Rebecca - #discussion

[wanderingheart]

Hai guise, starting this early before I forget. Here are some questions to get you started for discussing Rebecca!

Why is the heroine nameless? Do you think this is significant?

Discuss the role of Mrs. Danvers in the novel.

Discuss the character of Maxim. How are his actions consistent or inconsistent with this character?

Is justice served at the end of the novel? Why or why not?

Discuss the role of Jack Favell in the story. Does he help to shed light on Rebecca's character? How does he impact the plot?

Analyze the heroine's marriage to Maxim. How does their relationship develop during the course of the novel?





As usual - feel free to discuss outside of these questions as well!

[butlerfan]

I have only read up to partway through chapter 3 or 4....I got caught up reading other books and then haven't had time to read since last week. Oops!

[ellabee]

It's time for the discussion already!? I'm far behind... where did September go? Next month I'll try to be better.

I did finish The Martian though, which can be next month's book maybe? My nerdy engineering self really loved it.

[Andrea]

I could not get past the first like 3 chapters. I read ANYTHING, and I just couldn't. Sorry pippacricket, better luck next time!

[risscaboobs]

I'm not reading the posts because I sucked this month and didn't read the book. #badriss.

But I do plan on reading it soon, so I'll be back for the voting of October's birth!

#silkworm

[rablissful]

I'm over halfway through and finishing today, I promise pippacricket!

[kayladawn91]

I just couldn't get into this book. I read a few chapters and I was really bored. I'll try the book next month!

[thelittleredm]

I didn't get any of this read this month. I figured I had plenty of time until I saw this thread and realized the date. September flew by!

[mill23]

I couldn't get into it either! And the guy at the library raved about it. I'm a few chapters in and will keep trucking to see if I can get into it. I'd love to hear from someone who finished it though to keep me encouraged!

[rablissful]

Anyone who quit after the first couple chapters KEEP GOING. IT GETS SO MUCH BETTER.

[rablissful]

I FINISHED AND I HAVE ALL THE THOUGHTS.

But I need to organize them.

I shall be back tomorrow.

[butlerfan]

Sept 22, 2015 19:21:46 GMT -5 rablissful said:

Anyone who quit after the first couple chapters KEEP GOING. IT GETS SO MUCH BETTER.

I got to read at lunch but still have forever to go. I plan to read all of it just obviously not in time to post in book club.

[ceejay]

I was so excited that Rebecca won this month but then I just didn't have time to read it.

I loved it when I read it in high school, so I'm excited to read it again soon. Sorry that I missed out on the discussion!

[rablissful]

Alright so WHY must we keep reading books where I have so nanny questions at the end!? Ugh. I need to know what happens, dammit!

READ THE BOOK PEOPLE! It really picked up about halfway through and was a complete nail biter the last quarter or so. So many twists, turns, surprised, and complete WTAF moments! I wanted to not read it after the first couple chapters but #IpromisedPippa and I'm so happy I stick with it.

Imma spoiler my answers just in case people want to come back to the discussion late. DO IT. REVIVE AN OLD THREAD!

SPOILER: Click to show

Why is the heroine nameless? Do you think this is significant? Ok so during the majority of the book I thought she was nameless because she could have been any young girl Maxim met. He needed some companionship, she was there, so he married her. If some other girl had been there he would have married them.

Then Maxim went and told her he actually loved her and now I'm wondering why she's nameless. Maybe it's because she's the opposite of Rebecca, she doesn't leave a lasting impression. She is shy and unsure of herself and her being nameless is an extension of that lack of self confidence. She doesn't think she belongs in the world.

I really want to know her GD name though, considering it was mentioned in the beginning. /sigh

Discuss the role of Mrs. Danvers in the novel.


I hate Mrs. Danvers so, so much. She was completely OBSESSED with Rebecca, so much so she tried to ruin Nameless and Maxim. She's fucking cray cray too. I think the only reason she stayed at Manderly after Rebecca's death was to make sure Rebecca's legacy remained intact. Rebecca built what Manderly was known for, and she didn't want that ruined. I don't understand her possession though since she knew Rebecca was a vile bitch. I'm sure she was SHOCKED when Maxim married someone else.

