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CRITICAL REVIEWS Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca is a classic suspense novel. It is set against England's wild Cornish coast, and most of the book takes place at Manderley, the de Winter family estate. "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." These evocative words begin the novel. A young girl's life as a companion to an old lady is drastically changed when she plunges into a swift courtship and marriage to Maxim de Winter. After a short honeymoon in Italy, the newlyweds come home to Manderley. There, the new Mrs. de Winter suddenly finds herself in charge of a gigantic house with many servants. She also learns about the tragic drowning of Rebecca, Maxim's first wife. She feels the presence of Rebecca everywhere Ñin the styles of the rooms, in the daily routine and in visitors' comments. She also has a hard time dealing with Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, who hates her and delights in humiliating her. When a mysterious stranger arrives, buried secrets surface and Manderley is thrown into chaos. During this time, Mrs. de Winter has to face her own fears and use her strength and courage to keep Maxim and her together. This book has a strong plot and a climatic ending with many mysteries. There is never a dull moment. First published in 1938, Rebecca immediately became a bestseller. Many critics consider it the best Gothic romance of the 20th century. I recommend it to anyone who loves a great mystery. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down until you finish. Teen Ink - PO Box 30, Newton, MA 02461 - (617) 964-6800
- editor@teenink.com
Copyright 2002 by Teen Ink, The 21st Century and The Young
Authors Foundation, Inc. All rights reserved.
EDITORIAL REVIEWS From AudioFile Audio's "enhanced audiotrack" offers the original actors' voices, music and sound effects from the recent PBS dramatization -- with added narration to create a complete listening experience. The incomparable Diana Rigg (host of "Mystery") illuminates the sociopathic Mrs. Danvers, who smolders with rage at the appearance of a new mistress. Charles Dance, as Maxim, has two tough acts to follow -- Lord Laurence Olivier in the 1940 Alfred Hitchock film and Jeremy Brett in the first PBS production. Dance softens the character of de Winter, reducing the romantic, but now seemingly condescending, panache of his predecessors. This is an enjoyable production, but if you're unfamiliar, better to start with Recorded Books' 1988 production, as this new one neglects du Maurier's unforgettable opening, "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. . ." (Heresy.) E.K.D. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition. From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Vickie Sear. Rebecca is a novel of mystery and passion, a dark psychological tale of secrets and betrayal, dead loves and an estate called Manderley that is as much a presence as the humans who inhabit it: "when the leaves rustle, they sound very much like the stealthy movement of a woman in evening dress, and when they shiver suddenly and fall, and scatter away along the ground, they might be the pitter, patter of a woman's hurrying footsteps, and the mark in the gravel the imprint of a high-heeled satin.. Book Description"Last Night I Dreamt READERS' REVIEWS One of my
favourite books,
January 18, 2001
This is an interesting book in many ways, but what makes it really different to many others is that we never, ever find out the name of our heroine, who narrates the tale, and the Rebecca who gives her name to the title is dead before the story begins. Thus is the scene set for a fabulously dark and brooding mystery. The characters are wonderful. We have our nameless heroine, her distant husband Max, whom she loves to distraction, and the malevolent housekeeper Mrs Danvers, who was devoted to Rebecca, the dead but original lady of the house. And the house itself, beautiful Manderley, with fabulous gardens and deep dark mysteries. It really is a delicious read, good for a stormy night, and despite the tortured relationships and scenarios throughout the story it has a surprising but very satisfying ending. It is a classic, and deservedly so. Last night I dreamt
I went to Manderley again..., September 23, 2000
"Rebecca" isn't a very romantic book at first. Our young, gauche heroine (whose name is never actually given) is suddenly proposed marriage by the brooding owner of the beautiful estate of Manderley, Maximilian de Winter. Her mind is abuzz - what does this dark brooding man find in her - a young, maladroit nobody - but cautiously accepts his offer and moves to his enourmous estate. At this point the book gains something akin to momentum: the entire body of the great palace is permeated by the influence of Maximilian's late wife - Rebecca, and our heroine lives in her shadow, far too afraid to confide in her distanced husband. She feels that everyone is scrutinizing her - relatives, servants; in her mind she constantly compares herself to Rebecca - a brilliant, charismatic woman everyone loved to death - but was that all there was to her? If this book is beginning to sound interesting to you - take caution. I can't say that it's not a masterpiece - but the plot moves very slowly and the pages are peppered with vivid descriptions and confusing sentence structures. Also, several others who read the book expressed concerns that several of the characters aren't fully developed (something I never noticed), and that the relationships between the major characters aren't as realistic as they would like (a claim that is at least partly true). If you want to read a quality romance that isn't cliche and has appeal to fans of other genres, you might wish to give "Rebecca" a chance. A real page turning
mystery!, February 10, 2002
A true classic
which is captivating, January 22, 2002
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