Rosemary's Baby

Rosemary's Baby
by Ira Levin


Blurb:

Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, an ordinary young couple, settle into a New York City apartment, unaware that the elderly neighbors and their bizarre group of friends have taken a disturbing interest in them. But by the time Rosemary discovers the horrifying truth, it may be far too late!

My Reaction (with SPOILERS!):
I decided to read Rosemary's Baby for a couple of reasons. First, I'd enjoyed the movie and was interested in seeing how it might differ from the book. Second, my youngest sister and I were talking about it, and she mentioned that the sequel was... well, not quite as good (to put it kindly), and I was intrigued. It just made sense to read them both in order.

If you're even remotely interested in the genre, Rosemary's Baby is a great read-- a confirmed classic-- evocative of its time, creepy, and deeply unsettling. However, if you've already seen the 1960's film adaptation (as so many of us have), you're not in for many surprises when you read the book. This has to be one of the most faithful adaptions I've ever come across-- word for word, in many instances.

There were only three differences that really caught my attention, and I'm not even certain that one of them is a difference, or if I'm merely not remembering correctly. First, Minnie's accent is described in the book as Midwestern, but in the film the character has an unmistakable New York accent. Second, Rosemary takes a brief trip to a cabin in the book, but I don't recall that happening in the movie (though I may just have forgotten it). And third, the ending is more drawn out and explicit in the book than in the film.

This is one of those instances where the film may actually be better than the book, but it's difficult to judge, since I came to the book already knowing the story. Still, I think the fact that the baby is never shown in the film makes it a bit stronger, and the ending just seems faster-paced and more streamlined than in the book. However, a positive of the book is that we get a little of Rosemary's internal monologue as she makes her decision. The gist of her decision is obvious in the film, I think, but the book leaves no doubt at all about the specifics of how she reaches that decision.

One thing that's blatantly obvious in the movie but is somehow even more blatantly obvious in the book (maybe because there's simply more time for it all to sink in, since it takes longer to read than to watch) is just how awful Guy (Rosemary's husband) is and the profundity of his betrayal of her trust.  (I mean, yeah, that was very clear in the movie, as I've said, but I think it hits even harder when you're reading the book.)

Rosemary is betrayed repeatedly throughout the book, and if the thought of being the unwitting (and unwilling) vessel for the literal spawn of Satan isn't the kind of thing to give you the shivers, it's certainly terrifying to imagine being so isolated and helpless-- to have everyone around you working together to deceive and use you.

4.75 stars (rounded up).