Lilywhite Posted December 2, 2008 Posted December 2, 2008 Love love love Rebecca! My favourite ever story. If you want a follow on try Rebecca's Tale by Sally Beauman (not sure if I've mentioned it already on here.) Quote
Ruth Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 Rebecca's Tale is on my shelf, waiting to be read. I have earmarked it for reading next year. Sally Beauman wrote the introduction to the copy of Rebecca which I read. Quote
SueK Posted December 3, 2008 Posted December 3, 2008 Has anyone read Mrs De Winter which was written by Susan Hill. I have seen mixed reviews on this so not sure whether to get it or not. Quote
Kim Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 I just finished reading My Cousin Rachel and was really disappointed by it! I'm feeling quite miffed because Rebecca is one of my all-time favourite books and I also really enjoyed Frenchman's Creek and Jamaica Inn. I think it was mostly because the main character, Philip, kept doing all kinds of daft things and I couldn't decide whether to love or hate Rachel. Not entirely sure how I feel about The House on the Strand either, it's so different from Jamaica Inn/Rebecca, but quite interesting to see the direction Du Maurier took in her later books. Quote
Lilywhite Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 Has anyone read Mrs De Winter which was written by Susan Hill. I have seen mixed reviews on this so not sure whether to get it or not. I have this one to be read. I'm a sucker for anything to do with Rebecca! Quote
Jo-Bridge Posted December 10, 2008 Posted December 10, 2008 Love love love Rebecca! My favourite ever story. If you want a follow on try Rebecca's Tale by Sally Beauman (not sure if I've mentioned it already on here.) Sounds good! Is it written from Rebeccas viewpoint? Added to My my wishlist! Quote
Lilywhite Posted December 11, 2008 Posted December 11, 2008 It's been a while since I've read it (an excuse to dig it out again I think) but from what I remember, it fills in a lot of the gaps from the original. I don't think it was from Rebecca herself but a relative telling her tale. Quote
Suzanne123 Posted December 29, 2008 Posted December 29, 2008 I love the film 'Rebecca' (I love Laurence Olivier!) and I brought the book in a second-hand bookshop but haven't read it yet! It's on my reading pile for 2009! Quote
Midget Gem Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 I agree with Suzanne123, I read the book many years ago at school and it sparked my interest in tales of mystery and suspense. However, I also love the film directed by Hitchcock. This is one film which fulfilled my expectations and I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it (even my partner enjoys it). Quote
Suzanne123 Posted February 7, 2009 Posted February 7, 2009 ...I also love the film directed by Hitchcock. This is one film which fulfilled my expectations and I've lost count of the number of times I've watched it (even my partner enjoys it). Have you seen any other versions of Rebecca? Iv looked out for other versions but havent seen any Quote
Midget Gem Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 Sorry for not responding earlier, I've been on holiday. That's the only version which I've seen. Quote
Genevieve Posted March 13, 2009 Posted March 13, 2009 I too have viewed only that one. I picked Daphne du Maurier for a paper and went on to her official website. As I read and read I got the feeling that she was a sufferer of great bouts of depression and somehow had the strength to use that to do her best writing. I would like to see a brand new version, but nothing that ruins the ambience , and for sure I don't want to see a familiar face, only someone brand new.. Perhaps an engenue from England that is an understudy in live theatre. I think that would be wonderful. Also the same with Maxim. I do not like hm!!!1! Quote
Wilde Lily Posted March 17, 2009 Posted March 17, 2009 I've read Rebecca several times, it's one of my favorite books. My Cousin Rachel is also on my favorites list...a very clever story. Quote
Fruska Posted March 17, 2009 Posted March 17, 2009 There is a version done by ITV with Charles Dance (I think) as Maxim. Can't remember who else was in it. It wasn't are brooding or gothic as the Hitchcock version. Quote
SueK Posted March 17, 2009 Posted March 17, 2009 (edited) Have you seen any other versions of Rebecca?Iv looked out for other versions but havent seen any There was a made for TV adaptation a few years ago which was very good, it was a 2-parter as I remember so there was room for more detail than in the earlier film. Emilia Fox and Charles Dance played the new Mrs de Winter and Max and Diana Rigg was Mrs Danvers. She was very good but I still get a chill when I see the original Mrs Danvers in the Hitchcock film, must have been the lighting and being made in black and white that did it. The TV version is often replayed in ITV3, so it's worth checking out. Edited March 17, 2009 by SueK wrote Emma instead of Diana Rigg Quote
SueK Posted March 17, 2009 Posted March 17, 2009 Oh Fruska, I see our posts have crossed:mrgreen: Quote
