#mr de winter

[pdouwes]

Und das ist unsere Haushälterin Mrs. Danvers.

[stumbleduponawhim]

I cannot be the only person that can only think of Taylor Swift’s My Tears Ricochet when i read Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca

[darkwinganimus]

My rather comprehensive thoughts of Du Maurier's "Rebecca"

The book follows our never-named first-person narrator, which I think is a striking choice omitting the information, who upon marrying Mr De Winter becomes Mrs De Winter, a character defined only though her connection to him.

Her employment, in the beginning, shows her youthful recklessness and I thought her stance on being a companion to her (elderly?) employer was thoroughly interesting in the mix of boredom yet variation it gives her. Whilst her employer is somewhat unpleasant, I ultimately think the wisdom of her warning to be careful marrying someone whose world the narrator has such little idea of when Mr De Winter isn't on holiday is very well said. The engagement going through was definitely a hastily made decision that was ill-advised but well set up.

How the narrator's individuality starts to seep away as her marriage to DeWinter subsumes her is thoroughly well-written, if thoroughly depressing. As her more pointed internal opinions and activeness (eg playing tennis) fall to the wayside.

“Rebecca”, Mr De Winter ‘s (Maxim? I think is his first name? Can’t recall) first wife getting named in the title is dreadfully ironic- she starts the book dead yet is simultaneously more memorable than the narrator ever will be. The “I” becoming terribly jealous of Rebecca through secondhand tales from the staff, particularly Mrs Danvers, and Mr De Winter's silence on her works great to slowly introduce information. Rebecca was clearly a thoroughly vivacious character no one could ever forget, given her demonstrably dominating the book haunting it in figurative spirit and her design choices of the house.

The ending felt like the worst possible ending it could have managed narratively, our narrator doesn't act in time over those red flags and settles for mundane, boring, nothingness with a husband she talks to by rote, not because she has anything to say is striking. (presumably anyway- only "he" is used in that segments, but given the presumable need for aliases that tracks). Which is a very good show don't tell here's why unconditionally supporting a person is bad, actually, so worked in that capacity. It very much feels like Mr De Winter murdered two women though, which felt a bit terrible as I wanted the narrator to end up happy but it was memorable and a bold choice.

My favourite character was the dog, the narrator going on walks with the puppy as the only thing in the stately home she felt able to touch and not be intruding upon (ah, distant aristocratic husbands, hostile staff and the narrator’s ever present insecurities) despite legally marrying the house’s owner is very stark. I did love the older dog too though. I liked Frank(?, or the gardener anyway who seemed decent) and the narrator, but still wasn't all that invested.

Now, all that analysis aside, as it’s a genuinely good novel, I can’t say I enjoyed it. It dragged on rather at places, I wasn’t invested in the characters, it was just a bit grim and the flawed, believable narrator got on my nerves as good grief I could see the writing on the wall over her inability to get out once she committed (noooo don't lie to the police to cover up the domestic violence murder!).

It's a brilliant example of a negative character arc, and works terrifically as a mystery and most people in my book club enjoyed it as I said before, but it was really not to my taste.

It works well as a social commentary on gender roles too in specific contexts, and the narrator always stays sympathetic and the supporting cast is well developed. I never liked Mr De Winter and my opinion of him only ever worsened, he wasn’t actively abusive to the narrator (to my recollection) but his lack of proper consideration sometimes and the insidiousness of their power imbalance and communication issues didn’t paint him in a good light.

The natural imagery throughout was really great, I enjoyed all that kind of description.

I was in disbelief when what cured the narrator's insecurities was Mr De Winter admitting he hadn't even liked his first wife most days and murdered her (don't worry my new spouse you're far higher in my regard I've only ever loved you not her!). It does sound like Rebecca and Mr De Winter were both genuinely terrible for each other in a mutual way but still, "I killed my ex-wife which is why you met me as a widower" is a great reason to immediately divorce.

Mrs Danvers mooning over Rebecca even after her death was a great way the interconnectedness of every social relationship drove the plot. (that and the blatant "don't worry about it" from side characters when the narrator actually did ask questions out loud).

Well, there's my initial thoughts. I'd be fascinated to know yours @dickensianenglishbulldog?