Classics Club Review: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Summary: A classic novel of romantic suspense finds the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter entering the home of her mysterious and enigmatic new husband and learning the story of the house’s first mistress, to whom the sinister housekeeper is unnaturally devoted.

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I cannot get over how much I loved this book.  The writing is absolutely stunning while still remaining incredibly relatable and easy to read.  The main character, Mrs. de Winter, whose first name we never learn (brilliant), often goes off on mental tangents that are so realistic and really create a beautiful picture of her character and mindset.   I couldn’t help but root for the second Mrs. de Winter and Maxim, especially the more we learn about the history of Manderly and its occupants.  The romantic gothic vibe of the book is delightfully sinister, without being too spooky for a scaredy-cat like me.  I think I expected it to be a little more supernatural than it was, which I was pleasantly surprised by.  The whole concept of Rebecca’s haunting presence being a character in itself, rather than her being an actual ghost, was so clever, real and insanely impactful.  I cannot wait to watch Hitchcock’s film adaptation and I definitely could see this as a book I will want to reread.  I highly recommend this one, especially for someone who is trying to get into more classics.