Welcome to Classics Book Club, The Girls & The Gays edition. I have decided to read, or in some cases re-read, a whole load of the classics. Specifically those written by female authors and authors who by today's definitions are considered LGBTQIA (these requirements get a little murky with some of the writers on my list, but we'll cross those bridges when we get to them). What can I say, I'm a woman in her twenties with an English Lit degree and a distaste for straight men and their writing. Having said that, I hope this book club will be an easy way for anyone to find some not-so-new reads, while celebrating the works of the girls and the gays that paved the way. If you'd like to read along with me, you can follow my TikTok for updates on what I'm reading prior to a review being posted.
Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again...
Kicking off Classics Book Club with a five star rating, Daphne du Maurier's 1938 Gothic novel Rebecca is one of my all time favourites. It is a book I wish I could read for the first time again, with fresh eyes and none of the answers to it's secrets. I have read Rebecca twice now, but could read it a hundred times and still be captivated by every line. Du Maurier masterfully weaves a story and then pulls at its strings, letting it unravel. In the turn of a page suddenly nothing is as it seemed and your perception of the narrative is turned upside down. I don't want to give too much away and ruin the plot for anyone, but I will say that the desire to understand Rebecca's mysteries makes for an addictive reading experience. What begins as a ghost story becomes one of scandal, betrayal, affairs and felony. It is the perfect spooky, soft-thriller to get you in the mood for the turning of the season.
We navigate through the novel alongside its unnamed protagonist. Paralysed by insecurity, she struggles to situate herself within her new life as the second wife to rich widower, Maxim de Winter. So tragic it inspired Taylor Swifts 'Tolerate It', their relationship is complex and confusing. Maxim is aloof and apathetic, making the protagonist feel like a child, too small to fill the void left by his previous wife, Rebecca. Rebecca is immortalised by her reputation as a headstrong, self-assured vision in red, beautiful and adored by everyone. As the novel goes on, this image of Rebecca becomes muddied, rendering her a femme fatal type without the homicide
While living with Maxim at his estate, Manderley, the protagonist becomes haunted. Haunted by Rebecca's memory and how the house echoes her name, as well as haunted by her own shortcomings. The protagonist is constantly being placed in stark opposition to Rebecca, and reminded that she is "so very different from" her by Maxim's friends and family. The way Du Maurier depicts the protagonists feelings of insufficiency and shyness is painfully relatable as a veteran shy kid myself. She hides from company when she sees them coming up the driveway and is anxious when talking on the telephone to the antagonistic housekeeper, Mrs Danvers. The character arch that the protagonist takes on is empowering yet believable. It explores what is means to feel inadequate as a woman and how it affects ones psyche and sense of self worth.
This is such a wonderfully written, gripping and beautifully tragic novel. It is for those who never feel good enough, those who wish to be everything they are not. I love sharing my name with this book.
Comments