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yolanda_h's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Violence
Minor: Miscarriage
oceanwriter's review against another edition
dark
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
5.0
This was a reread for me. I guess I never wrote a review the first time around.
My Cousin Rachel is one of my all-time favorite books. It has the same eeriness as Rebecca while being a completely different plot.
Ambrose and Philip are confirmed bachelors to the point where they don't even keep women on staff. This changes when Ambrose goes to Italy for the winter due to complications with his rheumatism. There, he meets cousin Rachel. In a matter of weeks they are married, turning Philip's world upside down in particular. He never sees his beloved cousin Ambrose again and he is sure Rachel is the one to blame. When word comes that Rachel is coming to England, Philip resents all thoughts of her, hanging onto a bitter image made by Ambrose's last letters to him, but the woman who shows up at his door is the complete opposite. Soon enough, he finds himself as infatuated with her as Ambrose had once been.
I could honestly carry on for paragraphs and recite every step of the plot. This is a book I completely lost myself in several years ago and took months to finish never wanting it to end. I still took my time with this reread (which I chose to listen to on audio, brilliantly narrated by actor Jonathan Pryce) and I love it as much as it did the first time. My mind reels trying to figure out the mystery surrounding Rachel. One of Daphne Du Maurier's finest works without a doubt.
My Cousin Rachel is one of my all-time favorite books. It has the same eeriness as Rebecca while being a completely different plot.
Ambrose and Philip are confirmed bachelors to the point where they don't even keep women on staff. This changes when Ambrose goes to Italy for the winter due to complications with his rheumatism. There, he meets cousin Rachel. In a matter of weeks they are married, turning Philip's world upside down in particular. He never sees his beloved cousin Ambrose again and he is sure Rachel is the one to blame. When word comes that Rachel is coming to England, Philip resents all thoughts of her, hanging onto a bitter image made by Ambrose's last letters to him, but the woman who shows up at his door is the complete opposite. Soon enough, he finds himself as infatuated with her as Ambrose had once been.
I could honestly carry on for paragraphs and recite every step of the plot. This is a book I completely lost myself in several years ago and took months to finish never wanting it to end. I still took my time with this reread (which I chose to listen to on audio, brilliantly narrated by actor Jonathan Pryce) and I love it as much as it did the first time. My mind reels trying to figure out the mystery surrounding Rachel. One of Daphne Du Maurier's finest works without a doubt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Misogyny, Murder, and Animal death
Minor: Miscarriage, Sexual content, and Racism
addie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Misogyny
Moderate: Death, Murder, and Miscarriage
taleofabibliophile's review against another edition
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Murder, Miscarriage, Animal death, Violence, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Sexism and Misogyny
jadams89's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is my first Daphne du Maurier, but it definitely won’t be my last. I love a twisty tale, and the story around Phillip, Rachel, and Ambrose definitely has some curves. There were times that I wanted to smack Phillip with the book for being so completely dense.
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
salome_esteves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
I went into this book expecting to loathe Rachel, but Daphne du Maurier is such a master of character building, that I love Rachel and, in turn, loathe Philip. He turned out to be a spoiled amalgamation of bad decisions. But that was essencial to the enravelling of the story.
I only think it could have been shorter. But that is what I think about most classics
Like in "Rebecca", rhododendrons are mentioned a few times and I thought it was a nice touch.
I only think it could have been shorter. But that is what I think about most classics
Like in "Rebecca", rhododendrons are mentioned a few times and I thought it was a nice touch.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
questingnotcoasting's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was fantastic. I'd been meaning to pick up another du Maurier after loving Rebecca a few years ago and this turned out to be a great choice. It has the same slow but gripping atmosphere as Rebecca and it's one of the things I love most about du Maurier's writing. The tension and sense of dread build until the end. The characters have so many layers and du Maurier is a master manipulator. I often found I'd changed my mind about who to trust without noticing. I'll try not to wait another two years before picking up another of her books.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Toxic relationship
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