I finished this book a while ago but haven't gotten around to writing about it. This was my pick for the September book club book. It was given to me as a gift for my birthday and so I thought what the heck. I loved the movie. It was chilling.
Anyway, Rebecca is about this young woman (her name is never revealed) who falls suddenly in love with an older man in France while she is working as a companion to an older lady. Maxim de Winter is moody and serious and the narrator is willing to leave his past in the past (once she has heard that his previous wife, Rebecca, had died a year before). After a week or so they elope and spend a few months honeymooning. But the romance seems to be over once they return to Maxim's home Manderley in England. It is a grand home with lots of history. Here the past seems to catch up with the current wife as Rebecca's touch is all over the house. Mrs de Winter constantly compares herself to the late wife (as does everyone else) as she is put into her shoes and is not assertive enough to make any changes. Maxim's attention changes once they are back home and she believes he will never love her as much as she loves him, which she is willing to live with. Obviously, he loved Rebecca very much as did everyone else but he is unwilling to discuss his past or how Rebecca died. A mystery creeps in to destroy the peacefulness of the house and a loyal servant to Rebecca is determined to make Mrs. de Winter's life in the house miserable.
The feedback I'm getting from those who are reading the book is that it is very hard to get into. I didn't really find that but most of these people haven't seen the movie like I have so I kind of knew what was coming even though it has been a while. Though it was interesting to see the expanded view of the story, I feel like I liked the movie better. The book does move slowly and I found myself getting irritated with the main character rather than sympathizing with her. I just wanted her to grow a backbone already. It was frustrating. It is meant to be a suspenseful book so maybe if I hadn't seen the movie and knew that something was coming it would have been good. I like du Maurier's writing style, however, and that made reading the book enjoyable for the most part.
4 comments:
It's been years since I read this, but I remember feeling the same way you did.
I've only read one book by du Maurier and didn't care for it. But "Rebecca" is supposed tobe her masterpiece. I don't know if I will read it or not.
I really, really loved this book. But I'm a sappy romantic at heart, so what can I say?
I dislike it when books don't give you a main character's name. Don't you find it annoying? How is she referred to?
Post a Comment