Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

74 reviews

m4rtt4's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

So so good! It's best to go into the book knowing as little as possible, that'll help with the mysterious and thrilling feelings. In the British aristocracy everything is fine on the surface level, but if you keep peeling the onion, sooner or later it may even make you shed a tear or two. The psychological aspects of the late wife's shadow, Mrs. fucking Danvers and borderline grooming really made me feel on edge.

I KNEW THAT MANDERLEY WAS GOING TO BURN AT SOME POINT (hope mrs danvers went with the house) 

i'd also like to know why it is so hard not to bang your cousin

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, and Classism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence

Minor: Cancer, Incest, Suicide, and Cultural appropriation

bookish_bry's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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

4.5

The beginning of this book was so very intriguing. I love that the main character never is named and it really emphasizes how she's in the shadow of Rebecca. Rebecca's name is on the cover of the book, but the character we follow never even is named. It's such a great way to tell a story.

This novel was shaping up to be a knock out 5 star, but the plot twist wasn't to my taste.

Max's murder of Rebecca wasn't really... justified enough. Sure. She sucked (according to Max), but our main character probably should have questioned that a bit more. I honestly was disappointed by Rebbeca being framed as the devil incarnated. I think she should have had flaws that were slowly discovered, but it kind of undermines the main character's journey to finding her place in Max's life after Rebecca when she eventually learns it's fine because Max never loved her anyway.

I did like the end and the fact that the epilogue was the beginning. Despite some things not being exactly to my taste, I still loved this book and the writing style was superb even when I didn't like the plot direction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Cancer

redheadorganist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol

Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, and Suicide

Minor: Animal cruelty and Medical content

poubelleboi's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Grief

Moderate: Ableism, Death, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Cancer and Infertility

cady_sass's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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? No

2.0

*mentally prepares self to be cancelled*

Did we all read the same book? It takes reading literally 70% of the book before anything interesting happens at all, and once it gets going it’s fully underwhelming. It’s soooooo long and for what purpose? Wikipedia managed to summarize the entirety of the major plot points in 7 paragraphs and, frankly, that’s more than enough. Just because something was written nearly 100 years ago with arguably beautiful prose does not make it inherently good or a classic. The writing is excellent and for that you get 2 stars, but let’s not glorify a novel that lacked proper editing and meandering plot for 300+ pages. Also, what is the purpose of never naming the main character? Let the woman have a name! Okay, rant over. Sorry not sorry 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

sennaje's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

clairew97's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

laurataylor's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

magellen's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

Whenever I read this book I'm just like dang did the ADHD/autistic girlies in 1938 feel seen.

Oh poor sweet HELLA adhd Mrs. DeWinter - it is so deeply amusing to read this book, with her being "embarrassed for them because they didn't have the sense to" and her intense rejection sensitivity disorder and all her wild conjectures and anxiety.
This is such a fantastic book in the gothic catalogue and a classic of twisty overlapping story. Its ableist and racist in places in line with shitty white moneyed people of the era. 
Young wife, husband twice her age, giant estate and a malicious housekeeper. Lots of secrets. Lots of miscommunication haha

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Death, Infidelity, and Grief

Minor: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Racism, Suicide, and Murder

neptunereign's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Grief, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail