“Rebecca is a work of immense intelligence and wit, elegantly written, thematically solid, suspenseful..” –Washington Post“Daphne du Maurier created a scale by which modern women can measure their feelings.” –Stephen King Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . .The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter … swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives–presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.
First published in 1938, this classic gothic novel is such a compelling read that it won the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the Century.
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Before the new 2020 movie is released for Rebecca, I wanted to read it again. For a story penned in 1938, this book still keeps me turning pages the second time, to see what the deal is with the mysterious Rebecca. It begins slow but as I read, I familiarize myself once again with the mysterious female narrator and why she is preoccupied with Rebecca. The developing love story poses the complex age old question: What is a person willing to do for another in the name of love? Timeless dilemmas we has humans have experienced through the ages, no matter what decade we’re in. Our love for one another is part of what makes us human. This book is one of the reasons I chose to write romantic suspense. I love this genre and I’ll no doubt read it again. It’s that good! Do yourself a favor and read it before the movie is released.
Rebecca was my first du Maurier book and after reading this I instantly fell in love with her other books. Although it was written such a long time ago, the world of Manderley and Maxim de Winter seem as real as it would have done when written. The plot twist is a masterpiece. I have now read several more du Maurier books and none have ever quite managed to come up to the standard Rebecca set.
The 1938 classic psychological suspense mystery by Daphne Du Maurier, with arguably one of the most famous opening lines in literature is still a great read. The story is told in the first person by an anonymous woman with a “very lovely and unusual name” who is intimidated by the image of her husband’s ex-wife Rebecca, whose mysterious death is central to the story. The reader experiences the increasing psychological torment inflicted by the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers on the narrator as the full personality of Rebecca is developed. The suspense builds from the Cinderella romance with Maxim de Winter in Monte Carlo to the climactic courtroom ending. This book has it all, romance, mystery, suspense, along with a touch of medical and legal thriller. Alfred Hitchcock adapted the novel into an Academy Award winning film in 1940. A more recent movie, released in 2020, is a respectable adaptation however, you will be more satisfied if you read the book.
One of the best and most imaginative books I’ve ever read. Not only is DuMaurier a great storyteller, she is a master at creating a sense of unease in what should be a truly benign atmosphere.
Book Review: “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier
For WiHM, I decided to re-read “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier. It’s been years since I last revisited the lush environs of the young travelling companion to a wealthy lady who met and married a wealthy older widower, Maxim de Winter.
So I ventured again to Manderlay, with its famous first line.
The first two chapters of the book are told in the present, until the reader, too, visits the rocky seaside estate and the bulk of the story, told from the second Mrs. de Winter’s perspective.
Much was made of the Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, whose refined tastes decorated the fine home and gardens of Manderlay. The insecure young bride spends most of the book comparing herself to the fierce, talented first wife. The head housekeeper delights in intimidating the second Mrs. de Winter, going as far as encouraging her to commit suicide.
Although published in the late 1930’s, this book ages well, and it contains the necessary scenic elements of a great Gothic novel. There is a love story, though it is only when the plot twists that the protagonist takes real agency in that part of the plot. The house becomes something of a character in its own right, not only setting the scene but defining the tone. Parts of it are secret, closed, waiting for discovery. There are perils, of course, and a woman who must face them squarely.
My favorite book of all time!
A truly intriguing, engrossing story. There are three dastardly women and two fraudulent men that aren’t fully exposed until near the end of the tale. The character development and scene descriptions vague enough to engage the reader’s imagination but clear enough to make you feel you are there. A well wrought work.
I could relate to the second Mrs. Dewinter. She was a young woman who lacked self confidence. She was confronted by the Ghost of the first Mrs. Dewinter and the frightening Mrs. Danvers
One of my favorite authors & one of my favorite books.
With the release of a new film version of this timeless Daphne du Maurier novel set to premier on Netflix in October, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to do a re-reading and a review of the novel.
First published in 1938, the novel has lost none of its atmospheric charm nor the Gothic appeal that saw it become a favorite with critics and the public alike upon its release.
Often compared to that other Gothic favorite, Jane Eyre, with its young, unworldly heroine, Byron-esque hero and a grand house full of deadly secrets, Rebecca differs from its predecessor in that the second half of the novel reads more like a mystery novel, with twists and turns and a slow, suspenseful unravelling of the truth.
Mrs Danvers (played by the perfectly-cast Kristin Scott Thomas in the latest remake) is still chillingly cruel, her love for Rebecca only rivalled by her hatred of Maxim, and the new Mrs de Winter.
The first time I read the novel, I was not much older than the narrator herself, the famously unnamed- and unlikely-heroine of the story. I read it in one or two sittings, drawn in by the mystery surrounding Manderlay, and Maxim de Winters’ sudden departure from it. This time around, I read it in the space of one afternoon.
The plotline is still no less enthralling for a novel that celebrated its eightieth birthday two years ago. The characters are as intriguing as ever, and the final twist when it came was still as shocking as when I first read it.
If you haven’t read Rebecca, and would like to before the movie airs on Netflix in the US next month, I can’t recommend it to you enough.
I had been looking forward to reading this book – it had been on my TBR for ages and had come highly recommended.
The opening scene is dramatic, visually captivating and drew me into the story.
And then it fell flat with exposition about places that aren’t the place of her dream (and I assume the place where are the drama unfolds) and we get stuck in the past at Monte Carlo with characters from “Twilight”.
I got to the end of chapter five and decided that life is just too short.
When I’m too ill again to do something productive or read something exciting, I’ll return to this novel.
Some might think it’s a Jane Eyre retold, but it’s totally not. Daphne has surely created a wonderful dreamy place “Manderley,” where the story unfolds. The main character is as sweet as they could ever come. Loved how the story flows, read it more than once, enjoyed every little bit of it.