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Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows
Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier
--Kara Curry (Staff Writer)
If you are in ninth or eleventh grade, you are probably familiar with Miss Melvin’s reading projects. One of the books on the list was Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. This book is a suspense book with a little romance. There are also two movies out based on the book. One is directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940. It won two academy awards and was the best picture in 1940. The other was produced in 1996.
The book keeps you on the edge of your seat. It starts with a girl (you never know her name) and her boss, Mrs. Van Hopper. They are in Monte Carlo. The narrator is hired to be an accompaniment. The two women meet the owner of Manderly, Maxim de Winter. Manderly is a huge estate in Cornwall, England. Maxim grows to befriend the narrator and later asks her to marry him. The two get married and after the honeymoon head off to Manderly. When the married couple arrives, the new Mrs. de Winter is looked upon. She hears little side conversations stating “She looks nothing like Rebecca” and “What does he see in her”. The house keeper Mrs. Danvers is especially rude. She makes sure it is known that she does not think the narrator can ever be loved my Max and she is nothing like Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers has a spooky look about her. The only person that will talk about Rebecca to her face is Frank Crawley the person in charge of the money and estate. He tells the new Mrs. de Winter that Rebecca was one of the most beautiful people he has ever set eyes on and she seemed to love Max. Rebecca, according to Frank, was killed in a boating accident about eight months before. Every time Rebecca’s name is brought up, Maxim has a pained look on his face, however little do we know it is not for the same reason everyone thinks.
The story is about learning the truth of how Rebecca really died. Many ideas were thought up on how she died. It is also about how the narrator grows up, matures and learns to stick up for herself against Mrs. Danvers who is her enemy. Be sure to read the book to see how it all ends. You will be surprised!
