She has fallen into a bit of luck, leaving Monte Carlo and her unpleasant employer to the wind. She's headed to the extravagant estate, Manderley, owned by her soon to be husband Max de Winter. She finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of overwhelm. So much to see, so much to oversee, so many staff members to become acquainted with. She is excited, and uncertain. On the surface (besides Ms. Danvers), everything is serene, a true dream. Until she feels the shadow of the past bubbling below. This presence is incessant, nagging, refuses to go unnoticed. Try as she might, this isn't her home, her rightful place, her dog, her husband, her Happy Valley, her estate. She can feel the true owner's hand gripping at what is hers. She can feel Rebecca.

Rebecca is a perfect example of Gothic literature. du Maurier creates a foreboding, ominous cloud that hangs over the narrative. As the story progresses, this cloud becomes larger, swallowing everyone and everything up. It's inevitable, and as you read you are very much aware of this fact. This solidified my investment in the story, even through portions that were slower and/or lagged. The building tension surrounding the characters (especially Danvers and our unnamed main character & our unnamed main character and Max) was palpable but, the events that created the tension were ones I was not able to predict. du Maurier's writing style is eloquent and strong, forcing the reader to live inside of our heroine's mind, and making even the smallest of thoughts gripping. There's no question as to why this is a classic, read REBECCA.