SueK Posted March 17, 2009 Posted March 17, 2009 Going back, generally, to Daphne du Maurier's books, I still find it strange that she could write such good books as Rebecca, the House on the Strand, My Cousin Rachel etc which stand out as exceptionally good literature, but books like Jamaica Inn and Frenchman's Creek were very "fluffy" and a bit "Barbara Cartland", anyone else agree? Quote
Suzanne123 Posted March 17, 2009 Posted March 17, 2009 There was a made for TV adaptation a few years ago which was very good, it was a 2-parter as I remember so there was room for more detail than in the earlier film. Emilia Fox and Charles Dance played the new Mrs de Winter and Max and Diana Rigg was Mrs Danvers. She was very good but I still get a chill when I see the original Mrs Danvers in the Hitchcock film, must have been the lighting and being made in black and white that did it. The TV version is often replayed in ITV3, so it's worth checking out. Thank you! I'll look out for it Quote
Genevieve Posted March 18, 2009 Posted March 18, 2009 Charles Dance, he is a man , director and actor I greatly respect.Ah me , he is gifted. But I destested the book, am I dreaming, I am certain that I read one, about after and I hated it. So I must , I think hate this as well. Quote
ladymacbeth Posted August 1, 2009 Posted August 1, 2009 Resurrecting an old thread here but I just finished reading Rebecca last week. I'm a bit puzzled as to why it is a "romantic" classic as... (massive spoiler ahead so definitely don't read if you intend to read the book) I thought Maxim was a complete sicko killer and I didn't think Rebecca deserved to be killed. Basically Maxim should have divorced her immediately they were married and the fact he didn't suggested he was far too interested in his own public image. I couldn't believe it when the second Mrs de Winter was so delighted to hear Maxim didn't love Rebecca and came to his aid after he just admitted murdering her. I would have been off to the authorities to dob him in. Yuck. I guess in the time it was written in women's infidelity really was a crime considered worthy of murder. And yet the men in the book who had been cheating got off much kinder - all were apparently lured in by the devious Rebecca and therefore their responsibility was absolved. I think this book is a hideous commentary on how little our society values women. Quote
Janet Posted August 1, 2009 Posted August 1, 2009 (edited) I think the thing is that when the book was written, it was incredibly difficult to get a divorce - it wasn't just a case of 'going off someone' like it is these days. Divorce had to be gained, usually by infidelity, which often meant the married couple agreeing that one of them would be seen to commit adultery, and then they would have to find someone to act as the third party, and would have to be discovered In flagrante delicto - the whole thing was very sordid and scandalous. I think this book is a hideous commentary on how little our society values women. I agree that if the book was written today then it wouldn't work, but I think that it accurately reflects how life was in the 20s and 30s - it's of its time. Mrs De Winter was also very young and na Edited August 1, 2009 by Janet Quote
Linda Gillard Posted August 2, 2009 Posted August 2, 2009 I think it's regarded as a "romantic classic" partly because it's an unclassifiable genre-buster and it was written by a woman. Daphne was very upset about being "demoted" to writer of romance. She worried that she wasn't taken seriously. I think today we think of REBECCA as a psychological mystery. It has more in common with crime and thrillers than romance IMO. If it had been written by a man I think it might have been upgraded from "a romantic read". (Btw if you haven't read Margaret Forster's wonderful biography DAPHNE DU MAURIER I do recommend it. It's as readable as any of DdM's novels.) Quote
MuggleMagic Posted August 4, 2009 Posted August 4, 2009 I only discovered her this year My aunt was telling me about a film she loves called 'Rebecca' and when I found out that it was a book I obviously took it from the library, read it and then watched the film straight after. Both were fantastic. I love her style of writing. She doesn't go over the top describing things but you get such a wonderful imagery as well. I have since read My Cousin Rachel - another brilliant story. Kind of mysterious and dark like Rebecca. It was my birthday yesterday and my Aunt gave me Jamaica Inn and a collection of Du Maurier's short stories Happy times Quote
Linda Gillard Posted August 4, 2009 Posted August 4, 2009 There's a lesser-known du Maurier novel which I thought was fantastic, if a little weird. It's called THE PARASITES about a very close group of siblings. The weirdness consists of a technical quirk whereby you are never sure which sibling is telling the story. It's not a cheerful read but if you're a Daphne fan, it's well worth giving it a try. Quote
MuggleMagic Posted August 4, 2009 Posted August 4, 2009 There's a lesser-known du Maurier novel which I thought was fantastic, if a little weird. It's called THE PARASITES about a very close group of siblings. The weirdness consists of a technical quirk whereby you are never sure which sibling is telling the story. It's not a cheerful read but if you're a Daphne fan, it's well worth giving it a try. thank you - I'll certainly look out for this one Quote
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