Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

36 reviews

gvstyris's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I wondered how many people there were in the world who suffered, and continued to suffer, because they could not break out from their own web of shyness and reserve, and in their blindness and folly built up a great distorted wall in front of them that hid the truth. 

Very unsure about how to rate this book. Rebecca has been on my mental TBR for years, primarily because of its enduring influence on other media I love (Gone Girl, even various Taylor Swift songs hahah), so my expectations were probably unfairly high. 

And, in many ways, they were met. I loved the Gothic setting and eerie tone, as well as the slow build of tension -- although I totally get where it'll bug other readers, given how long it takes to reach any action. Manderley is almost a character in-and-of-itself, which was super compelling, and du Maurier's prose really is gorgeous. I also really admired the shift in the narrator's voice throughout the novel as she lost her youthful naivety and grew into her role of 'Mrs de Winter.' 

Docking my rating over a couple things. I'm pretty unobservant and honestly really bad at guessing plot twists, but even I didn't find the main reveals in this novel particularly shocking or compelling. That's probably in part because Rebecca helped pioneer specific thriller tropes, and has influenced many more creative thrillers, but it still made for an underwhelming conclusion. I'm also not sure how I feel about the social commentary of the main reveals...
Maxim comes across a bit too favourably in the end, and Rebecca a bit cartoonish.
It definitely reminded me a bit of my misogynistic undertone qualms with Gone Girl.

I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say. 

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stories's review against another edition

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

4.5

Very capital R Romantic, filled with symbolism and literary allusion. 

Would be fascinating to study, and even fascinating to reread: the abrupt ending certainly had me jumping immediately back to the opening. 

Plenty of ambiguity, as well as foreshadowing, and endless musing on hypothetical scenarios. Gorgeous descriptive language. Lots of mystery, and drawn out reveals of information. Written for the journey of coming to understand, not just arrival at the destination.  

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torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0


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zulmiro's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25


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javafenn's review against another edition

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mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

This book came highly recommended and maybe I’m just not smart enough for it because I hated it. It wasn’t really creepy like people have said and the characters were the most obnoxious people I’ve ever read about. When finally got to the end I was just mad. It was stupid. All of that mystery and no ghost?!?! No really mystery just a murder that was a murder and then people trying to throw others under the buss and the lady of the book just not named and not haunted?! Hated it. It was way too long for how it ended. 

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kurumipanda's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0


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the_embodiment_of_chaos's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75


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seanml's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A supremely excellent narrative. Daphne de Maurier allows you to feel the complete dread that the protagonist does about every possible thing. Wonderful characters (As terrible as they may be), palpable fear, and real anger at a certain character. 10/10.

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themissyreads's review against another edition

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mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75


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elizabeth_henry's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25


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