While working as the companion to a rich American woman on holiday in Monte Carlo, the unnamed narrator, a naive young woman in her early 20's, become acquainted with a wealthy Englishman, Maxim de Winter, a 42 year old widower. After a fortnight of courtship, she agrees to marry him and, after the wedding and honeymoon, accompanies him to his mansion in Cornwall, the beautiful West Country estate Manderlay. (wiki)
This a very well known mystery novel and one I've been looking forward to reading. Well I have and must say it hasn't lived up to the hype.
It is well written , supplying fantastic atmosphere but it is a let down as a thriller. It pose's questions but its more a romance . Of the characters the housekeeper, Mrs Danvers is a bit of work but shes not the truly evil harridan reviews would have you believe. Our unnamed narrator is a bit tiresome being over egged in her naivety which really would make you wonder how the couple would get together. The 'mystery' is fairly obvious from the get go, it is just a reading game in seeing how we get to the end.
This is a good book, I can understand its popularity but its not a 'great' book not even a 'great crime' novel. Reading it wasn't a waste of time but for me the anticipation was much better than reality like many things in life.
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