Rebecca (Virago Modern Classics)

My curiosity with "Rebecca" was piqued by a comment by a customer in a bookshop in St. Ives who answered my query about the book having a great reputation by recommending that I read it if I was that interested! This turned out to be a brilliant call. I think the opening chapter of this novel is as good as anything I gave read since Ian MCcEwan's "Enduring love" and , for once, this is a classic novel whose hype is entirely desired. This book had me hooked from the opening sentence. Essentially, this is a gothic mystery where a young bride arrives at the house of her husband and finds herself unfairly compared with Rebecca, his first wife who we understand from the opening chapters tragically drowned. There are two main characters who dominate the book. The first is the eponymous wife who was loved by everyone and to whom the unnamed new bride finds to dominate the thoughts of everyone she encounters as well as still manifesting a presence in the large mansion Manderley. Rebecca never appears in the novel and everything we learn about her comes from the recollections of acquaintances which often unintentionally diminish the new and young wife. The second character is the house itself which is seen to be idyllic were is not for the reminders of Rebecca. The opening 60 pages set the scene as to who the heroine meets and marries Maxim but, from then on, the tone of the novel becomes increasingly darker and more mysterious. Du Maurier achieves a lot of this by introducing the brooding presence of the house keeper, Mrs Danvers, who remains dedicated to Rebecca and despises the new wife. I love the way that the writing makes even the most mundane thing such as the breaking of a porcelain object menacing and much of the story continues to stack up incident after incident to make the heroine increasingly uncomfortable. The quality of the writing is exceptional and Du Maurier manages to get right inside the head of her heroine so that her emotions, including her increasing paranoia, are instantly recognisable and sympathetic to the reader. In my opinion, this book was already unputdownable yet the big reveal three -quarters of the way through the novel shifts things up a gear and the plot then twists and turns , not reaching a conclusion until the final page. Much of the credit for the excitement at the end is due to the way that the story has been crafted beforehand and the various characters who appear in the novel start to dovetail together in a fashion that was not initially apparent. The conclusion was unexpected but really satisfying. This is just a great novel than anyone can enjoy. I am not sure why it is classed as a romance - this is quality writing at it's most gripping. This is a novel that plays on your mind long after you have finished reading it. For a book written in the 1930s, the writing still stands up and underscores for me what a great writer Daphne Du Maurier was. Recommended

