that I appreciated it. "Ganymede" was more my style and the plot took turns I didn't expect, which some people find frustrating but I often find satisfying. I enjoyed "The Pool" up until the end, when it sort of lost me a bit. "The Archduchess" was both very interesting and yet torturous to read at the same time, a real feat. I enjoyed "The Menace" - exploring the adaptation of a big Hollywood star to new technology while his entourage manages him so poorly brought about a rewarding ending. I didn't feel much about "The Chamois," and the final story, "The Lucky Ones," felt like it was either rushed and underdeveloped or a bit of a throwaway.
So once again, how do you rate a collection of short stories? Do you rate each individual story and take an average? Rate the feeling you have as you look back on the book, realizing you'll likely be influenced most heavily by the last story in it? Rate it based on how it held up to expectations? I'm going with 3 stars - there are two stories I would definitely read again and a third I would consider. There are a couple I would never read again. And a couple that I felt in-between about.
This is only the second book I've read from Daphne du Maurier, the first being her amazing full-length novel, "Rebecca," which is one of my favorite books ever. I was so excited to discover du Maurier had written short stories!
The collection started strong. "The Alibi" is the first entry and perhaps my favorite. It set the bar high with its creepy demeanor, complex characters, and twisted ending. "The Blue Lenses" came next and while it wasn't quite my thing, it was quite other-worldly and "off" enough that I appreciated it. "Ganymede" was more my style and the plot took turns I didn't expect, which some people find frustrating but I often find satisfying. I enjoyed "The Pool" up until the end, when it sort of lost me a bit. "The Archduchess" was both very interesting and yet torturous to read at the same time, a real feat. I enjoyed "The Menace" - exploring the adaptation of a big Hollywood star to new technology while his entourage manages him so poorly brought about a rewarding ending. I didn't feel much about "The Chamois," and the final story, "The Lucky Ones," felt like it was either rushed and underdeveloped or a bit of a throwaway.
So once again, how do you rate a collection of short stories? Do you rate each individual story and take an average? Rate the feeling you have as you look back on the book, realizing you'll likely be influenced most heavily by the last story in it? Rate it based on how it held up to expectations? I'm going with 3 stars - there are two stories I would definitely read again and a third I would consider. There are a couple I would never read again. And a couple that I felt in-between about.