Last night, I dreamt I read Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier again. It seemed to me that as I turned the pages, words illuminating my path to the elusive mansion of Manderly, I was returning to a home that knew the sound of my footsteps.
Except it wasn’t a dream. Years have passed since I read this novel in my junior year of high school, but something about its compelling story invites me back for more.
In summary, the novel is about a nameless young woman who spontaneously agrees to marry this charmingly handsome and ridiculously wealthy man, Maxim de Winter. So romantic, right? Wrong. The problem is, Maxim hasn’t forgotten about his old wife, Rebecca, who mysteriously passed away. Still, he decides to make this woman his new lover anyways, bringing her to his classical mansion of Manderly. Yet, as time passes, the young wife realizes that the memory of Rebecca cannot be erased from its foundations, and secrets finally come to the surface.
By now, hopefully you can tell that this book is going to be an emotional wreck. As a seasoned reader of this book, I can confirm: it most definitely is.
Conflict and tension are the essential ingredients to cooking up a meaningful story. Daphne du Maurier does exactly this; experimenting with readers’ emotions to see how trusting and forgiving they will be towards the flawed characters.
Perhaps this is what makes the novel so engaging. While the characters are manipulating each other, the reader is being persuaded by an incomplete narrative. You must rely solely on your imagination and desire to see the best in everyone, which arguably destroys the nameless protagonist from the beginning. This level of engagement is enamored by writers.
If you are captivated by mysterious characters, lavish settings, and the weights of secrets, I recommend you check out this book. It does not disappoint!