Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Rebecca

This book and a great feeling of suspense and anxiety. There was always that little something you didn’t know as you were reading. The Manderley ball has scenes of offensive cultural appropriation and depictions of people in Brownface, but it is contained to the scenes at the ball. However, it is something to be aware of should you pick up this book and should not be dismissed. Aside from it’s problematic party, this book works as a creepy gothic story sure to give you a few chills as you learn more about who Rebecca was.

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midnightcomets's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Rebecca was a rather vexing read for me, because I both enjoyed it and wanted it to end. There was something captivating in its mystery, in the lush gardens and its beautiful writing, but at the same time, there was something utterly repulsive about almost every character, and the way they looked at themselves, the world, their relationships and each other. It is a story about revenge and manipulation, control and trauma, and it is as powerful as all these words suggest. However, the constant mention of the main character's feelings towards Maxim, as well as his behaviour towards her made me extremely uncomfortable (that might have been the purpose though).

This book is full of characters who are burning with a million of emotions, usually passion, guilt, fear and anger, and rhododendrons bloom like bloodstains in strong vines and flood the world. I do not know if I recommend this, but I do recommend going in blind if you intend to read it. I also watched both movies for the university, and I enjoyed both adaptations (I recommend these as well).

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bethsicle's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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lindseyhall44's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes

4.5

This novel honestly surprise me (in the best possible way). I’m not much of a classics person, so I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it. But with stunning plot twists and a ominous mood, I was was flying through pages while simultaneously wanting to savor the book for as long as I could.
Rebecca follows a young bride as she marries an older man with a mysterious past. All she knows is that he lives in an incredible manor and his wife, Rebecca, recently died. As the narrator begins to unravel the truth in Rebecca’s death, the life as she knows it changes.
I loved Du Maurier’s use of imagery and setting, which are definitely a staple in the gothic genre. This, along with the beautiful writing made the narration incredibly strong.
However, the pacing seemed a little bit off, which is why I rated Rebecca the way I did.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book during October, since the vibes are right:)

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