Rebecca follows a nameless protagonist who marries a slightly older widower who brings her to his English estate, Manderly. Mrs. De Winter, our post wedding nameless protagonist, feels the shadow of the first wife in every room. In every shadow. In every conversation. Even the staff, including one suspicious house keeper, eye her as if she could never live up to her predecessor. The name of that first wife, in case you haven’t already guessed, is Rebecca.
When a boat is discovered to have the body of the first wife that the husband had already identified elsewhere, Mrs. De Winter discovers her husband’s terrible secret. The one that had overshadowed their marriage even more than Rebecca.
This novel and it’s haunting prose kept me spellbound until its final word. It ends so abruptly, so fiercely, that I’m left wanting so much more. But I believe I would have felt that way anyway for this novel is a masterclass in storytelling. A beautiful piece of writing that few will ever achieve in their lifetime. This one will stay with me forever.
Do I wish I hadn’t already seen Hitchcock’s Best Picture winning adaptation beforehand? Yes. Did reading this make the film a better movie. Also yes. Even knowing the story, Du Maurier’s writing still kept me on the edge of my seat. And, how gutsy to have a protagonist without a name aside from that of her predecessor. Perfect way to show how large of a shadow the first Mrs. De Winter cast over the story.
Five out of five stars for me. There is a reason this book never went out of print. Perfect novel.
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Becky Tyler Art and Photography 
Rebecca follows a nameless protagonist who marries a slightly older widower who brings her to his English estate, Manderly. Mrs. De Winter, our post wedding nameless protagonist, feels the shadow of the first wife in every room. In every shadow. In every conversation. Even the staff, including one suspicious house keeper, eye her as if she could never live up to her predecessor. The name of that first wife, in case you haven’t already guessed, is Rebecca.
When a boat is discovered to have the body of the first wife that the husband had already identified elsewhere, Mrs. De Winter discovers her husband’s terrible secret. The one that had overshadowed their marriage even more than Rebecca.
This novel and it’s haunting prose kept me spellbound until its final word. It ends so abruptly, so fiercely, that I’m left wanting so much more. But I believe I would have felt that way anyway for this novel is a masterclass in storytelling. A beautiful piece of writing that few will ever achieve in their lifetime. This one will stay with me forever.
Do I wish I hadn’t already seen Hitchcock’s Best Picture winning adaptation beforehand? Yes. Did reading this make the film a better movie. Also yes. Even knowing the story, Du Maurier’s writing still kept me on the edge of my seat. And, how gutsy to have a protagonist without a name aside from that of her predecessor. Perfect way to show how large of a shadow the first Mrs. De Winter cast over the story.
Five out of five stars for me. There is a reason this book never went out of print. Perfect novel.
Discover more from Becky Tyler Art and Photography
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
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