Rebecca

Having read this book many times, I'm hoping a new generation of readers will discover an intriguing mystery without a single vampire, serial killer or one set in some apocalyptic future. Rebecca is dark and strange and almost impossible to put down, especially with the central character dead and the storyteller being a shadow.The book begins with a dream about a house named Manderley perched on a knoll above the sea. The dream is told by the book's narrator and we learn that she once lived at Manderley but can never return.The story really begins in a hotel in Monte Carlo in the 1930's where a young girl is the paid companion to a crass, social climbing older woman, Mrs. Van Topper. The older woman will sink to almost any depth to appear well connected and prominent and plants herself in the hotel lobby daily in an attempt to ingratiate herself with someone she deems important. She spots a man she recognizes as a wealthy,prominent Englishman, Maxim de Winter and forces him to have tea with her.The young girl, whose diary is open to the reader, is horrified by Mrs. Van Topper's obvious attempts to extract personal information from de Winter by giving him the impression that they have friends in common. Although de Winter is not fooled by Mrs. Van Topper, sensing the young girl's anguish, he is kind to her.The flu confines Mrs. Van Topper to her room, allowing the girl more time and she and de Winter begin to spend most afternoons together, something she records faithfully but does not share with Mrs. Van Topper. The diary records the girl's fascination with the handsome, older man who is often brooding and distant. She falls in love with the enigmatic and dashing de Winter, but realizes how unrealistic she is. The narrator knows that de Winter recently "lost his wife," Rebecca, but knows nothing beyond what Mrs. Van Topper has told her: that de Winter's wife drowned near Manderley and he never speaks of it.Quite suddenly, Mrs. Van Topper decides to leave Monte Carlo and the girl is ordered to pack and prepare to leave. In a panic, she feels she must seek out Mr. de Winter to say goodbye and when she does, he proposes to her in an awkward way and she accepts. Mrs. Van Topper is angry and points out how unsuited the young girl is to become "mistress of Manderley."When the girl arrives at Manderley after a rapturous honeymoon, she is awestruck and intimidated by the size of the house and has no idea how to assume her role as Mrs. de Winter. Maxim is off and about the estate seeing to affairs he has neglected and, since the girl is afraid to make errors in social judgment, she leaves all decisions to others, most especially to the head housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who reinforces the girl's insecurities by continually pointing out the former Mrs. de Winter's beauty, social skills and legions of admirers and friends. The reminders of Rebecca are everywhere; her personalized notecards still in her desk, closets filled with beautiful clothes, fur coats, monogrammed towels and robes with giant R's in script, and the girl becomes convinced that de Winter married her on a whim and remains hopelessly in love with the perfect Rebecca. Rather than learning her role as lady of the house, the girl is terrified that her husband will come to his senses and realize what a mistake he has made and she will lose him. Consequently, she is slow to pay attention to nuances in behavior and speech that would provide clues to what is happening around her.Manderley is famous for its annual costume ball, a tradition de Winter loathes but agrees to suffer through as it is regarded as the height of the social season. The girl worries about how she will possibly live up to Rebecca's skills as a hostess and has no idea what costume to wear. Mrs. Danvers cleverly suggests a costume to replicate one of the many family portraits of long deceased family members lining the walls of Manderley, failing to disclose that her suggestion is for the girl to wear the exact costume worn by Rebecca at the previous ball.On the night of the ball, as a drum signals, she descends the grand staircase to be met with silence, expressions of disbelief and gasps of horror. Maxim yells at her and orders her to go and change. She is humiliated and defeated and refuses to go back downstairs. Then she hears voices outside discussing her. "Guess they had a row and she is refusing to come out." "No one has seen her. Rebecca would have been here there and everywhere." Shaken, she suddenly realizes that as Mrs. de Winter, she has certain obligations and one is to overcome her fear and face the music. She makes it through the ball in misery.The diary is the only information provided, so one never learns the girl's name, nor what she looks like, except for several remarks de Winter makes to her, saying that with a big ribbon in her hair, she would look like Alice in Wonderland Wretched though she is, the girl's despairing self-absorption is shelved by a dramatic event. A ship wrecks close to the shore and divers searching the wreck discover Rebecca's lost sailboat, an event which eventually turns the timid girl into a formidable force.To reveal more might detract from the reader's experience. Written in another time, the lengths to which certain families went to preserve reputations and hide any unpleasantness may seem absurd. The anxiety felt by the girl, afraid to fail but having no idea how to go about gaining skills she is certain she lacks may seem naive to modern women but, in the end, Rebecca is a book about how imagination clouds the ability to see, or even seek, the truth and how living a lie erodes the soul. It is a story about how fear of the truth stops us from finding joy rather than misery and how what we imagine can be far different from reality. The narrative reveals how behind facades there can be nothing more than a cardboard theater set which has been continually propped up by the flimsiest of supports and if one support post fails, the entire structure collapses.This psychological melodrama overlays a deeper message.