(This review contains mild spoilerish bits, so if you haven't yet read the book, do it now and then pop back... ;) ) We first meet our unnamed narrator when she is in Monte Carlo, working as the paid companion to an elderly American lady, Mrs Van Hopper. Still more girl than woman, the narrator is shy and unsophisticated, not bothering much about the clothes she wears or the style of her hair. Mrs Van Hopper scrapes an acquaintance with Maxim de Winter, a rich and handsome Englishman staying in the hotel alone because, as Mrs Van Hopper informs the narrator, his wife recently died in a tragic sailing accident. Our girl is rather dazzled by this man of the world who so easily deals with all the little social problems she finds so difficult, and he in turn seems to like her quietness and unadorned simplicity. Within a few weeks, Maxim proposes and finally, thank goodness, our narrator has a name – the second Mrs de Winter. The book begins, of course, with one of the most famous opening lines in literature - “Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again.” The ensuing dream sequence acts as a prologue and warning of what is to follow, and straight away du Maurier builds up an atmosphere full of unease. As Mrs de W2 in imagination moves towards the house, she describes the lush vegetation taking back the once cultivated grounds and gardens, now growing out of control. There's an earthiness and sensuality to the descriptions, and a sense of growth and decay – a kind of raw, malignant vitality that seems to represent the first Mrs de Winter, Rebecca, while being a stark contrast to the rather sexless childlike personality of Mrs de W2. It's a magnificent start to the book, setting the mood superbly for what is to follow. The book is famously compared to Jane Eyre, but the dead Rebecca is much more vividly alive in Manderley than the madwoman in Mr Rochester's attic ever is. She infuses every room with the strength of her personality, as our narrator flits through the house like a ghost, or like the lowliest little maid, afraid to touch anything. Beautiful and vibrant, no-one who knew Rebecca remained untouched – it seems to Mrs de W2 that everyone adored her, some to the point of obsession. Even Mrs de W2's beloved dog Jasper was Rebecca's dog first. Gradually Mrs de W2 begins to think that Maxim made a mistake in marrying her – that he's still in love with Rebecca. And then one day, a storm leads to the discovery of Rebecca's lost boat, and suddenly everything Mrs de W2 thinks she knows about Rebecca and her husband is turned on its head. All three of the female characters in the book are brilliantly drawn; dead Rebecca, her glittering exterior hiding a more complex personality underneath, whom we only get to know through other people's memories of her; the housekeeper Mrs Danvers, whose grief for her first mistress makes her cold and cruel to the point of madness to the woman who has replaced her; and Mrs de W2 herself, a woman who seems to exist only to serve as an adjunct to people who need a doormat, moving from being the paid companion of a peevish and demanding elderly lady to becoming the unpaid companion of a peevish and bullying middle-aged man. I couldn't help but wonder if life with Mrs Van Hopper wouldn't have been more fun in the end. Oh, I do apologise to Maxim fans! The first time I read the book many years ago, I'm sure I fell a little in love with Maxim myself. This time round, I wanted to slap him with the proverbial wet fish. He treats Mrs de W2 as just slightly lower down the social pecking order than Jasper the dog for most of the book. Granted, she kinda asks for it but she's only young. Too young, Maxim – too, too young for a man of your age! Patting a woman on the head, physically or metaphorically, is never a good idea – if you behaved like that to Rebecca no wonder she turned out as she did! Couldn't you have reassured Mrs de W2 – told her you loved her, maybe even called her by her name occasionally? Why were your tender little feelings so much more important than hers? Your behaviour at the party was a piece of shameful bullying and a man of your age should have shown more understanding, and a bit of kindness. And, you know what? Last time I forgave you for what you did. But not this time! You behaved abominably and you should have paid a higher price! And don't think you can wheedle your way back into my affections just by looking like Laurence Olivier... Clearly my attitude to men who treat women like doormats has changed somewhat over the years! More seriously, though, the book gives a great picture of the relative positions of the genders at the time, especially how Rebecca's unconventional behaviour, which would have barely merited a raised eyebrow had she been a man, put her beyond the social pale as a woman. Du Maurier is just as incisive in her portrayal of the British class system in operation, with the squirearchy ready to build a defensive shield round one of their own regardless of his merits or otherwise. But as always with du Maurier it's the atmosphere of growing tension that gives the book its true greatness. Even though we more or less know how it ends within the first two chapters, du Maurier holds enough secrets in reserve to ensure the reader is kept in suspense all the way through. The descriptive writing is fantastic, creating strong visual images and making both the house and grounds of Manderley become living things, playing their own role in the unfolding drama. If there's anyone left out there who hasn't already read this masterpiece of psychological suspense, then I highly recommend you grab it as soon as you can! I part read/part listened to the book this time round, with the Audible audiobook narrated by Anna Massey. Her narration is very good – she has just the right kind of posh English accent for the subject matter, and every word is enunciated clearly. She does it as a straight reading; i.e., she doesn't “act” the parts, though she does differentiate the voices to some extent. I wasn't always totally thrilled by her “voices” - Maxim, for example, sounded a little gruffer than I would have gone for. But that's simply a matter of personal interpretation. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed her reading, and would look out for her as a narrator again.

