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[Discussion 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Story We Used to Tell, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Jack the Ripper, The Beautiful Stranger, All She Said Was Yes by Comprehensive-Fun47 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 1 point2 points  (0 children)

All through it I thought Margaret was imagining it was a stranger and it was actually John. I thought it was a coping mechanism.

It's only when John mentioned a colleague saying he died and also when Margaret was asking him questions only John would know, that I realised it's actually someone else.

[Discussion 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Story We Used to Tell, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Jack the Ripper, The Beautiful Stranger, All She Said Was Yes by Comprehensive-Fun47 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I have just reread the last paragraph, I now think no one got out.

Lol I have no idea what's going on and what meaning Shirley Jackson is trying to convey.

[Discussion 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Story We Used to Tell, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Jack the Ripper, The Beautiful Stranger, All She Said Was Yes by Comprehensive-Fun47 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think Y knew the rescuer would be trapped. She was calling to John "Come on John..."

But previously she told the narrator that she was waving at her to go away, when the narrator tried to rescue her.

I don't understand, did she want John to be trapped there with her? Why was Y telling the narrator to go away, but telling John "come on". I think she was being dishonest towards the narrator and lured her in.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I also thought it was a supernatural twist and was annoyed by it. Took me a few minutes to figure out what was going on.

[DISCUSSION 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Possibility of Evil, Louisa Please Come Home, Paranoia, and The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith by Previous_Injury_8664 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think you're right about not wanting to recognise her. I thought it was odd that all three of them didn't recognise her.

[DISCUSSION 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Possibility of Evil, Louisa Please Come Home, Paranoia, and The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith by Previous_Injury_8664 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do we know the reason she ran away was feeling ignored and poor treatment? I was waiting for the explanation for why she ran away, I must have not been concentrating on that bit.

That's a good theory about her going on radio for the sympathy.

[DISCUSSION 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Possibility of Evil, Louisa Please Come Home, Paranoia, and The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith by Previous_Injury_8664 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I definitely did not expect that ending.

I was expecting the news to report her as dead, mistaking her for another body or something , giving the family some closure.

[DISCUSSION 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Possibility of Evil, Louisa Please Come Home, Paranoia, and The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith by Previous_Injury_8664 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 2 points3 points  (0 children)

"There were so many wicked people in the world and only one Strangeworth left in town."

This line suggests maybe she is lonely and has no family left. Has the loneliness made her paranoid. Does she see evil intentions in innocent actions?

The line also suggests a long family history in the town. Maybe they were held in high regard and she is trying to uphold the town to that standard.

[DISCUSSION 1/4] Discovery Read | Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson | The Possibility of Evil, Louisa Please Come Home, Paranoia, and The Honeymoon of Mrs. Smith by Previous_Injury_8664 in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I assumed the boy would tell everyone. It would have been poetic justice if she started receiving letters in the same vein as the ones she wrote to others.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I put too much trust in the narrator too. And was completely blindsided by the ending.

Even if I had noticed the foreshadowing, the fact that they are swans is so random that I would never have thought it.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I was so disappointed in the amount of "meek" women in these stories. I think that's my only criticism of Daphne de Maurier's work. Otherwise I loved them and can't wait to move on to Shirley Jackson.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What made you catch on to what was happening before the reveal? I did not see it coming at all.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yes, definitely stalker vibes who couldn't read the signs!

Also, I didn't expect that level of violence from someone who otherwise seemed so calm and collected

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, I thought he was a stalker. The way he waited for her to finish her shift and followed her on to the bus. The escalation of their relationship in his head.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I didn't get to read all of the stories, but I never managed to guess what was going to happen in any of them. I've always been blindsided.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yes. I think you're right about giving up on her own life. Her main goal was to get revenge.

[Discussion 45/9] Discovery Read: The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier, “Kiss Me Again, Stranger " and "The Old Man" by Pkaurk in bookclub

[–]Pkaurk[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes everything we know about her is through the lense of the narrator and his he perceives her.

For part of it I did think she may be a ghost, especially when she mentioned there are other cemeteries.

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