Hey there, bookworm! I’m finally back with an exciting new book review, the first one of 2024. Woohoo! This year we’ve started off strong with Daphne Du Maurier’s, Rebecca. (This was actually on my 2023 to-read list, but better late than never, right?). All I can say is wow. It’s been so long since I’ve read such a perfect cocktail of everything I love: Peaks of suspense, countryside England, a house of secrets, dark love triangles, oceanic imagery…and the normalized feeling of wanting to rip my heart out of my chest. Yes. It’s all there. But more importantly, I saw so many disturbing shadows of myself in this book, and I think many of us would feel the same way. So stick with with me as I explain three struggles our heroine faces in the suspense novel, Rebecca.
Plot Summary
A shy, young girl (our unnamed protagonist) marries the handsome, brooding owner of Manderley mansion, Maxim de Winter. Two years ago, Mr de Winter lost his wife, Rebecca but chooses never to speak about it. In love but out of her depth, our protagonist goes with her new husband to Manderley, where it feels like everyone is comparing her to the former mistress of the house… Rebecca.The one whom everyone loved. The one whom Maxim loved or… perhaps still loves. The vibrant, confident, beautiful Rebecca. Who could possibly fill her shoes?
Let’s jump straight to it.
1. Living under the public gaze
I think this is one of the most challenging things about our society. There is somebody always watching, judging and making assessments about you. Especially with social media, navigating people’s perceptions is practically a sport. There’s a scene in the novel which I just loved. The new Mrs De Winter wakes up in Manderley for the first time and is told that the custom is to go to the morning-room after breakfast. Of course she didn’t know where to go but was aware of the servant watching her closely. She pretended she knew the way, even humming a little tune, but couldn’t fool him for a second: “You go through the drawing room…” he called after her. I know we’ve all been there. Don’t hide it.
To people, be it our in-laws, our siblings, anyone whom we are trying to prove something to– we want to appear capable, smart and confident. I love this book because it shows us how impossible it is to keep this up without being false or suffocating yourself from within. People will judge you know matter what. Even perfection is scrutinized for faults. So just be who you are and embrace making mistakes.
Having said that. “Not caring about what people think,” is an unreasonable request to our human nature. However, there is something liberating about turning a blind eye to people’s expressions and a deaf ear to people’s opinions.
2. Believing all of our thoughts
I could fight the living but I could not fight the dead
-Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Our mind is our greatest enemy. We invent our villains and they have the same faces as the people that we know, but really, this is just our imagination talking. Maybe you know that meme that goes: when you imagine a situation and make yourself cry. This is the power of the mind. I like the quote above because it is ambiguous. In the moment, the protagonist believed that Rebecca is more powerful than any living woman because she is frozen in memory. She remains as she is: beautiful and adored. However, this idea only lives in her imagination. Should she let this ghost run free in her mind, breathe life into it with each self-degrading idea? Or. SHould she can conquer what is real and around her?
I like to draw back to the ocean as I often do: Respect our thoughts like we respect the tide. Swim when the tide is low (the tide being our emotions) and stay clear when the tide is high. That is to say, overthinking when stressed will probably do more harm than good. We can a learn a thing or two about our protagonist, who often drowned in her thoughts.
3. Thinking you can escape the past
This one is for you Maxim, you bugger. We lovI e the good old “let’s move on from this,” or better yet, “lets start afresh.” Have you ever wanted to cook in a dirty kitchen? No. Because it absolutely sucks. Maxim, is pretty much like a dirty kitchen (as harsh as it sounds). And every aspect of his life, is a used dish that his bride has to wash before she can start something new. In other words, the past keeps interfering with the peaceful present that they’re trying to create. This is what happens when we go along like nothing just happened. Of course, the past isn’t something to dwell on, but it’s something to face.
Our past doesn’t define us, but it enriches who we are. Only cast it aside when you can embrace this fact with full honesty. And of course, the people who truly love you, will accept you.
To end off
This book was a lovely way to start the year. . I’m definitely on the lookout for more Daphne du Maurier books. Thank you so much for making it this far. I hope you feel encouraged to give this a read!
Discusion questions
- Do you think that Maxim de Winter might have played a role in his new wife’s insecurities? Or do you believe she is soley responsible?
- Did you at any point feel sympathy for Mrs Danvers?
- How did the two major scenes between the new Mrs de Winter and Mrs Danvers make you feel? (Chapter 14 and chapter 18)
- Are you satisfied with the ending? What do you think happened?