Rebecca (original 1938; edition 1997)

The author
Dame Daphne du Maurier (Lady Browning) 1907 - 1989, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
Daphne was born in 1907, grand-daughter of the brilliant artist and writer George du Maurier, daughter of Gerald, the most famous Actor Manager of his day, she came from a creative and successful family.
She began writing short stories in 1928, and in 1931 her first novel, 'The Loving Spirit' was published. It received rave reviews and further books followed. Then came her most famous three novels, 'Jamaica Inn', 'Frenchman's Creek' and Rebecca'. Each novel being inspired by her love of Cornwall, where she lived and wrote. For more information on Daphen du Marier visit http://www.dumaurier.org

The synopsis
"Last Night I Dreamt I Went To Manderley Again."

So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive past ther beeches, white and naked, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten...her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant -- the sinister Mrs. Danvers -- still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca...for the secrets of Manderley

The review
I read this book for the fifth time now, I guess, it could be more and I still love it. The way the author starts in the “now” and slowly pulls you in to the past is just perfect. It is like your sitting on a train and it takes you back in time. I cannot remember reading any other book which manages to make that move so fluent and pretty.
The characters in this book are very vivid. Specially Mrs. Danvers is really easy to imagine. She gives me chills every time I read that she is close. Despite the fact that the protagonist is never named anything else that Mrs. de Winter it is easy to bind with her. You can feel the innocent love in the beginning when the older, handsome and rich man is showing interest in her and it confuses her. The love she describes herself as puppy love and total admiration of her husband. How she is forgetting herself to please him. I like how she grows in the story and sees her own mistakes but finds it hard to do something about it. It also shows that sometimes it does not help to think what others might be thinking cause it will only stop you from trying.
The storyline is very surprising too. If you start out the book with all the stories about Rebecca you never expect the story to take the turns it does at the end. The book is so well written that the storyline manages to surprise me every time again. I know what happens in the end but still it shocks me.
Still people might wonder why I only give it four stars and not five. Cause it is not really a life changing book. It is very well written and very entertaining but it does not really hit my feelings. I do think everybody should read it though ( )

The narrator is the second wife of Maxim de Winter. It tells the story of how they met in Monte Carlo and of how she ended up becoming his wife and moving to his home Manderley. The story then focuses on his first wife Rebecca in a past sense and how she influenced and still influences the household from the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers to Maxim himself. It's a wonderfully told tale with very descriptive language. This is my third time to read this masterpiece, and it holds up as well today as it did when I first read it in the 1970s. ( )

4.5 stars ( )

What can be said about this classic that has not already been said? Thank you to my Secret Santa for sending this book to me! It's keeping me up late night reading.

As usual, the book is way better than the movie. Daphne DuMaurier writes so beautifully. Her words don't just describe a scene; they invoke the emotion within the scene. ( )

Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier's most famous book deserves it's place on any list of top novels. Writing, plotting, pace, style, characterisation and atmosphere are all expertly and perfectly brought together by the author at the peek of her power. Many people come to the story through one of the film or television adaptations (Hitchcock in the 1930s, BBC in the 1970s, ITV-Carlton in the 2000s), all of which have something to offer, but none brings the sheer pleasure of the book. Read it and enjoy one of the world's most skilful authors at her zenith.

© Koplowitz 2011 ( )