Rosemary’s Baby (Rosemary's Baby, #1) in Read the Movie

Jun 11, 2010 Rowan MacBean rated it really liked it

I'm not sure if low expectations due to past experience with Ira Levin's writing had an effect on my feelings for this book, but I really enjoyed it. I pretty much inhaled it; it didn't even take a full twenty-four hours to read. It may also have helped that it's been more than a decade since I've seen the movie and the only part of it that I can remember is the scene they show in clip shows where she sees the baby for the first time.

Anyway, as I said, I really enjoyed this book. It was almost f I'm not sure if low expectations due to past experience with Ira Levin's writing had an effect on my feelings for this book, but I really enjoyed it. I pretty much inhaled it; it didn't even take a full twenty-four hours to read. It may also have helped that it's been more than a decade since I've seen the movie and the only part of it that I can remember is the scene they show in clip shows where she sees the baby for the first time.

Anyway, as I said, I really enjoyed this book. It was almost frustratingly plausible at times. As an outside observer who has never lived in a world where Rosemary's Baby didn't exist, it's so easy to see every little hint at what's going on and how the people around Rosemary are manipulating her and isolating her from sane, non-Satanic people. Half the time I was ready to pull out my hair because she just went along with everything, accepting everyone's lies and assuming her situation was normal. But then I took a break and put the book down and thought about it. I honestly doubt it would be that difficult to pull the wool over anyone's eyes. I mean, who seriously suspects their neighbors of being a Satanist cult or a coven of evil witches, even in a post-Rosemary's Baby world? Nobody. And if they do, they feel silly immediately after thinking it.

I have to say, my favorite character was Rosemary's husband, Guy. He's nowhere near the most evil character in the book -- actually, I'm not certain I'd actually call him "evil" at all -- but I still found him the most distasteful. Why, then, is he my favorite? ...I dunno, I'm complicated, I guess. XD There weren't any characters that I actually identified with, and Guy was the most interesting to me, even though he was extremely unlikable.

The thing I liked best about the book was the ending. It fades out and leaves the reader without a concrete ending but it still feels complete. That's my favorite way for things to end. It's satisfying and the reader doesn't feel like they're owed anything else, but there's still room to use your imagination and picture what might come next, if you so choose. It's a rare thing to find. ...more

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