Have you come across many prequels or sequels to 'classic' books?

@oldchem1 (8132)
June 17, 2010 3:10am CST
For me there are two 'classics' that I think of when more contemporary authors have written prequels and sequels - those books are two of my favourites 'Rebecca' and 'Jane Eyre'. For me to read any other work about 'Rebecca'is hard work as it is my favourite book ever!! The first book I read was 'Mrs De Winter'was by one of my favourite writers - Susan Hill. I have always found something in Susan Hill’s writing that is very characteristic of the gothic type writing of Daphne du Maurier. When I found that she had written a ‘sequel’ to my favourite ever book – ‘Rebecca’, called Mrs De Winter I wanted to read it but yet I didn’t. So what did I think? The book contained the same gothic theme of both Rebecca and Ms Hill’s previous novels – ' and 'The Mist in the Mirror’, it is quite dark, moody and disturbing, as is Rebecca itself. I thought that there was some good writing in this book, but we had lost one important ‘character’ – Manderley itself, and so we lost the magical du Maurier descriptions of her beloved Cornwall and the rhododendron lined grounds of Manderley. I didn’t like the ending, but I recognise the need for it. I have read reviews where people think that the book should have had a fairytale 'happily ever after' ending, but I don’t think this would have worked at all in the tragic lives of the De Winters. Ms Hill's story is a credible reproduction of both the portrayal of the two main characters and also of the plot of Rebecca. So, is this one of the best novels that I have ever read? No Is it like ‘Rebecca’? No What I will say is that this is a decent book that does not take anything away from Rebecca. It wasn’t Rebecca, but Ms Hill did manage to capture some of the atmosphere of it - and was far better than the other such book ‘Rebecca’s Tale’ by Sally Beauman. "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." Beauman had the audacity to start her novel with these words, the same words that du Maurier started her classic ‘Rebecca’ with. I fear that ‘Rebecca’s Tale’ will never be deemed a classic. The book is set in 1951 and it is the 20th anniversary of the death of Rebecca de Winter. The premise of it is that we learn more about Rebecca and the details of her background as well as that of Max, Jack Favel, Mrs. Danvers, Colonel Julyan and even Manderley As you plough through the 600+ pages you are introduced to Rebecca's hatred and contempt for men, and the reasons why. Also how she had vigilantly selected her lovers, making sure they bore a resemblance to Max, so that should she fall pregnant, the child could easily be passed off as Max’s, so that they would to inherit Manderley. While ‘Rebecca’, a pure classic, was a magnificently, haunting gothic tale, ‘Rebecca's Tale’ certainly is not. It's not even a half decent detective story. The other favourite of mine with a prequel is 'Jane Eyre', and the book in question is the 'Wide Sargasso Sea' which tells the story of the woman in the attic in the wonderful 'Jane Eyre' Jean Rhys took around thirty years to write the prefect prequel concentrating on the mad Jamaican pyromaniac in 'Jane Eyre', she said that she wanted to write the prequel, because it was "that particular mad Creole I want to write about." She started to write the book in 1936 but it was only published two months after her 76th birthday in 1966 'The Wide Sargasso Sea' is a comprehensive story of Rochester's visit to the West Indies to marry an heiress, Bertha Mason. In Charlotte Bronte's novel we are only given a very brief account from Rochester after Bertha's brother, Richard, makes a dramatic entrance and prevents Rochester's marriage to Jane by revealing that he is already married to Bertha and that she is confined in the attic at Thornfield Hall. So are there any sequels or prequels that you have read and what was your opinion?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
20 Jun 10
Thanks for the tip.I didnt know any of themexisted. But from your words, I am more interested in getting The prequel to Jant Eyre. That is a complete different story from what you tell, where Rhys takes two characters from Jane Eyre and writes about it. I can´t wait to check it. Im a writer in my native language and I love to write about stories and give them my own twist ( I like fairy tales, they are allso evil). I haveread and liked a couple of Rhys novels. Happy posting and please post more about books! By the way, I read once a very bad sequel to "gone with the wind". But I can´t even compare it to the first book as I only saw the movie (several times, at least once with each generation in my family).
@marguicha (230365)
• Chile
20 Jun 10
I was always curious about Bertha. And she is not an incidental character: she triggers the action all the time. Without Bertha, probably Jane Eyre would be just another romanticstory.
@oldchem1 (8132)
20 Jun 10
True and the WSS just adds something to that character.
@oldchem1 (8132)
20 Jun 10
The Wide Sargasso Sea really is an excellent book. When you think that there is not really much detail about 'the wife in the attic' in Jane Eyre, this makes the book that much more interesting
@ElicBxn (64177)
• United States
17 Jun 10
well, I don't know about pre-quels, but I have enjoyed the later stories written about Peter Pan, the Oz books and some other books. I've even written an Oz short story myself. I even like the alternate Oz books (Wicked, etc) and Barnstormer in Oz. AND then, there are the Thursday Next books...
@oldchem1 (8132)
18 Jun 10
Wicked is really big here in the UK, my granddaughter recently travelled to London to watch the stage show
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (64177)
• United States
18 Jun 10
Haven't see the show, but I did listen to the book on audio
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
27 Jun 10
I have come across them but I haven't read them. I think that I am afraid of it ruining my experience with the original book. I'm also afraid that it will sound so tonally different from the original book I will have trouble relating the two books.
@oldchem1 (8132)
27 Jun 10
I'm sure that you would enjoy the Wide Sargossa Sea and Mrs De Winter but I wouldn't go near to Rebecca's Tale!!
@hvedra (1619)
17 Jun 10
I might seek out Mrs De Winter. I've read Rebecca's Tale and didn't think much of it either. It just had no direction. I don't envy anyone trying to do a prequel or sequel to Rebecca which was such a finely crafted and complete story.
@oldchem1 (8132)
17 Jun 10
That was my thought, Mrs de Winter is far, far better than Rebecca's Tale - and Susan Hill is a fantastic writer.