A review by laurenzokro
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Of all the literary classics I've read, this is definitely one of the best and that I think will stay with me for some time. I was really stunned by du Maurier's ability to exhibit such grandness and novelty in the world of Manderley. Nothing about the book's setting or character-building felt mundane or one-note, despite most of the book taking place in the same location (Manderley) with the same core characters, which really reflects the power of Rebecca's haunting and everlasting presence in everyone's lives. Knocked down the ranking a little bit because I do find it to be overly repetitive and obvious at times - particularly the narrator's constant imagining of scenarios in her head borne of her own self-consciousness - but I don't think that takes away from the book's dramatic impact. The arc of the story is incredibly well-constructed, and I honestly can't get over how good that ending is.
The sense of foreboding as Maxim drives back to Manderley made you assume the worst, particularly now that you knew what he was capable of, showing a turn of events that made them lose not only the life that they were hoping for a peaceful return to, but also the source of their recent strifes (Rebecca's continued presence in the house, Mrs. Danvers). Furthermore, everything coming together in the end - and Rebecca's ability to get the literal "last laugh" by going out the way she always intended - leaves such an impression on the reader, particularly given that despite all that, Maxim and the narrator are left with nothing but ash and no clear resolution to their story after all.
Actually writing that out is making me bump my rating back up to 5 stars. It is just truly remarkable and a real masterpiece.
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