Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

****My Review****

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

As someone who regularly judges books by their covers, I have to admit that I initially thought this was some kind of romance. Both the cover and the title somehow remind me of elegance and refinement. So I thought the book was a classic historical romance, why should not?

Imagine my surprise when I realized how wrong I was. Mystery, deception, intrigues, twists and turns, a bunch of misunderstandings and accusations… Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is one of the most complete works I’ve ever read.

To begin with, the action in this novel takes place in Monte Carlo, where the distinguished widower Maxime de Winter proposes marriage to his young mistress. As a poor maid working for a rich family, she can’t believe her luck. However, when she arrives at her new husband’s large estate, she realizes that the shadow of his late wife haunts her everywhere and threatens to destroy their marriage.

If I were to describe this book in three words, it would be dark, cold, and mysterious.

First I must say that I was surprised when I saw it when it was published, somehow I had the impression that it was written in the 19th century. Maybe the style itself associated me to a boo written in that period. Maybe it was because the main character is a powerful woman who influences her husband’s life even after her death. There were some features typical of the classics.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where the main role is played by a character who doesn’t even appear in current events. And that was the most interesting to me. I was fascinated by the way I could feel her presence through her absence (as strange as that sounds). I had the feeling that Rebecca was breathing through every corner of the palace.

Without any doubt, she will remain one of my favorite book characters. In the first half of the book, she gave me the impression of a cold-blooded, power-hungry woman, but then, as the story unfolds, I realized how brilliant she was.

As for the rest of the characters, it seems to me that Manderley Palace was given more importance than any other character. It was so well described, that while reading this book I thought I was there. I could feel every corner, every sound, and smell.

Somehow, I was missing a little more description of Maxim’s new wife (whose name we didn’t even learn). I couldn’t complete my mental picture for her. But on the other hand, maybe it’s better that way. Maybe it’s better than the author presented her only as a young and vulnerable girl, to give the feeling that her character is overshadowed by Rebecca’s character. That she lives in Rebecca’s shadow.

I found the writing style wonderful! Although I prefer books with a slightly faster pace and a little more tension, I liked it. The words were so carefully chosen that they looked like pearls strung on a necklace.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier is one of the best books I have ever read. Every element is perfectly woven and conveyed in such a way that you won’t be able to put the book down until the very end. If you haven’t read this book, now it is the perfect time to grab this book.

If you are one of those who enjoyed Verity, believe that this book will literally blow your mind. Incomparable, amazing and so worth reading…