What I Liked “If only there could be an invention that bottled up a memory, like scent. And it never faded, and it never got stale. And then, when one wanted it, the bottle could be uncorked, and it would be like living the moment all over again.” Rebecca was first published in 1938 and even though it’s a classic and has been around for many many years, I never heard much about the story. I also found it extremely weird that the day I started reading it, the film adaption came out on Netflix. But on with the book! This has everything I love in a book. Dark twists, engaging story, likeable characters, well sometimes when they don’t infuriate me with their decisions and it even has dogs! Because it was a buddy read, I had to find the willpower to put the book down after I had finished that weeks section. I’m glad I did as I was really able to take in the story and the characters. The Story “Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind.” The story starts with us reading from the pov of the narrator. A young girl and paid companion of Mrs. Van Hopper, a wealthy woman who really only cares about class. Before her trip is up, she meets and begins to spend time with a mysterious, handsome widower, Maxim de Winters. Both their interests in each other peak quickly and he offers her a way out of her paid companionship with marriage. At this point, I was a little confused regarding the character’s ages. I know the narrator was young and Maxim was quite a few years older. The narrator’s age is never specifically mentioned (that I remember) but is made aware by there being such an emphasis on her child-like behaviour. Once in Manderley, things for the new Mrs de Winters, the only name we know her as, do not go as easy as she first thought. The presence of Rebecca still lingers in the house, the rooms, the cottage down by the beach and the housekeepers, especially Mrs Danvers. She torments herself daily with visions and imaginary conversations of the former Mrs de Winters, never allowing herself to be happy. The story was engaging throughout, there was always something tense or suspenseful and some parts were awkward but I still enjoyed reading them. There is basically no romance, it is purely a mystery & thriller so if your not a keen reader of this genre, this probably won’t be the book for you! The Characters “I wondered why it was that places are so much lovelier when one is alone.” The only criticism I have for this book is the narrator’s character. I love how we never find out her name as Rebecca is clearly the main character throughout. But, her decisions worry me a little bit and really did infuriate me sometimes like I said before. Although I didn’t like this, I still understand why she chose/did/say what she did. She wanted to fit in and be loved by Maxim, but it must be extremely hard to live in somebody else’s shadow. Her and Maxim’s relationship is definitely a weird one. He seemed to be interested in her during their visit to Monte Carlo and after their honeymoon, they are meant to spend their days as husband and wife. However, when they return to Manderley, he is moody and withdrawn from the narrator, making her feel child-like and isolated. Despite everything though, I still find him to be one of my favourite characters. Mrs Danvers. Lets all talk about her for a minute. She is Rebecca’s former housekeeper and they were extremely close. Mrs Danver’s or Danny as she was referred to, worshipped the ground Rebecca walked on. But she is wicked, especially to the narrator. I couldn’t find a moment in the book where I liked her. I don’t mean I disliked her character at all, I loved her involvement and addition to the story, just as a person, she is not someone I would ever want to meet. There were a lot of side characters that I liked, but it was very rare we learned much about them. Overall Thoughts “Boredom is a pleasing antidote for fear“ Overall, I loved this book, it’s clear to see! This book is captivating, creepy and suspenseful in all the right places, definitely one of my favourites reads this year (I’m saying that a lot this year). I am going to give Daphne Du Maurier’s other novels a go to see if I enjoy them as much or more than I did with Rebecca. This book has opened up a love for gothic novels and classics for me and I will be researching some books to add to my tbr! If you have any suggestions please let me know in the comments and I would also love to know your thoughts on Rebecca if you have read it! I highly recommend to anyone who loves mystery, thrillers and gothic novels. Or even if you like some of the classics! Rating: 4.5/5

‘’Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again’’ - probably the most famous opening line of any literary book. What a brilliant book! This classic masterpiece was written in 1938 but it is still so readable. It is a psychological thriller about a young woman who becomes obsessed with her husband's first wife. Here is what I loved the most: The author made a dead character the main character. She is non-existent but everyone either loves her or is obsessed with her. The nameless narrator - I liked that she was nameless, it added to the fact that she was living in her husband’s ex-wife’s shadow. She is also a naive and timid character. I do have my own theories about what her name is. 😉 ⭐️ I initially struggled with the first few chapters as it is heavily narrative based, but the start is very important for setting the atmosphere of Manderley. The author uses nature, the weather, plants and flowers to give the book a gothic and atmospheric feel. There are so many psychological themes explored and there is an emphasis on how Mrs De Winter is constantly compared to the first wife and discriminated against as she is much younger than her husband. I loved reading how Mr & Mrs De Winter’s relationship unfolded from marriage to moving into Manderley. The romantic scenes are always followed by dark truths! The secondary characters are strong personalities. Mrs Danvers and Beatrice (house staff & family member) carry the story well and are very important in shaping the main characters. I really enjoyed this, you will not see the plot twist coming. I have watched one but it does not compare to the book!

