Like a fine wine!Rebecca is the story of a widower named Max de Winter who marries a young woman who is serving as a companion to a wealthy American woman. The new Mrs. de Winter arrives at her new home, Manderley, when she meets the waitstaff of the house. However, the ghost of Rebecca, the late Mrs. de Winter, still lingers, and the new Mrs. de Winter feels a bit wanting.*Rebecca* by Daphne du Maurier is a slow-moving book, but I found it rather delightful. It was unique in the sense that it a...

I really had to push myself through the first half of "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, even though I genuinely loved her writing style. Honestly, it feels like not much actually *happens* in those early chapters. We're only given these super vague details, which is probably why the big reveals in the second half hit me so hard. I'm still not sure if the payoff was totally worth the slog, but I still enjoyed different parts of the story, no less. I'm actually looking forward to watching the Netfli...

Bump! Bump! Bump! Yes, I’m banging my head against the wall for waiting so damn long to read this masterpiece! A couple of weeks ago, I was all set to dive into this book, but then I decided I wasn’t mentally ready for something so intense! So, I devoured a few fluffy romance and fantasy books first. But last night, as my husband was glued to sports reruns and my besties kept blowing up my phone, suggesting I binge Massimo’s 365-day-long adventures on Netflix, I retreated to the bedroom, drew th...

As far as spooky suspense books go, this gets a B-, but as far as HGTV novelizations are concerned, this is the undisputed champion.(What's that glowing on the horizon? Oh, it's the angry mob with pitchforks, ready to burn me at the stake for comparing this masterpiece of fiction to a television channel about what happens when real estate agents subject themselves to couples six months away from divorce who can't seem to grasp the concept of how money relates to buying a house.)What I'm saying i...

This has to be one of the best and most complete books I've ever devoured. Every element—plot, characters, twists, suspense, climax—absolutely perfect! If I had one tiny niggle, it's that the start is a *touch* slow, but honestly, with the incredible payoff, it's barely worth mentioning. The plot? Okay, I'm gonna be real: I totally judged this book by its cover. I saw "Rebecca" in a fancy font and thought, "Ugh, another cheesy classic romance." I figured I'd read it because it's one of those bo...

Oh, how I wish I could rewind the past month and start all over again! Then I could pick up **Rebecca** and experience this breathtaking novel once more as if for the first time. Truth be told, this wasn’t actually my first time reading this quintessential piece of classic gothic literature. However, I am ashamed to say that the number of years that have passed between my first reading and this recent one, combined with what I like to call a lingering case of ‘momnesia’, effectively rendered thi...

A woman, a man, another woman's shadow; a landscape, a house, a hidden history. These six elements have always been at the heart of gothic stories, from Udolpho and Jane Eyre to The Thirteenth Tale. Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca is essential reading in this genre, because she streamlined and perfected these elements, focusing the story, amplifying the mythic aspects, and making the ambiguity even richer.Du Maurier understood that the core of a romantic gothic tale is the battle between two women: ...

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." This is one of the most famous lines in literature, certainly belonging in the same conversation as *Call me Ishmael*. Even people who've never read the book *Rebecca* by Daphne du Maurier or seen the excellent Alfred Hitchcock movie might have a glimmer of recognition at the mention of a place called Manderley. Daphne du Maurier leased a place called Menabilly, which became the basis for the fictional Manderley. Aren’t we glad she changed the na...

This is it. THE delicious, curl up next to the fire under a blanket with tea kind of book. THE sit by the windowsill on a rainy day with your pet type of book. THE stay up all night reading book. A chill goes down your spine (but in a good way!) while reading it. It is a masterpiece of gothic literature, clearly inheriting the tradition of novels like *Wuthering Heights* and *Jane Eyre*. I'd almost call *Rebecca* the 20th Century *Jane Eyre*, actually, but with a modernist twist. Daphne du Mauri...

3.5 stars
edit: After two months, bumping it up to 4 👍🏻