Rebecca in Retro Reads

Jun 18, 2012 Hannah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, gothics, houses-as-characters, classics, re-read, 2012-reads

After 5+ re-reads since my distant teen years, this book still has the power to mesmerize me.

Definitely one of the best character studies I've ever read, and after having recently read a biography of du Maurier, I am convinced that she poured much of her own personality and insecurities into the unnamed second Mrs. de Winter. There's no denying the poignant truth of her observations on inadequacy and powerlessness. It's so realistic it hurts to read it at times throughout the story.

Another trium ...more

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Jul 13, 2013 Lynnie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audible, read-in-1970s, read-in-1990s, favourites, virago, tv-tie-in, cornwall, gothic, all-time-favourites, favorite-authors-first-time-read

Feb 2024: I was surprised to see that I've only read this book twice and that the last time was nearly 30 years ago! I have seen films and TV series and read essays, a sequel and a prequel. I always say that Daphne du Maurier is one of my favourite authors too!

I listened to the audio, read by Anna Massey. She played Mrs Danvers in the 1979 BBC mini series (Joanna David and Jeremy Brett). She was brilliant, her clipped tones perfect for the era and her Mrs Danvers was so chilling (especially the ...more

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Jul 22, 2014 MomToKippy rated it liked it

Accidentally deleted my review of this. Wonderful prose, clever story, great character development for the most part, lots of atmosphere. What I disliked was that it was so brooding and tragic and at times I was simply bored with it. I almost gave up on it but wanted to know the outcome. I think there are better "classics" out there. ...more

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Oct 06, 2013 Ellie 9218 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I had never heard of this book. An embarrassing confession coming from someone who likes to read Classic books as much as I do. I am so thankful to have discovered this true, timeless classic through an October Book Club Selection. Published in 1938 and winner of the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the Century. This is by far the best book I have read this year.

This story is told from the perspective of the second Mrs. de Winter (whose first name we never know). She is a young woman who goes fro I had never heard of this book. An embarrassing confession coming from someone who likes to read Classic books as much as I do. I am so thankful to have discovered this true, timeless classic through an October Book Club Selection. Published in 1938 and winner of the Anthony Award for Best Novel of the Century. This is by far the best book I have read this year.

This story is told from the perspective of the second Mrs. de Winter (whose first name we never know). She is a young woman who goes from being a paid companion for a rude, wealthy American woman vacationing in Europe, to becoming the wife of Maximilian de Winter, an older, wealthy man whose first wife, Rebecca, died the previous year. He takes his new wife back to his estate, Manderley, on the coast of Cornwall, England. Although the beautiful, talented Rebecca is dead, she is not forgotten. Her presence fills the pages and she becomes a major character. Mrs. Danvers, the cruel and evil former personal assistant to Rebecca, makes it clear to Mrs. de Winter that her loyalty was to Rebecca. She lurks in the shadows, always watching, always listening, always there to ensure that the second Mrs. De Winter never feels comfortable in her role as lady of the house. There is a part where Mrs. Danvers insists on showing Mrs. De Winter Rebecca’s bedroom. It literally gave me goosebumps. I think she is possibly one of the best literary villians ever. Mrs. Danvers, along with other townspeople, dwell on Rebecca as if she were still alive. Rebecca is ever present, despite that fact that she’s dead.

I thought the decision to not name the second Mrs. De Winter was so smart. It made the character appear to be a lesser person than Rebecca.

This book had it all for me- a wonderful setting, a suspenseful and well executed plot, interesting/developed characters, romance, and a very unexpected ending. I loved that almost every chapter ended with a cliffhanger. But most of all, I loved the writing style. From the opening line of 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again', I was simply absorbed in. The story is told almost poetically, and it captured my attention from the start. It was hardly like reading a book, but more like watching a film. The way she wrote, everything I read, I could picture. I could see Manderly in my head perfectly.

I heard that Alfred Hitchcock made Rebecca into a movie, which I would love to see. This book was made for Hitchcock.

Absolutely L.O.V.E.D. it
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Apr 09, 2015 Amy rated it it was amazing

I thought this started slow and most of the time I wanted to give our Mrs. de Winters a few classes on boosting self-confidence .... and then things picked up and didn't slow down. ...more

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May 15, 2012 Amy Chichi Hsiao rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literature

A great read!! It's a haunting book that kept pushing me to finish. The atmosphere and description of heroine's changes of psychological conditions are very convincing. It's much better entertaining than a lot of modern novels...

Jaime Murray will make perfect incarnation of Rebecca, while Ellen Page might be nice for the new Mrs. de Winter. As for Maxim, I'd like Michael Fassbinder. ...more

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