Reviews with content warning for Infertility - Rebecca

The main character is working as a companion to an insufferable older woman, when he meets Maxim de Winter, a recently widowed, wealthy man. They soon get married and return to his estate, Manderley, where she soon discovers that the former Mrs de Winter might be dead but not forgotten.

The first half of the novel slowly builds atmospheric tension: the great Manderley by the seaside is a gloomy place. The tension rises to a breaking point, where events start to unravel, and the fog starts to lift. The first half of the book felt slow, and the second half felt perilous. And after I had finished, I had to return to read the first few chapters again.

It is an atmospheric book with morally grey characters and an ending that is abrupt (for the lack of a better word). I think you need to be in a certain mood to read this book, and the types of things I previously listed.

Spoilers ahead!

There are a few things I found interesting. First of all, we don't know the main character's name at all. Rebecca was the previous Mrs de Winter, so in a way her Shadow is so strong that it suffocates the main character's entire identity. Then there's Rebecca's character and how the way she's represented in the book changes as the story progresses. There are a few hints of this earlier in the story. And lastly, there's Maxim de Winter. How should we feel about him and his actions?

Content Warnings

poirot's review against another edition

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dark 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

2.0

Content Warnings

poubelleboi's review against another edition

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adventurous 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? It's complicated

4.75

Content Warnings

ruby_11's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

pkc's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-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? No

4.5

This book was a legato across the continent and into the English countryside, wrapped in intrigue and mystery. The eponymous Rebecca looms large

without ever making an appearance in physical form

as the second Mrs de Winter navigates her life with the aloof Maxim de Winter of Manderley following a brief romance in the hills and beaches of Monte Carlo. This book has an incredibly layered cast of characters, including the narrator, Maxim, the truly DEVILISH Mrs Danvers, among many others. The plot has twists, turns and more psycho drama than you can imagine. I literally deducted half a star because of pace towards the end, but other than that, it was twisty turny perfection!

Content Warnings

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