I love Rebecca, too, and I find it so interesting that women's fiction in general is always relegated to insulting categories. It is a masterpiece and to call it romance is so short sighted. It's like putting the books of women into the dreaded "women's fiction" category. Do we categorize the work of the other sex as "men's fiction"? Rebecca is an extraordinary work of fiction but I often think about where booksellers would categorize these older novels if they were to come out today. If Rebecca was a brand new novel, would it be sold under psychological thriller, literary fiction, romance, beach read, women's fiction? It's interesting to think about. Thanks for the post!!
I agree; the terms used for women's writing are often reductionist, and would never wash with men's writing, hence once of the reasons I love researching and writing this newsletter! I think du Maurier has been underrated as a writer for years, and you're right, Rebecca is a masterpiece. It's an interesting thought of where booksellers would place it now. Thank you for reading and commenting : )
This essay is fantastic! I'm working on a close reading of Rebecca's handwriting and loved getting back into the thematic overtones of the novel with your insights. It's so heartbreakingly clear, throughout the novel, that the second Mrs. de Winter is exactly that: second. It's so hard to understand why she would endure what she does for a less-than-pleasurable marriage to Maxim, but your connections to what sounds like du Maurier's own body dysmorphia and complex romantic relationships offer so much interesting, thought-provoking context. Love it.
Ah, thank you so much, Haley! It was a pleasure to write this one as I have loved this book (and basically all of du Maurier's novels) for so long! A close reading of Rebecca's handwriting sounds fascinating, would love to read what you come up with : )
Fantastic essay! I’ve always loved Rebecca, but I agree that it is hard to see it as a romantic story- especially considering the relationship between Maxim DeWinter and his two wives. It’s clear that learning more about Du Maurier herself can also give us some very interesting context for the novel
Thank you, me too, it has always been once of my all-time favourite books! I think, as often happens, the writer is as interesting as the stories she created - look out for a piece on her short stories coming up in a future newsletter : )
I love Rebecca, too, and I find it so interesting that women's fiction in general is always relegated to insulting categories. It is a masterpiece and to call it romance is so short sighted. It's like putting the books of women into the dreaded "women's fiction" category. Do we categorize the work of the other sex as "men's fiction"? Rebecca is an extraordinary work of fiction but I often think about where booksellers would categorize these older novels if they were to come out today. If Rebecca was a brand new novel, would it be sold under psychological thriller, literary fiction, romance, beach read, women's fiction? It's interesting to think about. Thanks for the post!!
I agree; the terms used for women's writing are often reductionist, and would never wash with men's writing, hence once of the reasons I love researching and writing this newsletter! I think du Maurier has been underrated as a writer for years, and you're right, Rebecca is a masterpiece. It's an interesting thought of where booksellers would place it now. Thank you for reading and commenting : )
This essay is fantastic! I'm working on a close reading of Rebecca's handwriting and loved getting back into the thematic overtones of the novel with your insights. It's so heartbreakingly clear, throughout the novel, that the second Mrs. de Winter is exactly that: second. It's so hard to understand why she would endure what she does for a less-than-pleasurable marriage to Maxim, but your connections to what sounds like du Maurier's own body dysmorphia and complex romantic relationships offer so much interesting, thought-provoking context. Love it.
Ah, thank you so much, Haley! It was a pleasure to write this one as I have loved this book (and basically all of du Maurier's novels) for so long! A close reading of Rebecca's handwriting sounds fascinating, would love to read what you come up with : )
Fantastic essay! I’ve always loved Rebecca, but I agree that it is hard to see it as a romantic story- especially considering the relationship between Maxim DeWinter and his two wives. It’s clear that learning more about Du Maurier herself can also give us some very interesting context for the novel
Thank you, me too, it has always been once of my all-time favourite books! I think, as often happens, the writer is as interesting as the stories she created - look out for a piece on her short stories coming up in a future newsletter : )