Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
I have to be honest, before this year I had never heard of Rebecca.
My first hearing of it was in conversation with a friend, who told me that it was one of their all-time favourite books. I was surprised, as we've talked about books so often that I hadn't expected such a strong recommendation out of the blue. It stayed in my mind over the weeks to follow, and so when I saw it available to download onto my kindle for only 99p, I jumped at the chance.
Now I actually had it, I did a little bit of exploring to see what kind of novel it was. I actually found it in my copy of 1001 Books to Read Before You Die, and was again surprised that it had taken so long before I'd heard of it! At the same time, I saw that there was going to be a Netflix adaptation released this autumn.
For anybody who isn't familiar with the plot of the book, here you go:
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again . . .The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives--presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.
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I expected the story to be very reminiscent of Jane Austen, just off my first impressions. I'm not quite sure why I got that vibe, but let me tell you, it is definitely not like that.
As I recently read Rebecca, my first thought was to write a book review of the novel, as I would usually do. However, given that an adaptation came out at almost exactly the time, I decided it would be even more interesting to include a comparison, where I talk about how successful I think the adaptation was.
So... here we go!
The Novel: Review
The Story
As I mentioned above, my initial instinct about a book titled Rebecca that is deemed a classic made my mind instantly jump to a Jane Austen-esque story. I love Jane Austen, so this wasn't necessarily a problem, but I automatically expected a really long-winded narrative that may be quite difficult to read. When I started reading, I realised the novel was far more modern, although it did have the gentleness that I had anticipated.
We open in Monte Carlo and move quickly to England, and Manderley. I must say, it was far easier to read than I had expected, and I started to really race through the story. I thought the premise for the novel was also something I've never seen before. I imagine it can be daunting to become the wife of a widower, and especially when that raises your station to one you never expected. Our young heroine is shy and observant, whilst at the same time being very passionate. We see the world through her eyes, and when the story takes a turn, we see that through her eyes too.
Because, unbeknownst to me, this novel isn't just an easy read romance. This turns into a thriller very rapidly from the halfway mark, and I began to see why my friend recommended it to me. The main theme that the book is based around is paranoia, and the inadequacy our heroine feels over replacing the late Mrs De Winter, Rebecca. Rebecca cast a long shadow over Manderley, and even in death, her presence is substantial.
I don't want to give too much away about the twists and turns of the story, because it is exciting to read it for yourself. However, I thought the different elements of the story that are uncovered over time really emphasised this atmosphere of uncertainty. The real success of the novel is in the way the emotions are portrayed and explored consistently. The feel of the book changes in waves that really keep the reader on their toes, and it makes for a very enticing and inviting journey.
The Characters
Our Unnamed Heroine
I have to say, I have never seen another story where the main character is nameless, and the message is very clear. Our heroine feels inadequate and insecure, and her identity is shaped by the people around her. They are stronger than her, and she falls in line with what they believe.
In one way, she makes the perfect narrator, as she is incredibly honest about what she sees, and we in turn are given the bare truth of how events unfold. However, I did find it incredibly frustrating as well, as somebody who is very strong-willed, to see the heroine bow down to others who deemed her inferior, and I was pleased to see her grow into herself as the story progressed.
Maxim De Winter
Maxim comes into the life of our heroine and shows her a life she never dreamed of. It isn't for a lot of the story that we actually get to know Maxim much at all. He's distant and aloof with his new wife, and so we in turn, through her narration, feel the same. I think Maxim is actually painted as a fairly unlikeable character for the lot of the story for this reason, although we reach a turning point in the book that brings the couple together, and this makes up for a lot of his strong and silent nature later on.
Rebecca
It's quite remarkable to think that the title character of this story, and the person that most of the narrative focuses on, is actually no longer alive. The shadow she casts over Manderley is powerful, and I think everybody can relate to the new Mrs De Winter's insecurity in some way. We have all, at some point in our lives, felt insecure and intimidated by another, and I think this was explored so cleverly. We get to know Rebecca through the impact she has had on others around her, both in praise and in censure.
