Scan barcode
A review by lostinthelibrary
My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
5.0
With Rebecca being among my favourite novels I can't believe it's taken me so long to get to another Du Maurier and while this didn't quite live up to the former, it was still a masterpiece in Gothic suspense.
Like Rebecca, although there is no tangible threat through most of the book, there is a constant anxiety that something is about to get terribly wrong. However, the reader is kept at that level of suspense throughout, constantly re-evaluating the motives of the characters and even by the end of the novel the answers are not definitive. This is coupled with fantastic writing and imagery of the Cornish countryside and characters within.
I can't wait to discuss this with my online book club next week as I feel like this is a book that everyone will take something different from. Bravo Du Maurier!
Like Rebecca, although there is no tangible threat through most of the book, there is a constant anxiety that something is about to get terribly wrong. However, the reader is kept at that level of suspense throughout, constantly re-evaluating the motives of the characters and even by the end of the novel the answers are not definitive. This is coupled with fantastic writing and imagery of the Cornish countryside and characters within.
I can't wait to discuss this with my online book club next week as I feel like this is a book that everyone will take something different from. Bravo Du Maurier!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Violence, and Grief