Book Review: Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

Title: Rebecca
Author: Daphne Du Maurier
Pages: 449 pages
Published: First published August 1938
Source: Library
Classics Club Post

GoodReads Description: "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . .

The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives--presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave. "

MY REVIEW:

"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."

To me, that invention is partially accomplished in books.  We read these beautiful classic novels and they have captured for us their memory of a time and place.  And for this reason, among others, I have an extremely hard time rating and reviewing classics.  They are classics for a reason.  It's not like you can say, "Oh this book wasn't very original, I've heard the story a thousand times before... " Well, duh it is the original and you've heard it a thousand times before because a thousand people have copied and partially copied this work.  And even if, in your opinion, they did it better (sacrilege!) - this is still the original.  Modern writing is what it is because of novels like these.  So all this to say, unless I totally hate a classic novel I will probably rate it 5 stars.

That being said, this novel moves slow for a book of suspense.  Classic literature is often very descriptive and wordy and I don't think that lends itself all that well to suspenseful writing.  But that was the style of the time.

However, this book's well-developed and haunting atmosphere makes up for that.  It was rich and beautifully detailed.  The description of the grounds was beautiful.  They say that Du Maurier wrote this while she was homesick for Cornwall while in Egypt.  I can feel that.  The descriptions were beautiful and at the same time often eery.  There was a definitely creepy feel to Manderley and its deceased lady. Not to mention Mrs. Danvers!  I also read that Rebecca and the nameless narrator were the two sides of Du Maurier's personality.  She split herself in two in this book and explored all the faults of her personality.

"Men are simpler than you imagine my sweet child. But what goes on in the twisted, tortuous minds of women would baffle anyone."

In the end, I was in love with this book and as heart-broken for Manderley as the narrator in the description of it that begins the novel.

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..."

5 stars!

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