A review by savvylit
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Rebecca is considered a Gothic classic for good reason; it's focused on fear and malevolence and takes place on a sweeping estate. The most striking thing about this novel is the way it is structured around absence; Rebecca is never alive during the book's events and yet she is everything. After all, the title itself is Rebecca and our newlywed narrator remains unnamed for the entire novel. Furthermore, Mrs. Danvers is a perfect villain. Her loyalty to Rebecca, even in death, causes her to be spite personified.

Overall, Rebecca was a very enjoyable read and I am glad I (finally) read it. I can see the influence that du Maurier has had on modern Gothic literature, and I fully understand the love for this novel.

For those of you who've read it, I have one question: do you also kind of hate Maxim? I see him as a snobby misogynist who never really improved.
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