By Amina Ali
RB Media’s audiobook of Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier is a classic, captivating book made even better by the narrator.
Actress Holliday Grainger masterfully narrates the classic story of Mrs de Winter, who marries the dashing widower, Maxim.
But don’t be fooled. This is not a love story. It’s a ghost story.
Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, died months prior after drowning in the bay at their home of Manderley.
It is only when the new Mrs de Winter arrives at the country estate that she realises how much of a shadow Rebecca has cast over their lives.
This gothic novel has been immortalised through its first line. “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
Grainger’s gentle voice gives the story that dream-like quality, giving new life to Du Maurier’s writing. Yet she also manages to create a tense atmosphere, slowly turning the dream into a nightmare.
Despite the narrator being an unnamed woman, the author manages to give her such depth. She becomes the symbol of women’s erasure in marriages, being referred to only as ‘Mrs de Winter.’
Du Maurier was incredibly clever. Writing a story that starts only when a woman meets her future husband was smart thinking, especially in 1938. Perhaps it wasn’t said at the time, but Du Maurier is a subtle feminist icon.
The house, Manderley, felt more like a character than Mrs de Winter did. The gorgeously vast estate hides a multitude of secrets, and it plagues our main character. Manderley should be her home, but Rebecca haunts every corner.
She’s there in every room, she walks with the staff and watches through her angry, dark lashes as another woman takes her place.
Listening to it, you may even feel her watching you.
It’s rare to get that feeling of tension when reading a novel. But listening makes it feel like Grainger is right there beside you, whispering in your ear.
Her voice elevates Du Maurier’s writing, perfectly switching between characters effortlessly. Her portrayal of each person is distinct enough to notice who’s speaking, but not so jarring that it takes you out of the story, like some narrators do.
Rebecca is a novel filled with twists and turns that’ll leave you wanting more. Du Maurier’s skill with words perfectly merges with Holliday Grainger’s wispy tone.
It shows the power of what great storytelling can do.
