Reviews tagging 'Classism'

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

45 reviews

seapotatohowisitalrtaken's review against another edition

funny mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

It has gone over feeling like a dream.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Violence, Grief, Murder, and Classism

Minor: Animal cruelty

bearystarry's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I thought this was going to be different than it was, but I was very engaged the whole time. The ending was very surprising to me and I definitely should have paid more attention to the content warnings... but overall... I'm not sure if "enjoyed" is the correct word but I'll use it anyway; I enjoyed this read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Moderate: Abandonment

Minor: Fire/Fire injury

essiie's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

First half dragged a bit and was a tad dull. Picked up beautifully about 2/3 in. I absolutely loved the tense atmosphere starting the day after the party...

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Ableism and Suicide

Minor: Racism, Sexism, and Classism

haley49's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I loved the way this book wrapped up. It is so smart and absolutely nails the twists and beats of the story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity and Murder

Moderate: Classism

Minor: Incest, Sexism, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

jamie_el's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I did enjoy the book overall and definitely found the plot interesting, but it feels like it didn't quite reach its full potential. Quite a few characters are introduced and almost fleshed out to a degree that you think they'll be important, only for them to be never mentioned again. I also found Maxim to be inappropriate and the narrator frustrating at points. The ending was also a little predictable. Despite this, the writing itself was good and the story gripping, even though I felt justice wasn't truly served in the end.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Murder

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Grief, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Chronic illness, Incest, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Alcohol

Many of these triggers are minor and only mentioned in passing or are a product of the time it was written. I would not let them deter if it is a preference rather than an mental health trigger as nothing is particularly explicit.

The main plotline of the book focuses on the deceased ex-wife of the narrator's husband, whom we find out he murdered because she was cheating on him with her cousin. He later gets away with the crime because it is found she had a chronic illness and it is thought that she committed suicide. Most of the triggers pertain to this plotline and the aftermath, but none of the descriptions are hugely explicit and it comes during the reveal at the end of the book.

kaylakuohn's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A childhood favorite, I read this so much I can't read it any more

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

amberinpieces's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Dementia, Murder, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Cancer, Gun violence, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

turidt's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexism, Grief, and Classism

Moderate: Ableism, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Minor: Gun violence, Incest, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol

laura6891's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Infidelity, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

gvstyris's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I wondered how many people there were in the world who suffered, and continued to suffer, because they could not break out from their own web of shyness and reserve, and in their blindness and folly built up a great distorted wall in front of them that hid the truth. 

Very unsure about how to rate this book. Rebecca has been on my mental TBR for years, primarily because of its enduring influence on other media I love (Gone Girl, even various Taylor Swift songs hahah), so my expectations were probably unfairly high. 

And, in many ways, they were met. I loved the Gothic setting and eerie tone, as well as the slow build of tension -- although I totally get where it'll bug other readers, given how long it takes to reach any action. Manderley is almost a character in-and-of-itself, which was super compelling, and du Maurier's prose really is gorgeous. I also really admired the shift in the narrator's voice throughout the novel as she lost her youthful naivety and grew into her role of 'Mrs de Winter.' 

Docking my rating over a couple things. I'm pretty unobservant and honestly really bad at guessing plot twists, but even I didn't find the main reveals in this novel particularly shocking or compelling. That's probably in part because Rebecca helped pioneer specific thriller tropes, and has influenced many more creative thrillers, but it still made for an underwhelming conclusion. I'm also not sure how I feel about the social commentary of the main reveals...

Maxim comes across a bit too favourably in the end, and Rebecca a bit cartoonish.

It definitely reminded me a bit of my misogynistic undertone qualms with Gone Girl.

I am glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, and Murder

Moderate: Incest and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Infertility, Suicide, and Terminal illness