bluelizzz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Повільна на початку, але сюжет стрімко розвивається у другій половині та до кінця тримає в напрузі. Не настільки банальна, як може здатися - в історії достатньо моментів, що можуть здивувати.
Перші дві глави плутають нового читача - без вступу починаються описи природи та якогось будинку, що мариться героїні уві сні; в читача кидають іменами ще невідомих персонажів, секундними спогадами про загадкові події, які нас ще чекають, але ніби вже відбулися; словом, все вимазано у товстий шар ностальгії, чужої неприємної ностальгії, коли відчуваєш себе незручно чужим у теплих спогадах незнайомця.
Цей літературний прийом працює на відмінно, бо чепляє своєю дивністю, та "безшовно" поєднує кінець і початок історії (серйозно, після закінчення книжки поверніться на початок і прочитайте перші дві глави знову - ефект вражаючий).
Герої до болю реалістичні, зі своїми тривогами, страхами, недоліками, протягом всієї історії викликають то підозри і антипатію, роздратування до скрипу зубів, то розуміння і співчуття, в чомусь навіть і симпатію.
Авторка так поступово і майстерно розкручує розповідь, що відчуваючи ті чи інші емоції читач навіть не здогадується, що вони цілком навмисно викликані геніальною пані Дафною дю Мор'є. Тільки закривши книгу на останньому рядку пазл складається в повну картину і талант письменниці не викликає питань.
Навіть описи природи, так ненависні мною, мають свій сенс в контексті розвитку історії та відображення внутрішніх переживань головної героїні (безіменної героїні, що теж як виявилось було важливо для поринення в події книги).
Рекомендую до прочитання всім з великим терпінням (вас буде за це винагороджено) та імунітетом до описів природи (рододендрони не те, чим здаються), хто не проти опинитись в голові 20-річної невротички, щоб пережити глибоку сімейну драму та споглядати її внутрішній розвиток (насправді краще, ніж звучить).
Перечитувати не планую, одного разу цілком достатньо; також я не фанатка циклитись на психології та думках гг всю книгу, тому для мене книга тверда 4.0 з 5.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Murder, Cancer, Death, and Blood
Minor: Stalking, Animal death, Ableism, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Alcohol, Misogyny, and Terminal illness
redheadorganist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Blood, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, and Murder
Moderate: Cancer, Suicide, and Infidelity
Minor: Medical content and Animal cruelty
marissasa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Toxic relationship, and Violence
z_thatsit's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Cancer
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, and Body shaming
sennaje's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Grief, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, and Murder
clairew97's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Incest, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Bullying, Infidelity, Infertility, Cancer, Death, Injury/injury detail, Murder, Misogyny, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Terminal illness
laurataylor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Cancer, Death, Incest, Infidelity, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Infertility
ambermarshall's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It starts off slowly but so richly described that it drew me right in, and then in the second half it gripped me tightly and pulled me along. So much is revealed that casts earlier parts in a new light, and I found myself flipping back and forth and rereading earlier passages. The mystery and suspense were excellent, and romance took a back seat (it was all rather chaste as far as romance goes). It ends rather abruptly but I read a little more of the beginning again (which takes place after the events of the book) and it can act as a sort of epilogue as well as prologue, and you get a different reading from it after reading the entire novel.
Spoiler
I confess I had taken the "haunted by Rebecca" literally until I actually read the book and realized there was nothing supernatural going on and it was a metaphorical haunting, which honestly works so well and much better than a literal haunting would have. It just speaks to how huge a personality Rebecca was and how she managed to get so many people in her thrall with her sociopathic wiles to the point that she has so much power over everything even after her death, especially through Mrs. Danvers as her mortal agent.I do wonder if the beginning might serve better at the end, since it takes away a little bit of the suspense to know that MC and Maxim are away and safe after everything, though I did wonder if maybe they were on the lam.
Overall, I'm hugely impressed. A masterpiece indeed.
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Cultural appropriation, Grief, Cancer, Infidelity, and Bullying
rory_john14's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Murder, Gun violence, Classism, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Death, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Cultural appropriation, Medical content, Mental illness, Incest, Alcoholism, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Minor: Injury/injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts
mme_carton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Murder, Racism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Ableism, Alcohol, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Incest, Violence, Infidelity, and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Infertility, and Death of parent