A review by folklorian13
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

dark mysterious reflective tense medium-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

4.0

Taylor Swift made me pick it up — Rebecca made me keep on reading. 

The novel centers around two women: dominant Rebecca, who is dead but somehow reincarnated in the shades of Manderley, always present in some form. And the shy protagonist, a mere fleeting thought, a (fascinatingly) nameless bride who‘s primary wish is to please. They fall victim to the age-old curse of being pitted against each other. Rebecca became too much of a woman of her own mind and had to die for it. The protagonist dies a slow death by the hand of the same man; she chooses her fate deliberately though, her longing for approval and love making her a willingly obedient subject. (and still people call this a romance)

„I wait by the door like I‘m just a kid 

use my best colours for your portrait 

lay the table with the fancy sh*t 

and watch you tolerate it“

I liked that the story forces you to make up your own mind about what is happening and how you perceive and judge certain characters. Is the love interest really a hero or the suppressor? Should we pity or loathe hateful Mrs. Danvers? 

The writing style is full of suspense and beauty as well as it incorporates gothic elements. Reading this book never got boring. 

I also read that „Rebecca“ mirrors Jane Eyre — and I can‘t quite get the thought out of my head. The unbalanced age and power dynamics, Rebecca as the „madwoman in the attic“ (another Taylor Swift reference) who literally sets the place on fire, the haunted vibes and depiction of nature‘s force. 

The moral of the story: don‘t sleep with your cousin, wear hats that are equivalent in sizing to your head (or you‘re gonna be judged by a female novel protagonist without personality) and don‘t trust men (period).