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kaelaceleste's review against another edition
5.0
So fun to read the source material of one of my favorite spooky movies and my favorite Hitchcock! For the record I did not like the new Netflix remake...and even less so after reading this lmao. I didn't know it would be different at all so it was kind of fun in that way. and I think I enjoyed the book ending more than the movie surprisingly! The writing was so great, the way things were described was so beautiful and dreamy and the narrator's voice certainly helped too. I just loved this. So good!
bookshelf_friends's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
olicavanna's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is my new personal hell. Like, being stuck with this horrible people, hoping that they will pay you a pinch of attention, like literally anxiety inducing.
Loved it jajaja
Tho, you CAN'T convince me for the love of god, this is not a romance book.
Loved it jajaja
Tho, you CAN'T convince me for the love of god, this is not a romance book.
stories's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
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
4.5
Very capital R Romantic, filled with symbolism and literary allusion.
Would be fascinating to study, and even fascinating to reread: the abrupt ending certainly had me jumping immediately back to the opening.
Plenty of ambiguity, as well as foreshadowing, and endless musing on hypothetical scenarios. Gorgeous descriptive language. Lots of mystery, and drawn out reveals of information. Written for the journey of coming to understand, not just arrival at the destination.
Would be fascinating to study, and even fascinating to reread: the abrupt ending certainly had me jumping immediately back to the opening.
Plenty of ambiguity, as well as foreshadowing, and endless musing on hypothetical scenarios. Gorgeous descriptive language. Lots of mystery, and drawn out reveals of information. Written for the journey of coming to understand, not just arrival at the destination.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Death, Suicide, and Grief
Minor: Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Gun violence, Incest, and Infidelity
patti_pinguin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
christel_booksmart's review against another edition
4.0
As I have said previously, Rebecca reminded me of why I'm such a classics/literature snob; Du Maurier's writing is flawless. The plot was intriguing, the characters were unique and authentic and I liked that the last few pages of the ending were somewhat up to the interpretation of the reader. 4/5 because it did take me a while to read, (it was a bit slow at times, like many classics of this genre tend to get) and simply that it doesn't quite meet my 5/5 "amazing-blew-me-away-cannot-put-down" books. One other thing I do love about this book though, is that it's pretty much a must to re-read it. In fact, the ending almost compels you to re-read it so you'll see things you didn't on your first read, and in that way when you finish it you'll understand the ending more; you'll rediscover the whole story.
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review against another edition
2.0
2.5/5
Have to say, this was interesting. The characters were dull to me. Though I have seen many versions of the film off this book. I have to say the Netflix one really does the book justice.
Have to say, this was interesting. The characters were dull to me. Though I have seen many versions of the film off this book. I have to say the Netflix one really does the book justice.
nicolaburton's review against another edition
5.0
[If I don't write in note form, I'll probably never get round to writing anything, so sorry about that!]
Absolutely bloody amazing.
Everyone has a Rebecca in their lives at some point; a nearly-entirely self-constructed ideal with which we compare and berate ourselves.
'Rebecca' has a great plot, particularly as it picks up pace and becomes increasingly intricate towards the end, but the psychology of the second Mrs de Winter is what fascinates the most.
e.g.
- Mirroring and juxtaposition between Rebecca and the unnamed narrator
- Narrator lacks the self-assertion to even reveal her name (I was partly expecting she might divulge her first name once she thinks she has triumphed over Rebecca, but then as the ending shows, perhaps she doesn't after all...)
- The 'madwoman in the attic' trope (Jane Eyre...)
- I haven't counted it up, but I would guess half or more of the narrator's musings are daydreams, projections, or dreams themselves (i.e the first chapter) - she lives very much within the confines of her mind, and is restrained by the barriers this constructs.
- Her desperation for patriarchal validation leads her to forego any moral compass she may previously have acted by
- Her attitude towards Rebecca, and her lack of self-belief or autonomy, never actually changes - and therefore neither does her marriage or her life (her situation as foretold in the opening chapters is not so different to her situation with Mrs Van Hopper)
I must add this to a 'to-reread' list for a couple of years time; with the knowledge of how it ends, it will be fascinating to look at exactly how much of the narrator's torment is self-inflicted.
Absolutely bloody amazing.
Everyone has a Rebecca in their lives at some point; a nearly-entirely self-constructed ideal with which we compare and berate ourselves.
'Rebecca' has a great plot, particularly as it picks up pace and becomes increasingly intricate towards the end, but the psychology of the second Mrs de Winter is what fascinates the most.
e.g.
- Mirroring and juxtaposition between Rebecca and the unnamed narrator
- Narrator lacks the self-assertion to even reveal her name (I was partly expecting she might divulge her first name once she thinks she has triumphed over Rebecca, but then as the ending shows, perhaps she doesn't after all...)
- The 'madwoman in the attic' trope (Jane Eyre...)
- I haven't counted it up, but I would guess half or more of the narrator's musings are daydreams, projections, or dreams themselves (i.e the first chapter) - she lives very much within the confines of her mind, and is restrained by the barriers this constructs.
- Her desperation for patriarchal validation leads her to forego any moral compass she may previously have acted by
- Her attitude towards Rebecca, and her lack of self-belief or autonomy, never actually changes - and therefore neither does her marriage or her life (her situation as foretold in the opening chapters is not so different to her situation with Mrs Van Hopper)
I must add this to a 'to-reread' list for a couple of years time; with the knowledge of how it ends, it will be fascinating to look at exactly how much of the narrator's torment is self-inflicted.
villagebi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.25