Six Degrees of Separation (Feb): from Dangerous Liaisons to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

I haven't participated in #6degrees previously, but as someone who suffers from FOMO, I couldn't help but want to join in. 

The meme is hosted by Books are My Favourite Best and is described thus: On the first Saturday of every month, a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. Readers and bloggers are invited to join in by creating their own ‘chain’ leading from the selected book. Each person’s chain will look completely different. It doesn’t matter what the connection is or where it takes you – just take us on the journey with you.

February's #6degrees begins with Dangerous Liaisons by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Now I'm not going to lie, I haven't read this. Perhaps I should add it to my TBR list for 2025, but we'll see. My research does tell me that it's an epistolary style novel written in 1782, depicting all the depravity of the French nobility just prior to the French Revolution. 

This takes me directly to another epistolary style novel Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, which I have reviewed here. I absolutely loved this book. The beauty of Frankenstein is just how human Frankenstein's monster really is. He is a man who desires love and companionship. In his early years of being he seeks friendship and family. He wants people's approval and notice in order that he can become the man that he feels that he is. He is then deeply wounded by the sudden and cruel realisation that he is fated to a life of nameless isolation, where he will only ever be met with abhorrence and rejection. His grief and despair at this realisation force him to seek the assistance of the man that he himself despises, his creator, Viktor Frankenstein. It's also a true classic, having played a significant role in the development of the horror genre, as well as having an important place in romantic and gothic literature, and to a lesser extent science fiction as well. 

Speaking of monsters, another epistolary style novel but this time with the greatest vampire of all time: Dracula by Bram Stoker, which I have reviewed here. Creepy creepy creepy. But in a good way of course. I loved this book and there were times as I was reading that I nearly wanted to put it down because it was creeping me out so much. I do admit though that I loved the first half of the book at Count Dracula's castle so much more than the second half. 

So, while we are on a vampire theme, how can I go past Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, which I have reviewed here. Controversial I know. So many people disliked these books but when I first read them, I absolutely loved them and consumed them as fast as I could. It isn't until more recently that I reflect more poorly on them for the disconcerting depiction of a relationship that in real life would easily be considered one of domestic violence by way of coercive control. Although initially I loved it, now I worry about what lessons a younger generation takes from it about what a romantic relationship should be. 

What should a romantic relationship be like? Well, while I think it's easier to identify what it "should not" be like, what it "should" be like is much harder to pin down - what works will be different for everyone. But how can you go past Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The slow build to true love - now that's romantic. Elizabeth and Darcy coming to know each other over time, and in the process coming to know themselves. Sigh. 

This takes me to my final choice, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. How did I get here? Not because of the common thread of romance, but because if someone asked me what my favourite book was and made me choose just one, I would be choosing between Pride and Prejudice and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. And I think that Rebecca would just win out. I have tried to review Rebecca in the past, but I just can't do it justice. From the very time I read that opening line "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again" I was hooked. The characters, the prose, the plot - it just gets me every time.