Mrs Danvers
Probably my favourite character, for all the wrong reasons, is Mrs Danvers. Mrs Danvers makes the new Mrs De Winter feel even worse by maintaining Rebecca's influence over Manderley. She's cold, fierce and powerful, and I think she was the most memorable character in the story.
Summary
I expected Rebecca to be gentle, easy, and pretty mundane. I was so pleasantly surprised to see that the novel was so much more than just another 'classic' book to read. It was easy to read, but it was also exciting. As much as I loved the story, I think my favourite thing about Rebecca was the way it pushed the boundaries of its characters. A ghost haunts Manderley, and is amplified by those left among the living.
I think it's a remarkable read, and I'm so glad that I read it.
Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫
The Adaptation: Review
I managed to read Rebecca to coincide with the Netflix adaptation being released, and so was in a perfect position to judge the film against its inspiration. As soon as it was released, I saw an enormous amount of criticism for it, which I have to say, I'm surprised at. I know a lot of people absolutely love the previous film of Rebecca that was made by Alfred Hitchcock, and I think that's part of the problem - because they love this interpretation so much, they're not as keen on this new take. I've never seen the 1940 film, and so I went into viewing this version with completely open eyes, and I have to say I was really happy with it.
Inevitably with on-screen adaptations, the plot had to be cut down a little to fit into a suitable time. However, I actually don't think this did the story a disservice. I found that the novel had a very gentle start in order to set the scene, and an on-screen version could afford to cut that out and allow the visual to do a lot of this work. I think all of the really key moments in the plot were met and the pacing kept the integrity of the story whilst not allowing it to become slow or dull. There were a couple of random plot points thrown in for excitement and drama, which I won't go in to so as to avoid spoilers. However, I have to say, I didn't really mind these, as I thought the plot as a whole remained in keeping with what Daphne De Maurier captured on paper.
What I really liked was the way the characters were dealt with. I know a lot of other people have raised complaints about how the characters were one-dimensional or a little flat, but I thought they came to life exactly as I had imagined them. I think many people forget that the narrative of the original novel comes from a single, very simple perspective, and so the characters are not entirely fleshed out as we would expect in a modern story. I really liked the portrayal of our unnamed heroine by Lily James, of Maxim De Winter by Armie Hammer, and especially the portrayal of Mrs Danvers by Kristin Scott-Thomas. I have a lot of time for the particular representation of Mrs Danvers here, as I think it was absolutely spot on. Scott-Thomas manages to capture the coldness, manipulation and distance of the housekeeper, whilst also capturing her vulnerable side, and the way she was seriously impacted by her mistress's death. I thought this key part was handled with care and with strength.
Overall, and quite fundamentally, I think the tone and feel of the film captured the atmosphere that I took away from the novel, and therefore, for me, was a really successful adaptation. However, I can recognise that despite reading exactly the same book, every reader finds a different story, because interpretation is such a personal thing. It's not a major surprise to me that many others haven't taken to this adaptation, as there is another well-loved film that people have grown attached to.
For me, I really enjoyed my experience in watching the Netflix adaptation, and it really lived up to my high expectations.
Rating: ✫✫✫✫
The Verdict
When reading the novel, I was surprised by how rapidly the gentle tone of the book took a turn into a more suspenseful story. I loved both these parts of the novel, and thought the way it transitioned was seamless. The atmosphere of paranoia that was gradually built up really lent itself to these different changes of plot and pace, and I loved everything about reading the novel.
Controversially, it seems, I actually really liked the recent adaptation of the book onto screen as well. I thought it captured all the key parts of the plot and the overall feel of the novel. In particular, I felt that the characters that were portrayed on screen, and especially Mrs Danvers, were exactly how I wanted them to appear on screen. I know that that's an unpopular opinion, as many people have already criticised Lily James and Armie Hammer for their parts in the film, but I thought it was really enjoyable and fundamentally faithful to the novel.
Ultimately, autumn has given me a very positive introduction to Rebecca.
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