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A review by mrsbooknerd
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
3.0
Reading 'Rebecca' was like climbing Mount Vesuvius; it was wonderfully scenic and beautiful, it was climbing and climbing to an exciting peak, and it was a thrill when the summit was reached… Unfortunately, it takes A LOT of hard work to reach that summit.
I can't remember the last time that I was this hokey-cokey with a novel - I was in and then out, interested and then bored, I picked it up and put it back down. Yet, the interesting thing is that I felt that this effort was totally worth it. The last third of this novel was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it, flying through in one evening. If the rest of the novel had been set at this pace and level of tension, then it would have been a five-star rating. The last third was creepy, edgy and gripping, at such contrast with the middle which had been largely self-pitying internalisations from our meek and mild nameless-narrator.
I hated reading about Nameless in those early sections. She was insipid and it was apt that, even as narrator - arguably the most important character, she was the only character not to be given a name. She was without impact or energy.
I know that as a modern woman I want to read about strong women, and this was not necessarily the case in 1938, but the annoying thing is that Nameless did become that confident woman towards the end. She was ballsy and demanding and I loved it! So I know that Du Maurier was capable of writing a female with that personality development. I just wish that it had come earlier so that I could support old Nameless more.
The book was entirely worth reading just for the descriptive passages - of which there were many. I felt like I knew Manderley because it was all described with such clarity. It was just really lovely reading the descriptions of the scenes and venues. When Nameless went into the morning room, I pictured it so clearly, and even remembered what it smelled like. It was genuinely really lovely.
I think that if you can wade through the wallowing and self-pity of Nameless then this book is genuinely worth reading. Especially for those who read to enjoy the writing as well.
I can't remember the last time that I was this hokey-cokey with a novel - I was in and then out, interested and then bored, I picked it up and put it back down. Yet, the interesting thing is that I felt that this effort was totally worth it. The last third of this novel was wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it, flying through in one evening. If the rest of the novel had been set at this pace and level of tension, then it would have been a five-star rating. The last third was creepy, edgy and gripping, at such contrast with the middle which had been largely self-pitying internalisations from our meek and mild nameless-narrator.
I hated reading about Nameless in those early sections. She was insipid and it was apt that, even as narrator - arguably the most important character, she was the only character not to be given a name. She was without impact or energy.
Spoiler
Why on earth would she not tell the others that Mrs Danvers had encouraged her to wear Rebecca's costume at the party? I also cannot believe that Mrs. Danvers actually encouraged Nameless to kill herself, and yet they both just walked away from the event and carried on as normal and it was never mentioned again. I was internally screaming at Nameless to grow a pair and sack the psychotic hag.I know that as a modern woman I want to read about strong women, and this was not necessarily the case in 1938, but the annoying thing is that Nameless did become that confident woman towards the end. She was ballsy and demanding and I loved it! So I know that Du Maurier was capable of writing a female with that personality development. I just wish that it had come earlier so that I could support old Nameless more.
The book was entirely worth reading just for the descriptive passages - of which there were many. I felt like I knew Manderley because it was all described with such clarity. It was just really lovely reading the descriptions of the scenes and venues. When Nameless went into the morning room, I pictured it so clearly, and even remembered what it smelled like. It was genuinely really lovely.
I think that if you can wade through the wallowing and self-pity of Nameless then this book is genuinely worth reading. Especially for those who read to enjoy the writing as well.