Rebecca

I read this book for the first time when I was 13. I have lost count of the number of times I have read it since, so no doubt one can tell I thoroughly enjoy the book. Anna Massey gives a superb reading, which brings the book to life even more.

'Rebecca' is one of my favourite novels and I couldn't resist buying this audiobook to listen to Anna Massey's narration. I wasn't disappointed as she gives an excellent reading with distinctive voices for all the characters, Mrs Danvers and Beatrice being particularly good.

'Rebecca' is a brilliant novel. The descriptive writing is beautiful and full of memorable images, and the plot goes in several surprising directions before a haunting ending. I'm glad to have this book in my audiobook library and will definitely listen to it again in the future.

Anna Massey's narration of Rebecca adds atmosphere to this wonderful Gothic Thriller/Romance. You can feel the chill of Mrs Danvers walking through Manderley, the ghost of Rebecca is ever present and Maxim struggles to overcome his demons. A truely compulsive listen.

Anna Massey has the perfect voice to narrate this book. Her voice expresses just the right amount of menace for the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers.

An excellent choice for listening to while sipping a cool drink in the sunshine. I have awarded it five stars and it is worth them all. A super audio book.

I listened to it last summer while sitting in the sun doing my knitting - perfect!

This has always been a book I return to again and again, the story never fails to please after many times of reading it. The added bonus of having the delightful narration of Anna Massey is a joy. I am once agin transported from the south of France to the rugged coast of Cornwall with the ever-present Rebbeca hovering in the background of the story. Lovely easy listen and I will without doubt listen again and again!

I really enjoyed this - I am a big du Maurier fan but have not read Rebecca for years. It is rather old-fashioned the story is still brilliant, with the evil Mrs Danvers and the memories of Rebecca haunting the newly married heroine. Very well narrated. At times the dialogue is a bit wooden but I think it was done like that for effect as it is usually when the heroine is under a lot of stress.

A wonderful classic brought to life by the excellent narration of Anna Massey. Atmospheric, evocative and chilling.

Can't say I was overly gripped by the story but nonetheless found it very intriguing. Not quite 5/5 for me, I'm probably too young to appreciate the generation, but a good story about coming of age, plenty of well-known emotions and a massive unseen twist! I think on some level every girl can relate to the new Mrs D'Winters. Anna did the book a great justice and I found her very good to listen to, she has a pure interpretation of the emotions written.

What a great listen! I was engrossed by the narration and recreation of 1950's upper class England.
Recommended

Rebecca is on its way to becoming a classic but is creaky at the edges to date. Set in the 30s, insufficient time has passed to see if the novel will endure. In particular, the 'heroine' is so unlike today's average woman one is often tempted to give her a good shake! That, however, would ruin the plot which hangs on her timid, often neurotic, mind-set. Indeed, as the novel progresses, she seems to be suffering from clinical depression, poor girl.

Anna Massey's reading of Maxim makes this hardly surprising because he comes across as a dreadful, bullying boor. I don't think he was written as such by du Maurier. It's Anna Massey's rendition of male voices that's to blame. Why couldn't she have narrated the story without these awful attempts? And the less said about her Mrs van Hopper's American accent the better.

Bearing in mind that Anna Massey played Mrs Danvers in a TV adaptation, this character's interpretation is fine as, on the whole, is her reading of the remainder of the female figures.

The main redemption of her narration, though, is her steady voice and accurate pace. That's something in her favour.

I think the novel could have been better presented. But maybe the novel itself is too flawed, as yet, for complete enjoyment.