Rebecca. This is a classic I had been meaning to read for years. I started it a few years back (it’s been on my Kindle that long) but was distracted by something else I “needed” to read.We never learn the first name of our narrator. She is described as young woman without worldly experience. You know straight away she is impressionable, a bit naive but kind-hearted. She is often referred to as the new or second Mrs. de Winter. Personally I think she was named after her father. I thought that after this exchange with Maxim de Winter over dinner.“You have a very lovely and unusual name,” said Mr. de Winter.” “My father was a lovely and unusual person,” our narrator replies.Our young lady is swept off her feet by the worldly and kind Maxim de Winter, eager to take her role as wife and lady at Manderley. She daydreams about her new home, how they will have children and what a wonderful life they will have. Gothic themes, love, jealousy and murder abound in this story.When the second Mrs. de Winter meets Mrs. Danvers she hopes the two can become friends, have a friendly face to assist in her new role. The arctic personality of Danvers was evident from the start – no friendly face or help with that one.“There were never any complaints when Mrs. De Winter was alive”, said Mrs. Danvers. She is comparing me to Rebecca and sharp as a sword the shadow came between us……..”Frankly, I would have been very nervous around Mrs. Danvers. I didn’t grow up in a high society or upper class setting and I can imagine poor little new Mrs. de Winter is intimidated. In over her head, absolutely. It’s only later that you realize what an unhealthy, obsessive one-sided relationship Danvers had with her employer.**Spoilers**Since the beginning of the book is actually a description of the end of their lives at Manderley, I had to go back and read the first chapter again. It all dovetails into a complete story.Their lives are nothing like they hoped, they are merely existing. Now I see Maxim had a genuine desire to experience a loving marriage with his young bride. While she thought she was being compared to Rebecca and found wanting, it was actually the opposite. Max was delighted with her open genuine spirit and her love.!! Remember, I did state Spoilers and they will continue….. !!We discover Rebecca didn’t drown but was murdered, her body placed in a boat and submerged. Are we then surprised that Maxim did it? That the second Mrs. de Winter stays with him and is actually happy he truly loves her rather than appalled over the murder? Once Manderley burns they live a faded existence, avoiding talk of their past, staying in hotels but living frugally. It’s a sad story but oh so well written.MenusCurried prawns, roast veal, asparagus, cold chocolate mousseIce cold consume, fillets of sole and hot shoulder of lambThose dripping crumpets, tiny crisp wedges of toast, piping hot floury scones, gingerbread and Angel cake….and so much more.I wanted to prepare the sole and asparagus but, as luck would have it, a friend caught 20 Mangrove Snappers and gave us some fillets. What a gift! It’s a wonderfully solid fish that grills exceptionally well. We did manage the asparagus though. And a Martini.

Una trepidante historia de suspenso que te mantendrá al borde del asiento con sus maravillosas descripciones y sus giros oscuros. 100% recomendada para los amantes del thriller.

die Tochter war sehr glücklich das Buch lesen zu können.

Arrived as described. Hard cover with special edition for 80th anniversary.

I love the cover of this book, especially the letters that shine in gold when light falls on them.

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