It's a moody, atmospheric story about a naïve young woman marrying a widower and moving to his beautiful estate. Their relationship is toxic and affectionless, and she constantly feels as if she can't measure up to his late wife. The nature descriptions are incredible, and if you like psychological drama and masterful prose, it's definitely worth a read.

Last night I dreamed I went to Manderley again. Is the first line of the book which naturally is famous. It was written in 1938 and is fabulous as a thriller. The novel begins in Monte Carlo where a nameless lady narrates the book. She was the companion of an American lady. She did not dress well or have a fabulous hairstyle. The older lady makes the acquantance of Maxim de Winter . Maxim then speaks to our narrator and they form a bond. He marries her quiet quickely and they go to his house Manderlay in England. The novel progressives and we learn about the staff and the locals. We learn of the original Mrs de Winter Rebecca. I will say no more as I do not want to spoil the novel. The writting is good and could have been written recently. It is easy to read and has intregue.

Here's the dictionary definition: 'judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind.' OK, first off their is a period of time, written back in the 1930's I believe. Judged to be of the highest quality. Pass again there are multitudes of erudite literature types that have queued up to evaluate this novel with the highest praise. Outstanding of it's kind? Well now perhaps I can become a reviewer. My previous experience with Daphne Du Maurier has been 'Jamaica Inn' and a book of short stories that I read because 'The Birds' was in it. Both books that I enjoyed. Here we have her launch into international literary stardom with 'Rebecca'. What do I think? Well, I enjoyed it. I wanted to pick it up again to find out what happens next and became involved with all the characters. But I'm not too sure it is outstanding of it's kind. I found myself wanting to give the new Mrs De Winter an encouraging shove several times as we went along. Wet Lettuce springs to mind. But I suppose this reflects the author's skill in making her so. Her new husband is often intolerably remote. Mrs Danvers is most suitably spooky. The estate manager is vague. The most interesting character is the idiot, Ben. Was I glad the ghost got shot? Maybe. Whatever, overall I enjoyed the book. It held me to the unsatisfactory end after an annoying start. For me then not quite a classic. A good read though all the same.

One of my favourite books. Really great twist. Beautiful large hardback with a lovely slightly embossed embroidered print. Brilliant!

I enjoyed the book. Some of the descriptive passages are mesmorising and brilliantly written. If I could only repeat the process in my own writing! But the heroine lacked a sufficient character arc - I wanted her to show more spunk and grow as a result of the experiences described - not continue to fade into insignificance. The film had a far more satisfying character arc. So watch the film!

Una trepidante historia de suspenso que te mantendrá al borde del asiento con sus maravillosas descripciones y sus giros oscuros. 100% recomendada para los amantes del thriller.

This is a classic and timeless! Great for bookworm!

The copy looks vintage. It's in good condition making a welcome addition To my.library. having the book in paperback.but.not with me, I got the hardback as used and it was a good choice.

Rebecca is my absolute favorite film noir. I have read this lovely book countless times, and it simply never gets old to me due the excellence in which Dame Daphne du Maurier has written this book as well as many of her other books. In Rebecca, she gently sweeps you through the lovely gardens, the sea cliffs and the opulence that is Manderley, then she enthralls you into all the trials and tribulations within the walls of Manderley with twists and turns that keep you riveted till the end. Regardless of the genre of books you enjoy, this is a must read simply for the beauty of the way it is written and the lovely yet mysterious and chaotic story it possesses.