REBECCA BY DAPHNE DU MAURIER | BOOK REVIEW | DECEMBER 2017

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

I've read one other novel by Du Maurier, which was Jamaica Inn and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Everything about her characters and her writing style makes it more pleasurable reading any of her works. Rebecca is one of her best known works and finding it in a church fayre for only thirty pence I was obliged to treat myself just that little bit to another one of her novels.

Du Maurier is clever with her worlds she creates; yes there are similarities with Jane Eyre and this novel but the intelligent aspects of not allowing the audience to know what the narrator's name is, which foreshadowing allows us to focus all our attention on the overall object of the novel; Rebecca. There's a gender conflict throughout the novel, Du Maurier focuses on the relationships between men and women, also the conflict between the difference of the two De Winter wives; one is this outgoing woman which the reader is instantly drawn to for the stereotypical view of an aristocrats wife; beautiful and charismatic.  Versus the opposite of Rebecca, the new naive and innocent second Mrs De Winter, absolutely drawn to Maxim De Winter because of his masculinity and individuality. Maxim De Winter, as a character blinds the audience almost as naive as his new bride, from what he is actually capable of, to inevitably protect his reputation and status. The house of Manderley is a symbol and signifies every emotion that is represented in the novel; loneliness, happiness and their social class. The idea of this massive house and all those rooms unused represents the wealth and social class of the De Winter's, but also the juxtaposition of how you think such a large will automatically bring such happiness but to the new Mrs De Winter, it is hardly happiness she feels the most intimidated and lonely.
 The way Du Maurier mirrors the characters and their purposes creates the psychological story and plot that both the narrator and the read undertakes. I think this is evident in not just Rebecca, but in Jamaica Inn. As these are the only two novels of Du Maurier's I've read, you can recognise the writing style added to every story she writes. The narrative is to say the least very different from other novels. but again her works inhibit suspense in every line. This is a classic, if you want the authenticity, unique narrative and suspense that is lived within Du Maurier's work; Rebecca is the one for you. 

Happy Reading! 
Rose