A review by marissasa
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

mysterious tense slow-paced
  • 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

This gothic classic had all the unsettling, ghostly vibes that I expected. The way that everything was setup and written, from the hauntingly beautiful descriptions of Manderley to the growing unease and madness of our unnamed main character and narrator, kept me engrossed and invested in this story from start to end. Despite being slow-paced and largely character-focused, I somehow enjoyed the super detailed descriptions and imagery paired with the racing inner thoughts of the second Mrs. de Winter. It was fascinating to me that the big reveal came around the middle of the book and not the end, as we got to watch everything we thought we knew about different characters and events unfold into the truth throughout the remainder of the story. I enjoyed that not everything was clearly laid out and that certain aspects of the central conflict, especially regarding character's relationships to each other and the extents of their knowledge of the truth, were kept vague for the mystery of it all.
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