Reviews

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

adventurouspotato's review against another edition

dark reflective 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

4.75

only complaint is that it felt really long but that's a me problem i think

carriedoodledoo's review against another edition

3.0

2023 reread: This time it went from a four star read to three stars. The older I get, the more I lose patience with the reticent older men of popular fiction. (I refrain from commenting on time period, because somehow, the trope endureth). It doesn't help that this one is condescending as well.

My point is, surely anyone would know that non communication in ANY relationship, business or personal, leads to disaster. Maybe I couldn't expect the inexperienced narrator to know that, but the 42-year-old Maxim bloody well should have. I won't quibble on the whats, wheres and whens of said communication, but any sop to the Cerebus of jealousy and loneliness would have made the narrator's stay at Manderly much less disagreeable. Although it would have shortened the novel's arc-- because the narrator, though gauche, was no idiot.

Hence lies the crux of the matter--does the cheap misunderstanding trope, explained away in the end, detract from what is otherwise an excellent piece of suspense? I'm having difficulty saying "no". However, it is still a great read, I enjoyed it, and its influence over the genre to this day cannot be denied.

Original Review: I remember this being very intoxicating. Like all of du Maurier's work, I got sucked in and was invested in "I"s tale. I've definitely had the thought of "what must it be like to marry a man who had a wife before you", and this story definitely digs deep into that and brings out all the drama and suspense.

megnavoy's review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. So so good!!!

laurjuli's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? Yes

5.0

buildingtaste's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

Striking, iconic, and complex enough to make you revisit what you think about everyone when you re-read.

weirdow's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

elizabeth_its_liz_reading's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this reading experience. The writing is so descriptive and atmospheric. I especially loved all the descriptions of Manderley and the gardens/plant life. One of the main things I will take from this book is just how unnerving it was to experience the narrator’s thoughts as she questioned everything.

4.5 stars

adeeba_ahmed's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

keirr_a's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious reflective 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

4.25

iwlyfb's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.0