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A review by nataliestorozhenko
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
5.0
I watched a movie before reading this book a long time ago and it was kinda “meh” for me. However, I later heard a lot of good things about the book and decided to give it a try. The huge gothic mansion, creepy vibes, and beautiful scenery with a lot of lush plants and flowers. But because I had a vague memory of the movie I still had a “cross off the TBR list” attitude towards this book. At first, it seemed like the book was going to be boring with long descriptions of scenery. However, after reading around 50 pages, I realized that I was wrong. It didn’t even feel like a classical novel, it unexpectedly became the book I sacrificed my sleep for. The book was relatable and made me cry. I felt both sad and amused at the narrator's naivety and silliness. It also made me angry at how women were expected to behave and conform to men's expectations portrayed in Rebecca's rage through the blazing piles of Manderley.
It would be much simpler if the book was just a gothic romance, where we follow a couple deeply in love trying to overcome the ghosts of their past and thrive in their marriage. The age difference between them would add to the forbidden love element, making it an interesting read. However, that's not what this book is about. Daphne du Maurier has perfectly captured the struggles of women in a world dominated by men with their unreasonable expectations. Both the nameless narrator and Rebecca are two sides of the same coin, and their stories are tragic and relatable.
As we follow the story of the nameless narrator, also known as our second Mrs. de Winter, it's hard not to feel compassion for her. Although I usually feel annoyed by characters that overthink, I can't help but sympathize with the FMC. Her character was captured perfectly, including her fear of being overshadowed and compared to a powerful presence, and her vivid imagination of worst-case scenarios that may never happen. Her jealousy and fear are understandable. Although she claims that her naive love matures after going through trials, it doesn't happen in reality. After discovering the "truth", which was Max's exaggerated POV, she easily becomes compliant and doesn't seem to have any doubts. Her questionable morality is revealed by her concern not about what her husband did, but rather the fact that he did not love Rebecca. She is easily manipulated to stand beside him just by hearing those magic words she longed for. I appreciated the afterword, which mentions that she came full circle, starting as a companion and servant to an old woman and ending up as a companion in exile to the soon-to-be-old man. If you only read this as a gothic romance, you might be angry about the lack of passion and the sad ending. However, the ending is fair, as it is the result of poor choices and karma for both of them.
Rebecca is undoubtedly the main character in this book. In the beginning, her strong personality might make you angry and feel like justice, peace, and love are needed for the new Mrs. de Winter. However, as the story progresses, you learn that Max's POV about her is very suspicious. You never find out why she became unhappy in her marriage or why she sought companionship from someone else. Her husband describes her as a liar and a promiscuous woman, but even after learning this, it's unclear why she deserved to be killed. Rebecca is a badass character who kicks everyone's ass even in her death. She knew what Max was capable of and knew how to push his buttons. Even though she has been deceased for over a year, she still manages to get her revenge from beyond the grave by burning the most precious thing to him - Manderley.
At last, we meet Max. He's yet another man who, after being resented by a gorgeous, capable, and talented woman, and not being able to control her, decided to kill her instead. Criminal records are full of such men. He easily manipulates, lies, and keeps secrets from his new wife. You can clearly see that his affections and passion reach their peak only during the crucial moment when he desperately needs her support. Life in exile and the loss of his precious home are punishment enough for him. His wife's story about their new life is not one of much happiness and passion; they're forced to live in boredom, childless, switching from hotel to hotel just burning the days away.
*And I have to admit, in the book, Max is somewhat hot (probably because I was picturing Tom Hiddleston from “Crimson Peak”, but never mind). He's a bad, bad man, but it doesn't hurt that he's attractive.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are complex and display conflicting emotions, which adds depth to the story. The book can be interpreted in different ways, and you can discover something new every time you read it. The plot is unique and flows seamlessly. It hits you with suspense exactly where you need it, making it impossible to put down the book. It's definitely one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It's a perfect example of a haunting gothic novel that is frightening not because of fictional eerie ghosts or creatures, but because of its realism and relatability.
It would be much simpler if the book was just a gothic romance, where we follow a couple deeply in love trying to overcome the ghosts of their past and thrive in their marriage. The age difference between them would add to the forbidden love element, making it an interesting read. However, that's not what this book is about. Daphne du Maurier has perfectly captured the struggles of women in a world dominated by men with their unreasonable expectations. Both the nameless narrator and Rebecca are two sides of the same coin, and their stories are tragic and relatable.
As we follow the story of the nameless narrator, also known as our second Mrs. de Winter, it's hard not to feel compassion for her. Although I usually feel annoyed by characters that overthink, I can't help but sympathize with the FMC. Her character was captured perfectly, including her fear of being overshadowed and compared to a powerful presence, and her vivid imagination of worst-case scenarios that may never happen. Her jealousy and fear are understandable. Although she claims that her naive love matures after going through trials, it doesn't happen in reality. After discovering the "truth", which was Max's exaggerated POV, she easily becomes compliant and doesn't seem to have any doubts. Her questionable morality is revealed by her concern not about what her husband did, but rather the fact that he did not love Rebecca. She is easily manipulated to stand beside him just by hearing those magic words she longed for. I appreciated the afterword, which mentions that she came full circle, starting as a companion and servant to an old woman and ending up as a companion in exile to the soon-to-be-old man. If you only read this as a gothic romance, you might be angry about the lack of passion and the sad ending. However, the ending is fair, as it is the result of poor choices and karma for both of them.
Rebecca is undoubtedly the main character in this book. In the beginning, her strong personality might make you angry and feel like justice, peace, and love are needed for the new Mrs. de Winter. However, as the story progresses, you learn that Max's POV about her is very suspicious. You never find out why she became unhappy in her marriage or why she sought companionship from someone else. Her husband describes her as a liar and a promiscuous woman, but even after learning this, it's unclear why she deserved to be killed. Rebecca is a badass character who kicks everyone's ass even in her death. She knew what Max was capable of and knew how to push his buttons. Even though she has been deceased for over a year, she still manages to get her revenge from beyond the grave by burning the most precious thing to him - Manderley.
At last, we meet Max. He's yet another man who, after being resented by a gorgeous, capable, and talented woman, and not being able to control her, decided to kill her instead. Criminal records are full of such men. He easily manipulates, lies, and keeps secrets from his new wife. You can clearly see that his affections and passion reach their peak only during the crucial moment when he desperately needs her support. Life in exile and the loss of his precious home are punishment enough for him. His wife's story about their new life is not one of much happiness and passion; they're forced to live in boredom, childless, switching from hotel to hotel just burning the days away.
*And I have to admit, in the book, Max is somewhat hot (probably because I was picturing Tom Hiddleston from “Crimson Peak”, but never mind). He's a bad, bad man, but it doesn't hurt that he's attractive.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The characters are complex and display conflicting emotions, which adds depth to the story. The book can be interpreted in different ways, and you can discover something new every time you read it. The plot is unique and flows seamlessly. It hits you with suspense exactly where you need it, making it impossible to put down the book. It's definitely one of my favorites, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It's a perfect example of a haunting gothic novel that is frightening not because of fictional eerie ghosts or creatures, but because of its realism and relatability.