"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..." These are the famous first words of Du Maurier classic. The second Mrs. Maxim de Winter (we never know her first name) is nearly haunted by the memory of her husband's first wife, Rebecca. Since Maxim is aloof and secretive, she assumes that she is a poor substitute for his beautiful Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers, the evil housekeeper, is more than happy to let Mrs. de Winter see how inadequate she really is.
I read this back in my junior high days, and I have seen the movie dozens of times. This time, reading it for my book club, I realized that I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as I did all those years ago. I think when I was young, I thought it was all very romantic, but now, it bothers me how wimpy and insecure Mrs. de Winter is. She lives more in her head than in her real life. Maxim is suppose to be a mysterious and romantic figure, but to me he seems just rude and arrogant. At one point, she compares herself to the dog and she's right. He does treat her like a dog or troublesome child. I realize that I like the story and the mystery of Rebecca but I don't like the characters.
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