Rebecca question

In the original version Max was named Henry.

'In “The Rebecca Notebook and Other Memories,” she (Du Maurier) writes, “The husband was no longer Henry but Max--perhaps I thought Henry sounded dull. The sister and the cousin, they were different too. The narrator remained nameless, but the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, had become more sinister…The original epilogue somehow merged into the first chapter, and the ending was entirely changed.”

Other answers to 'Rebecca' questions might be found in this book, written by Du Maurier herself.

Phewww!!!!!
I thought I was the only one that was filled with a million questions after reading this book!
1.)I think Frank was going to tell the narrator about Rebecca's extra marital affairs. She was telling Frank she would never live up to Rebecca and that Maxim was still in love with her etc. I think he was going to tell her more about how Rebecca really was.

2.) I didnt quite get this, at the end though the author hints that the house was on fire. (some even go so far as to suggest Danvers did this because she just up and left when they were in England inquiring about Dr. Baker. )
3.) Maxim poked holes in the boat so it would sink and no one would fine Rebeccas body.
4.) I think Rebecca told Ben she would put him in an assylum, they never came out and said this but this is how I took it. Like Ben maybe snooped around her cottage and she told him this.
5.) She calls him Henry at the end of the book because this was what the author originally was going to call him before changing his name to Max, this also confused the heck out of me. The version of the book I read explained this at the end in the authors notes.

I had to do some online investigating after I read this book lol!!

I loved this book all the way until I reached the end. The end left me going- "huh"? I understood the fire, and figured it had to do with Mr. Favell & Mrs. Danvers. Mr. Favell made that last menacing statement when he had his hand on Max's car after the Doctor's visit, "The law can get you yet, and so can I , in a different way. . . ." One question was what ever happened to Frank? He was such a big part of this story - good friend to Max, and the narrator.

A lot of the book becomes clearer when you understand that it is a retelling of Jane Eyre. So the narrator is the Jane character and Maxim is Mr. Rochester-- another deeply ambigious character (are we supposed to like or loathe him?) If you remember in Jane Eyre, Thornfield is destroyed by a fire caused by Bertha. Jane also feels inadequate for most of the book.

When does she call Maxim 'Henry'? My copy of the book was published in 1939, so it's definitely old enough to still have that error, but I've just been scanning it and cannot for the life of me find a reference to 'Henry'. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

Could anyone give me a particular example and/or chapter reference where this occurs?

Thanks in advance!

I can't say I disliked the book, it was well written and had a good plot. My problem with this book was the thoroughly unlikable characters. Maxim was boring and unbelievable, and the narrator was a weak, pathetic young woman with no redeeming qualities. Rebecca was simply awful (I really hated her after Mrs D told the story of her brutalizing the horse) and I kind of wished Maxim hadn't shot her so that she could have died the type of death she really deserved, slow, painful and disfiguring.

The question that remains unanswered for me is what were Mrs. Danvers and Mr. Favel doing in the west wing of Manderley on the day that Mrs. De Winter the II discovered the secretive visitation of Favel to the with Mrs. Danvers?

We understand that the HOUSE Manderley burned, but what about the estate? Why couldn't they go back or sell it, was it still making money for De Winter, otherwise how could they afford to live abroad? And why in the world did either Mrs. De Winter II ask some freakin' questions or someone clue her in-one of the maids, Frank, Frith, SOMEONE FOR GOD'S SAKE. Wouldn't you have asked????

Arria wrote: "I wanted to post this in my review but didn't want to add spoilers.

Many things were left unanswered and that to me made this story more painful to read/understand. Feel free to post your opinion:..."

U r not alone. I dislike this book too. I hunted this book down bc of all the great reviews and praise for the author and everyone kept talking about the first line in the book was so memorable but to each his own it was very disappointing. The narrator makes it sounds as if her and maxim lived in that house for years so i didnt get her attachment to the house or her husband who just seem as if he wasnt that into her. I didnt have alot of questions about the story i just wonder who decides what is a classic