Her entire goal throughout the book seemed to be to knock nameless down. Nameless was already a self conscious and shy girl. She really couldn't have been knocked down any farther than she already was in the self confidence scale.


I need to know if she died. NEED.

Discuss the character of Maxim. How are his actions consistent or inconsistent with this character? So I thought he was kind of an ass through the beginning of the book. He was moody, he wasn't treating Nameless all that well, and he seemed so shut off. I really wish we had a chapter on the honeymoon because I think that would have changed my entire perception of him.

Anyways, as Pippa said we only see him through Nameless' eyes. Maybe she was misreading his actions or misinterpreting what he was saying. That being said, I think he just shut down at Manderly. He had said it was a mistake going back, and after the big murder reveal it's obvious why. He is acting, trying to hide the truth from everyone, including Nameless. That almost killed their relationship, and he seemed to genuinely shift once he told Nameless everything.

Is justice served at the end of the novel? Why or why not? I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED! I think justice was served to Rebecca by her being murdered. Honestly. She seemed like a real asshole, and basically forced Maxim to kill her by lying to him that she was KU with someone else's kid. I think the burning of the house was revenge, not justice.

Discuss the role of Jack Favell in the story. Does he help to shed light on Rebecca's character? How does he impact the plot? He is an asshole as well. He showed us that Rebecca will do anything to keep people obsessed with her, including sleeping with her GD first cousin. His story just proves further how manipulative and overall icky she really is as a person.

Analyze the heroine's marriage to Maxim. How does their relationship develop during the course of the novel? It's unconventional, that's for sure. And not even unconventional because of the age gap, because who cares about that. At first it seemed like they got married because they each had a void to fill. Nameless hated what she was doing, and Maxim needed someone to fill this huge hole left by his dead wife. They didn't seem to do it out of love, but out of need. Not to mention, he seemed to treat Nameless as a pet.

Then the big reveal comes out and it seems like he married her because Nameless was the opposite of Rebecca. She was genuine and humble. I think he really did love her but couldn't figure out how to genuinely show it between trying to hide the past and not wanting to put on a show like he did with Rebecca.

Sorry for my super rambles!

[thechickencoop]

So....I didn't like the book. This was one book with way too many words. And it definitely took me a few chapters to even get in the groove of it and figure out when and where we were; I reread the first few after I finished the book to kind of get my bearings.

No spoiler because mobile....











Why is the heroine nameless? Do you think this is significant?

I think it's significant to show her insignificance. Even though Maxim professed his love near the end, I mean, really? He just always seemed so lukewarm toward her. Even if he hated Rebecca, the heroine still couldn't compare.


Discuss the role of Mrs. Danvers in the novel.

So I read a few discussions about Mrs. Danvers, basically trying to find out why she was such a frigid bitch. Apparently it's theorized that she was one of Rebecca's lovers, almost obsessed with her, which would make sense given lengths she went to to preserve her legacy.


Discuss the character of Maxim. How are his actions consistent or inconsistent with this character?

I just don't get him. I don't get their relationship; out of convenience? Lonliness? I liked that he seemed to have more emotion after he confessed.


Is justice served at the end of the novel? Why or why not?

Who knows. Did they all burn? Was is arson? Who set it? Too many questions; drives me crazy. And were Maxim and the heroine hiding out somewhere? Just traveling? Why were they in foreign hotels?


Discuss the role of Jack Favell in the story. Does he help to shed light on Rebecca's character? How does he impact the plot?

Besides being a giant douche canoe, I think he obviously opened the floodgates into Rebecca's character. Maxim may have never admitted the truth, OR, depending, he may have never been acquitted of the murder had Jack been more likeable.


Analyze the heroine's marriage to Maxim. How does their relationship develop during the course of the novel?

I'm glad that they sort of find their groove at the end but I don't like that the whole thing was just left hanging. He obviously married her, or seemed to marry her, for companionship and convenience so I guess I like their version of 'happily ever after'.



Edited: WORDS!!!ugh.