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 | | Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier ISBN-10: 9780380730407 ISBN-10: 0-380-73040-5 ISBN-13: 9780380730407 ISBN-13: 978-0-380-73040-7 Paperback 1997-11-01 Harper Paperbacks Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description With these words, the reader is ushered into an isolated gray stone mansion on the windswept Cornish coast, as the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter recalls the chilling events that transpired as she began her new life as the young bride of a husband she barely knew. For in every corner of every room were phantoms of a time dead but not forgotten—a past devotedly preserved by the sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers: a suite immaculate and untouched, clothing laid out and ready to be worn, but not by any of the great house's current occupants. With an eerie presentiment of evil tightening her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter walked in the shadow of her mysterious predecessor, determined to uncover the darkest secrets and shattering truths about Maxim's first wife—the late and hauntingly beautiful Rebecca. This special edition of Rebecca includes excerpts from Daphne du Maurier's The Rebecca Notebook and Other Memories, an essay on the real Manderley, du Maurier's original epilogue to the book, and more. | ||
Reviews | ||
About the time I began speed reading, the story got good I remind myself that this book was written 80 years ago, and that the frequent, mindless chit-chat among the characters about absolutely nothing was probably the norm for the day. If you can bear with this story until about the two-thirds mark, you'll treat yourself to a climactic finish. I have the same problem with "Rebecca" that I had with "My Cousin Rachel." In many respects it is well written; however, we know virtually nothing about the characters. No background whatsoever (other than her parents are dead) about the narrator to explain why a 21-year-old behaves like an abused dog. No real background on Max such as why he married Rebecca in the first place. No background on why Rebecca was a twisted soul. Which leads us to our curiousity about Mrs. Danvers (we assume she was once married if she is addressed as Mrs.) because she is the one who raised Rebecca. No background on Jack Favell's dark side or how he and first cousin Rebecca became lovers. Too many unanswered questions that could have added some wonderful complexity to the story. But hey, we know in excrutiating, repetitive detail all about Manderley's gardens. | ||
"Have you ever thought about the future?" How about that for a chat-up line? When someone told me they called their daughter 'Rebecca' for the character in this novel, my curiosity was raised. It is beautiful. The story is of the mysterious and unsolved death of the first Mrs Maxim De Winter, Rebecca, and how her death is discovered, with far reaching consequeces for an entire community. Mrs De Winter (the second one) got slightly on my nerves, but because she is so bland and neutral (and nameless!), she forms a perfect vehicle to narrate the story. Her gradual uncovering of the secret is our journey of discovery as readers. Her subsequent self-deception, however, does not fool the reader one bit. Of course this novel contains one of the most famous opening lines in literature: 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again'. Beware: if you don't like detailed and moody description, this is not the novel for you. | ||
Loved it, Loved it, Loved it Once in awhile we have to do a throwback to a novel not of this century. Yes, we have to. But that's OK because this one is about one of my all time favorites: Rebecca by Daphne Du Marurier (1938). It is the only book I have ever stayed up all night to finish just because I had to know what happened. Since then I have read it several more times but this time managing to get some sleep in. Rebecca was inspired by Jane Eyre, written by Du Marurier in Cairo, Egypt while her husband was stationed there. This British author's bestseller was a surprising success and spawned several films, television shows, and other novels. However, as we all know, are almost never as good as the book, particularly since when the first film was made in 1940 and was required under Hollywood Production Code to change the ending in order to be shown. (Warning: Reading the Wikipedia entry will spoil it!) Since a big part of enjoying this novel is staying wrapped up in the mystery and suspense created, I won't comment on anything that might give that away. The basic premise is a young lady while working as a traveling companion for a wealthy widowed woman meets Maxim de Winter, a handsome gentleman who makes her his bride and takes her back to his estate, Manderley. The young lady is mousy and unsure, struggling at times with why such a man as Maxim would want someone such as herself for a wife. While the reasons become more and more clear as the novel progresses, the couple can never escape the presence of Rebecca, Maxim's first and deceased wife. Once at Manderley, the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers makes her appearance and continues to haunt, cause trouble and general nastiness to the young lady, as she was fond of Rebecca and refuses to accept her death. Mrs. Danvers earns her place in villainess history along side the Nurse Ratchets, Cruella de Villes and White Queens. She'll give you the chills as she sweeps along the long creaking halls of Manderley. The story is told entirely from the young lady's point of view, starting a little slow, but really picking up speed mid-way through the story as the intensity in which Rebecca penetrates their lives (with the help of Mrs. Danvers) from beyond the grave. Once I hit the last third, it became a novel that could not be put down as the mysteries begin to unravel. Because of the age of this novel there have been lots of printings, you could pick this one up at the library, used bookstore or chances are, borrow it from a friend, making it even that more attractive to pick up and give a try. This novel appeals more to women than men, I did get a male friend to give it a try, he liked it, but also referred to it as a very "feminine" story. | ||
Deeply Intriguing Rebecca / 0-380-77855-6 Not your typical romance novel, Rebecca has much more a feel of a mystery novel, with the heroine often on the tip of discovering some terrible and horrible secret. Du Marier's writing takes sudden hold of the reader, and carefully maintains the central conceit of the novel - that Maxim's idea of Rebecca contrasts sharply with the narrator's conceptualization of Maxim's idea of Rebecca. She also carefully utilizes secondary characters, providing valuable allies and frightening enemies as the narrator steps carefully along, wondering just labyrinthine mystery she has become a part of. Especially fitting is Du Marier's choice to strip the narrator of a name, she has no identity in her own world, she is merely Rebecca's successor, for better or worse. Allies, friends, enemies, and relatives cannot see her, they can only judge the difference between her and Rebecca. And, though we might wish otherwise, the narrator eventually internalizes this attitude and sees herself only as 'Not-Rebecca'. In this way, the novel is a caution of sorts - a warning against surrendering a definite self-image to a constantly shifting self-judgment. Even the ending is bittersweet - the duo has freed themselves from the specter of Rebecca, but it is unclear whether something more substantial has taken her place (love? purpose?) or whether there is simply the vacancy, the place where Rebecca used to be and which is now empty. | ||
Audiobook 'Rebecca' Daphne du Maurier Rebecca is a beautiful novel containing intrigue, romance and the exquisite portrait of the wild and beautiful lands of Cornwall, it is beautifully read by and Anna Massey. Would certainly recommend this classic novel audio book.Rebecca | ||