Reviews with content warning for Miscarriage - Rosemary's Baby

Reviews tagging 'Miscarriage'

Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin

7 reviews

tipp_njam's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The characterisation is written into the story and the author does a good job of maintaining unease throughout the story even after the climax.
I felt a lot of things throughout the book, like unhappiness etc but I was never mad about it, everything seemed to have a purpose.
Rosemary as a character was super annoying but her passiveness was something that made the novel feel more interesting because you get to see how easily she gives up on her resolve in favour of her idealistic desires of family/life/her future.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read (despite everything) and it was quite horrifying.

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foldingthepage_kayleigh's review

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dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was a tense gothic tale that really dug into power dynamics in relationships, the dehumanization of women, and the horrors of disempowerment. It also showed the lack of autonomy that is often pushed upon pregnant people, as if your body is no longer your own, and the world is invited in to control you. Overall, I’m very glad to have read this book, an interesting social commentary with the tense gothic horror that makes you want to keep turning the page. And Mia Farrow as the narrator was excellent and added to the vintage vibes of the book.

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stephanieanneauthor's review

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Believe it or not, I haven't seen the movie yet (but it is on my list). But movie or no movie, I had to give the book a try as I'm a fan of Levin's writing style. I will note that the sound quality of the audiobook is less than stellar, but other than that this book is phenomenal.

As someone who's lived through it, I love stories that involve gaslighting as it adds to the tension and discomfort. And I wanted to scream at some of the obstacles Rosemary encountered. In those early chapters, I wasn't too sure how I would feel about her, but I came to love her character arc. I've also noticed recently that I tend to be more drawn to domestic horror stories. There's something delightfully unsettling about home life gone wrong, and situations that should be safe and comforting, but are not.

Can't wait to watch the movie now!

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