Book Review – Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Rebecca is the second last book I needed to read for my 2019 “Secret TBR” (nothing like leaving it to the last minute). I read this in December, but am just now getting around to writing a review. You’ll be learning what this “Secret TBR” is very, very soon…in the meantime, here’s a review for Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

About The Book 📚

Publication Date: 1938

Genre: Classic, Mystery, Romance, Gothic,

My Review

› Rebecca is a mysterious, slow-burn story narrated by an unnamed woman. The tale begins at Hotel Côte d’Azur in Monte Carlo where a young, shy, uncertain lady is employed as an assistant to a pompous, rich lady named Mrs Van Hopper. The two meet Mr de Winter in the restaurant, and when Mrs Van Hopper falls ill, her young assistant has some free-time to spend with Mr de Winter. In a few weeks, they’ve fallen in love, he’s proposed to her, she’s quit her job and after a long honeymoon they return to his estate called Manderley. In this isolated mansion, the new Mrs de Winter struggles to fit in and slowly uncovers a shocking secret about the former Mrs de Winter.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”

› It took me some time to get into the story, but I never felt bored. The characters are intriguing, and I was almost instantly asking myself what really happened to Mrs de Winter.

“Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind.”

› The new Mrs de Winter is a naive young girl who is often annoying, yet I couldn’t help but find myself rooting for her as she struggled to find happiness in her new life. Mrs. Danvers is one of my favourite characters – one of those people you just love to hate.

“Either you go to America with Mrs. Van Hopper or you come home to Manderley with me.”
“Do you mean you want a secretary or something?”
“No, I’m asking you to marry me, you little fool.”

› I didn’t like how Mr de Winter treated his new wife. From the beginning, he seemed like a conceited man who doesn’t know what love really is. Although I disliked the way a mentally challenged character and woman are treated, I had to remind myself that this book was written almost 100 years ago.

“The moment of crisis had come, and I must face it. My old fears, my diffidence, my shyness, my hopeless sense of inferiority, must be conquered now and thrust aside. If I failed now I should fail forever.”

› Final Thoughts
• Rebecca is a suspenseful, atmospheric story about love, marriage, and betrayal with well-developed characters that had me on the edge of my seat. In a weird way it reminded me of The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Highly Recommend to readers 14 years old+ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★