REVIEW: THE DOLL by Daphne du Maurier

The Lost Short Stories

These tales written very early in her career (1926-1932), long before Rebecca.  Some were published much later, some not at all.  It's fascinating to see the writer she would become taking shape in these early stories.  Sometimes they style is slightly more simplistic as though they were first drafts or rough sketches.  What always comes through, however, is her exploration of the human psyche -- both of her characters and the reader.  She reveals only just so much, leaving the reader to fill in the blanks.  But rest assured, we land just where du Maurier leads us.  Somehow we now the darkened path, the frightening staircase will lead us down but we can't stop reading.

du Maurier on the stairs of her beloved home, Menabilly

Another theme that du Maurier employs in her stories that transfers to the reader is a sense of emptiness. The Doll tracks the slow descent to madness through "found" pages of a diary.  A man chases an elusive woman, named Rebecca (naturally).  She is described as cold, heartless vacant.  To the narrator she is a doll.  Perfection is in construction but absent of feeling or soul.  But Rebecca's fickle nature drives the narrator mad.  And Now To God The Father displays her distinct distrust of organized religion.  Frustration reads like a novice's attempt at an O. Henry ironic fable.  Tame Cat is entirely unsettling just like we expect du Maurier should be.  By writing from the point-of-view of an incredibly naive narrator, the reader is able to withhold judgement until the awful truth cannot be denied.  Nothing Hurts For Long are the interior thoughts of a two-faced, fair weather "friend."  Weekend is bitingly realistic and darkly funny.  Within a few short pages, she has traced the evolution of a relationship, albeit cynically.

All of the stories poke at our idea of normal, challenging what is comfortable.  This is unsurprising, knowing the little we do about her unconventional upbringing.  Her grandfather was George du Maurier, author of the wildly popular Trilby.  Daphne was also cousin to the Llewelyn Davies boys, who ultimately inspired J. M. Barrie to write Peter Pan.  Psychologically unnerving and yet somehow of a parallel universe, The Doll will resonate with fans of Jamaica Inn, Don't Look Now (aka Not After Midnight), Rebecca, and The Scapegoat.  

Also read a great article in The Telegraph.

Many thanks to the folks at William Morrow / HarperCollins for the review copy.

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ISBN: 9780062080349
Imprint: William Morrow Paperbacks
On Sale: 11/22/2011
Format: Trade PB
Trimsize: 5 5/16 x 8
Pages: 224; $14.99
Ages: 18 and Up

REVIEW: THE STARLITE DRIVE-IN by Marjorie Reynolds

Set in 1950s rural Indiana, this debut novel is told from the first-person by Callie Anne, primarily in flash back.  Now an adult, she is drawn back to the summer she turned 11.  Her memories are recalled in the mindset of a child who now has an adult perspective.  

Her father is the manager and projectionist at the drive-in theatre -- king of his small, dusty domain.  Her mother is a agoraphobic, but determined homemaker.  Their predictable if dreary lives are turned upside down when Memphis is hired to help at the theatre.  Officially, he is there to do odd jobs like repair the concessions stand and repaint outbuildings.  Unofficially, he befriends Callie and her mother.  It quickly becomes clear to him that their living situation is an abusive and repressive one and he vows to help them escape.  

One thing Reynolds is very adept at conveying is a complicated relationship.  Callie Anne, still a young girl, looks up to her father, despite his temper.  The two spend hours in the projection booth, watching reels and reciting lines from their favorite movies.  Yet she finds his tyranny stifling.  Callie Anne is as much of a parent to her mother as her mother is to her.  She keeps a lid on things, for the most part, and does all the things in the outside world that her mother can't.  Memphis complicates this balance, but there is no going back once he and her mother fall in love. And despite his horrid actions, the reader can't help but feel sympathetic towards Callie Anne's father.  He is losing his family.

At the outset, the story reminded me a bit of To Kill A Mockingbird.  A youthful narrator making observations on her own past from a more mature perspective.  A rural setting.  Complicated families.   But about halfway in, it devolved into a soap opera.  Situations become repetitive, until all that's left is "will they or won't they?".  Those who like coming-of-age stories with a gossipy edge should read The Starlite Drive-In.

Many thanks to the folks at HarperCollins for the review copy.

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ISBN: 9780062092649; ISBN10: 0062092642; Imprint: William Morrow Paperbacks ; On Sale: 11/22/2011; Format: Trade PB; Trimsize: 5 5/16 x 8; Pages: 336; $14.99; Ages: 18 and Up; BISAC1:FIC000000; BISAC2:FIC022000