Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier Review

Rebecca is a classic love story written in the 1900s and has a Jane Austen feel to it.

The story begins with the heroine recalling her dream of Manderlay, the old house, the garden, the pet dog etc. until she realises that Manderlay is no more. The novel then goes back in time to when the heroine (she is never named in the novel) was working as a lady's companion in Monte Carlo and when she first laid eyes on Max de Winter, the infamous owner of Manderlay who's wife died tragically the previous year.

When her employer becomes sick with the flu, she strikes up a friendship with Mr de Winter and they spend two weeks together seeing the sights and enjoying each other's company in secret.

After her employer gets better she announces that they will be leaving Monte Carlo for New York. The heroine is heartbroken but goes to say 'goodbye' to Max who quickly proposes marriage. She accepts and is taken to Manderlay where Max turns into a different person as the memory of his wife haunts him at every turn. Mrs Danvers the housekeeper makes it all too clear to the heroine that she will never live up to Rebecca's memory making life all that much harder for her.

I enjoyed this book and found it hard to put down once I started. My heart broke for the main character feeling as though she would never live up to Rebecca and everything Mrs Danvers put her through.

The story turns dark about half way through and I definitely did not see the shock twist coming. I wish that there was a bit more at the end, it leaves you hanging but I highly recommend this book if you enjoy Jane Austen novels and it is much easier to read than an Austen novel.

I will definitely check out more of Du Maurier's novels.