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maddyj153's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Grief, Gun violence, and Murder
Minor: Suicide, Infertility, and Incest
tiegs_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
1.75
Really annoys me that you never learn the main characters name or age
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicide, Infidelity, and Grief
aenidpons's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
Minor: Murder, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Confinement
epanama's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Emotional abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Adult/minor relationship
meg_elyse's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-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
3.5
Classic gothic fiction. Growing sense of horror.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Misogyny
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, and Violence
Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Blood, Chronic illness, Cancer, Incest, Mental illness, Suicide, and Terminal illness
waytoomanybooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The first thing to know about getting into du Maurier's Rebecca is that the tension she creates is unlike anything I've ever experienced before. You really feel like you're living out the events of the book with the characters in real time.
The characters are all so messed up and maladnusted that you just don't know exactly what they're going to say or do. No one can truly be trusted; not even our dear, misbegotten narrator, whom we follow throughout.
The build up to each plot twist is harrowing. The anxiety in the characters and in the setting is palpable. The reason that u marked the book as a slow-paced read is because I often found myself slowing down or rereading passages to make sure I wasn't missing something potentially important. The action happens in fits and starts, keeping the reader on their toes. It is truly delightful and engaging read!
Additionally, Hitchcock's 1940 adaptation is incredibly faithful to the book, and I highly recommend it as well!
The characters are all so messed up and maladnusted that you just don't know exactly what they're going to say or do. No one can truly be trusted; not even our dear, misbegotten narrator, whom we follow throughout.
The build up to each plot twist is harrowing. The anxiety in the characters and in the setting is palpable. The reason that u marked the book as a slow-paced read is because I often found myself slowing down or rereading passages to make sure I wasn't missing something potentially important. The action happens in fits and starts, keeping the reader on their toes. It is truly delightful and engaging read!
Additionally, Hitchcock's 1940 adaptation is incredibly faithful to the book, and I highly recommend it as well!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, and Grief
Minor: Cancer, Incest, Terminal illness, and Gun violence
rbacon's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I can see how this became one of the classics. The writing really draws you in and you end up sympathising with those you didn't want to sympathise with, which I think is incredible. Reading the first few chapters again after finishing the book helped a bit with understanding and closing the book. I can't say I enjoyed it, but I was definitely impressed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death, Murder, Cancer, and Grief
yolanda_h's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was so much more than I expected it to be. The writing is in turns melancholic, reflective, fast paced and then so descriptive that I could see the flowers and trees surrounding Manderley. I could hear the sea and I could taste the scones and angel cakes. I could feel the tension and the dark shadows inside Manderley, lurking in corners and nooks, and the shadows inside its inhabitants. Manderley will have a special place in my heart for some time, as will this book as a whole.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer, Terminal illness, and Gun violence
sheryl_reads's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
1.5
I really wanted to enjoy this story. But it’s awful.
I’ve given it 1.5 stars because I did finish it. But it’s so longwinded and ponderous I barely made it to the end. Luckily, the story picked up in the last 100 pages, but getting there was a chore.
The main character is so frustrating and annoying. I spent most of the book wishing that she’d stand up for herself. What is written as shyness is taken to an extreme of social awkwardness, to the point where I wondered how she ever managed to survive to adulthood. The situation she finds herself in is awkward, however hiding from servants in her own house and having trouble just functioning (and when I say function, this is posh English people functioning - so having tea and scones and finding ways to amuse yourself all day cos you don’t actually work) seemed too extreme.
Mr De Winter is horrible - his treatment of the main character (we don’t get to know her name) is psychological abuse. I’m avoiding spoilers in this review, but the end comes as no surprise.
The first 300 pages read like a really boring episode of Downton Abbey. There’s lots of lengthy descriptions of how our narrator fills her days - mainly being debilitatingly shy and self conscious. The last 100 pages or so are an improvement, but all the description are just soooooo long and unnecessary. I thought the shipwreck section would never end!
I had high hopes for this, since it’s a classic and a lot of people love it. But I couldn’t wait to escape Manderley. And I’d be there with Mrs Danvers at the end!
I’ve given it 1.5 stars because I did finish it. But it’s so longwinded and ponderous I barely made it to the end. Luckily, the story picked up in the last 100 pages, but getting there was a chore.
The main character is so frustrating and annoying. I spent most of the book wishing that she’d stand up for herself. What is written as shyness is taken to an extreme of social awkwardness, to the point where I wondered how she ever managed to survive to adulthood. The situation she finds herself in is awkward, however hiding from servants in her own house and having trouble just functioning (and when I say function, this is posh English people functioning - so having tea and scones and finding ways to amuse yourself all day cos you don’t actually work) seemed too extreme.
Mr De Winter is horrible - his treatment of the main character (we don’t get to know her name) is psychological abuse. I’m avoiding spoilers in this review, but the end comes as no surprise.
The first 300 pages read like a really boring episode of Downton Abbey. There’s lots of lengthy descriptions of how our narrator fills her days - mainly being debilitatingly shy and self conscious. The last 100 pages or so are an improvement, but all the description are just soooooo long and unnecessary. I thought the shipwreck section would never end!
I had high hopes for this, since it’s a classic and a lot of people love it. But I couldn’t wait to escape Manderley. And I’d be there with Mrs Danvers at the end!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicide, and Terminal illness
Minor: Body shaming and Grief
azurities's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A little slow to start, but once I hit about a third of the way through and started unraveling the mystery of Rebecca, I got sucked in and really enjoyed the rest
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Gun violence and Death
Minor: Suicide and Cancer