Rosemary's Baby

Rating:
Summary: THE SOURCE OF A GREAT FILM
Review: Perhaps, like most, my intial exposure to this story was through Roman Polanski, Mia Farrow, John Cassavettes, Ruth Gordon & Sydney Blackmer who commit to film cinematic mastery. The book, however, is more than just a basis; it is the movie! Levin must have been pleased with Polanski's vision because it intercepts the imagery of the book so well. The movie is without a doubt one of the two best Polanski ever made (Chinatown is the other) but what of the book? One of the major criticisms I noted in previous reviews is that the book isn't scary enough. That is as may be, the horror of this book is not really meant to scare your pants off anymore than Goethe's Faust is, than Conrad's Heart of Darkness. The horror is implicit, it is within and it is very subtle. It's not the Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft type of scary story. The subtlety is in Rosemary's journey to self awareness: She finds she can't trust the elderly neighbors, her doctors and even her husband as she is reeled into the devilish nightmare of her worse fears she finds she must look to herself to save this child for whom she suffers so horribly. And, if for nothing else, Polanski should be recognized for, in his detail oriented handling of the manuscript, emphasizing this subtlety. The book is about the times it was written: JFK and Jackie O, along with the pope have speaking parts (even if only in a dream sequence). But in this sense Rosemary is every modern married woman whose soul is sold (in a metaphoric sense in most cases) to the subservience of her husband. And Guy is all about actors playing parts but never really committing to anything but their own egotistic success. Not only does Guy sell his wife to the witches but then he acts like a jerk to her. He has absolutely no moral dilemma in blinding the rival actor who "got the part" or for killing Rosemary's father figure, Hutch, and yet all the time playing the hard-working husband humoring his crazy wife. Polanski's interpretation so well reveals this that actually reading the book may be considered superfluous by some. The scene where Rosemary dreams of the nun at the Catholic School while Minnie Castavet speaks on the other side of the wall about a recent suicide perfectly exemplifies this. Even though the symbolism of the bricking up of the school windows is not explained in the film as it is in the book, the surreal creepiness of it gets the point across that things are not always what they seem. Not only is Minnie to be feared but also Sister Agnes (who does not read like a devout catholic, not only can Dr. Sapirstien not be trusted, but neither can the normal Dr. Hill who puts more faith in the Sapirstien's reputation (who knows how many people he must have killed or put in comas to get where he is) than in Rosemary's desperation. Can Kennedy be trusted, can the Pope? How many famous well respected people have sold their souls to get where they are? The prose is readable, intriguing and enjoyable even if it does not extend to a level of high literature. But the fact that it served as a backbone of such a great movie is reason in and of itself to want to read it. You can even see the movie first and it does not detract.

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Summary: Ifthenoveltoldthetruth,IraLevinwouldfailasanauthor
Review: There's no doubt about the excitement the book creates. Whilst reading the novel you'll get certain "clues" about what's going to happen, which indeed make the reader curious! Honestly, I enjoyed reading the book 'cause the novel provokes the reader and it's hard to put it down. Still after having read the whole book I was dissapointed. It wasn't scary at all. If you compare this novel with a novel written by Edgar A. Poe or Mary Higgins Clark, you won't think Rosemary's baby is creepy nor realistic! And Rosemary's character doesn't develop at all! What pisses me off a bit is that her character is so extremely silly and naive! How goofy & wrong can one person be? So I guess the theme must be: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF HUMAN STUPIDITY!!! Advice: if you like spiritualism, read the book! You'll learn a lot!!!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book for study!
Review: The horror classic "Rosemary's Baby" is an excellent study for writers wanting to experience characterization, plot suspense, the art of writing great dialogue, transitioning the protagonist, and more, in action. And what an interesting premise: Witches in the heart of Manhattan! The novelization of the book works exceptionally well on screen, with minor plot and dialogue changes. The characters: Rosemary, Minnie, Roman, Laura-Louise, Guy, Hutch . . . will live on in your heart--and that's something all writers, neophyte or seasoned, work hard at achieving. The most interesting part of the book and movie, I found, were the scenes where Rosemary, the protagonist, drifts off into a semi-conscious state and has peculiar dreams/flashbacks with deep-rooted religious undertones. Add this book to your collection today!

Rating:
Summary: Great, Intriguing Story -- A Must Read
Review: This is an excellent book. Levin takes a totally unbelievable story and slowly and subtly makes it more and more frighteningly realistic. One of the best horror stories I've ever read; just goes to prove that you don't need blood and guts to rise the hair on the back of your neck. Some people may find Levin's style too slow, but if you stick with it, I can guarantee it will be well worth the wait.

Rating:
Summary: REALLY GOOD!
Review: I think the reason why I only gave it 4 stars is because I thought it was going to be scary....it wasnt. However it was polished just enough to where you COULDN'T put it down! It was very easy to follow and most of the time as you went along, you start to visualize what is happening! It isnt scary...but it is very creepy...you just want to leap out and say "Rosemary, get it through that thick head of yours, YOUR IN DEEP TROUBLE!!" This is a perfect book for reading when your in a mellow mood because it created a creepy little twist, but not to the point where your parinoid. Very good!

Rating:
Summary: Superb, understated gothic horror
Review: Ira Levin stands with the tradition of Poe and Lovecraft in "Rosemary's Baby"--portraying in understated, thoroughly credible terms the horror that lurks within everyday life. Levin's Satanists are next-door neighbors who read "Jokes for the John" and inquire about the prices Rosemary paid for furniture. Yet the impact of what they unleash on her--and on the world--is the more powerful for the banality of how they do it. Levin lets the plot unfold so masterfully that the climactic scenes hit the reader with all the accumulated hints he dropped earlier. Rosemary's character is splendidly developed, too, and Levin's depictions of everyday life in Manhattan are comfortably realistic (and add to the gnawing sense of horror that builds at the end). One of my Top 10 novels. (The movie, with Mia Farrow giving the performance of her career, is first-rate, too.)

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book!!!
Review: One of the most fascinating, spellbinding books I have ever read. I couldn't put it down. Admittedly, it is not for all tastes, and some people may not be patient enough to let the story develop. I, on the otherhand, was hooked from page one. Try it!!!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is an excellent horror story. surprisingly, the movie adaptation was very accurate of Levin's story. Though, until the critic below mentioned it...i didn't notice the prejudices of the book. might make for an interesting paper.

Rating:
Summary: A psychologically gripping novel
Review: One of my favorite novels ever. Even if you don't believe in satan, this book will give you goosebumps. Ira Levin is a real talent.

Rating:
Summary: Spooky and Well-Crafted
Review: Ira Levin's novel is utterly fascinating. For one, the best element is that the horror and suspense all come from seemingly normal, everyday things. A world where the bad guys are the quirky next door neighbors is a lot scarier than one where the ridiculous horned monsters are the bad guys. Two, his dialogue is sparkling. It's as if all of the characters are real flesh and blood, the way that they speak so realistically. Three, I found it very interesting that Levin approached writing it not by using big words and long, complicated descriptions. His sentances are short, precise, and sweet. It makes a nice "relaxing" read. Also, the movie adaption is one of the best films ever made and is brimming with excellent performances. Read it and see the movie. I totally agree with the reader who commented on the movie being the best adaption of a book to film.