DAPHNE DU MAURIER: Rebecca

Read in 1984 and revisited many times.
An adroit, compelling and haunting romance that touches the heart.

The young and innocent girl who marries Maxim de Winter in Monte Carlo to become the second Mrs De Winter is not to be compared to his first wife, Rebecca. Rebecca has been drowned and Maxim proposes to this young woman merely days after they meet in Monte Carlo and brings her home to his estate Manderley.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again….” the opening line leads to a story of haunting where the second Mrs De Winter, often called “child” by her husband, is dogged by the legacy of the dazzling and accomplished Rebecca, who seems the perfect wife.

The girl, whose first name is never revealed in the novel, fears she is a poor second to Rebecca but a twist in the plot reveals her to be a woman of real value whom Maxim truly loves.

Classic Fiction Novel 1938 ( )

The ultimate gothic tale. Haunting, lyrical, suspenseful. I love the book, the movie, and now Anna Massey's audio reading. ( )

So this is my, what? Thirtieth time reading Rebecca? It NEVER gets old. Oh gosh, Rebecca . Yes, five stars. I would give ten if that were an option, because Rebecca is brilliant. DuMaurier is a fine author anyway, but Rebecca is her magnum opus, her swan song, her...I don't know. Her descriptions are amazing: she uses thousands of words and never wastes one. Every single line adds a shade, a nuance, to that strangely lovely yet dreamlike/creepy atmosphere she weaves, until the non-entity narrator sinks into oblivion and dead Rebecca becomes more vividly alive than any other character. I always marvel, as I finish the book, how clearly I can SEE Rebecca; I know I would recognize her (and her handwriting!) if I ever saw her.

(BTW, my daughter just mentioned to me that she always reads Rebecca when she is coming down from Jane Eyre. I can hardly believe this, but I never noticed the similarities until she said that. But anyway: in terms of sheer literary art, Rebecca is the better book. But I still love Mr. Rochester infinitely more than chilly Max de Winter.) ( )

An enjoyable romance that is filled with mystery and suspense. It will keep you reading and wanting to read into the wee hours of the morning. Full of twists and turns, it was a bit predictable, but had a few surprises along the way. I enjoyed it so much, I passed on the book to my daughter. ( )

Brief Review: An unforgettable read - truly unforgettable. It's wonderfully written, keeps you on the edge constantly, beautiful Gothic setting and plot, and the characters are so mysterious that you can't help but what to know more about them.

Great mystery, suspense, Gothic, horror, and romance literature. If you're interested in any or a combination of those then I would greatly recommend "Rebecca."