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A review by chellareads
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is an underrated novel that is framed as a Gothic romance, probably due to it being written by a woman. It is deeply Gothic but it's not a romance by any stretch. It's a psychological thriller.
Du Maurier's writing is superb. The narrative structure and pacing is also impeccable. And why isn't the last line as famous as the first line of this novel? What an ending.
Her writing is so vivid and at times cinematic. I could see every glance and gesture. And she's very good a page turner chapter endings. A delight to read.
This novel is doing so much. It has elements of Bluebeard and Red Riding Hood, but also intentionally mirrors Jane Eyre.
It has lots of dreams and dreamy sequences, but most of it is social realism. Her dialogue captures to social nuances of the English upper-class. Their snobbery and social rules, which both protect and trap them.
Manderley is the embodiment of the social structures they are trapped in. It puts demands on their lives, as they pass endless days there under rigid routine.
The book also examines the lives of women within this structure. How two women choose to navigate marriage and society and neither really win. But nobody wins in this gloomy tale. Rebecca comes closest, as the anti-heroine from beyond the grave.
A gripping read. I will have to read this again because there is so much to glean.
Highly recommend.
Du Maurier's writing is superb. The narrative structure and pacing is also impeccable. And why isn't the last line as famous as the first line of this novel? What an ending.
Her writing is so vivid and at times cinematic. I could see every glance and gesture. And she's very good a page turner chapter endings. A delight to read.
This novel is doing so much. It has elements of Bluebeard and Red Riding Hood, but also intentionally mirrors Jane Eyre.
It has lots of dreams and dreamy sequences, but most of it is social realism. Her dialogue captures to social nuances of the English upper-class. Their snobbery and social rules, which both protect and trap them.
Manderley is the embodiment of the social structures they are trapped in. It puts demands on their lives, as they pass endless days there under rigid routine.
The book also examines the lives of women within this structure. How two women choose to navigate marriage and society and neither really win. But nobody wins in this gloomy tale. Rebecca comes closest, as the anti-heroine from beyond the grave.
A gripping read. I will have to read this again because there is so much to glean.
Highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide