[.ca] Rosemarys Baby (ISBN 0451210514)

From Amazon.com:
When published in 1967, Rosemary's Baby was one of the first contemporary horror novels to become a national bestseller. Ira Levin's second novel (he went on to write such fine thrillers as A Kiss Before Dying, The Stepford Wives, and The Boys from Brazil), Rosemary's Baby, remains perhaps his best work. The author's mainstream "this is how it really happened" style undeniably also made the novel his most widely imitated. The plot line is deceptively simple: What if you were a happily married young woman, living in New York, and one day you awoke to find yourself pregnant? And what if your loving husband had--apparently--sold your soul to Satan? And now you were beginning to believe that your unborn child was, in reality, the son of Satan? Levin subtly makes it all totally plausible, unless of course, dear Rosemary--or the reader--can no longer distinguish fantasy from reality! A wonderfully chilling novel, it was later faithfully transformed into an equally unnerving motion picture. In 1997, a sequel was spawned, Son of Rosemary. --Stanley Wiater

Masterpiece:
I came to ROSEMARY'S BABY via a rather strange route. Having just finished Jackson McCrae's novel "KATZENJAMMER," I found myself fascinated with the Ira Levin novel for reasons I'd rather not go into here, for fear of spoiling either book for you. Suffice it to say that they are companions of a sort. Both deal with the devil and environs surrounding that individual, but McCrae's book is hysterically funny whereas Levin's is totally serious. Ira Levin's novel ROSEMARY'S BABY explores that mind-boggling realm of the absolute darkness found in human nature. His depictions of evil are frighteningly real; even atheists may have trouble remaining in their state of disbelief in the good and evil supreme beings. This book is truly one that is nearly impossible to put down; it is extremely readable without seeming childish. Levin's ideas of good and evil are explained in a manner that is easy to understand, yet it is still perplexing to even the greatest of minds how such evil can be personified. Levin is truly a literary genius; this book proves it. Must also recommend THE STEPFORD WIVES.

Hauntingly chilling classic horror:
Rosemary's Baby is the story of a young newly-wed couple who happen to move in to a building with a history of unfortunate and strange occurences. Rosemary is ready and willing to start a family, but little does she know she'll end up carrying the baby of, not her husband Guy, but rather Satan himself. This is a story of witches and devil worship coupled with real-life events and occurences. This fact is what made this novel so ground-breaking when it first came out in the 60's. It places horror in the home, and in someone's womb, as opposed to something slightly more abstract (ie-"Swamp Thing" or "The Blob"). "Fear where we never thought to look before." Is Rosemary being a worried soon-to-be mother? How many of her suspicions are rooted in fact? Does Rosemary need to protect her child from others, or is it everyone else who needs protection from him? For Rosemary, the line becomes blurred between fear and reality and she can trust no one as she struggles to discern the truth. Levin weaves the plot elements together so masterfully and intricately that the story is indeed flawless. The characters are believable, and the suspense very real. The twists are intriguing and exciting. I cranked this book out yesterday, so it's fair to say that Rosemary's Baby is an easy and fast-paced read. However, though this is a great suspense-type horror book, it is not really necessarily "spooky" or nail-biting per say. If you are looking for a suspensful page-turner that is a quick and simple read, then give this one a try!

Classic Horror Novel:
Rosemary's Baby is a classic horror novel. It is extremely well written and keeps you spellbound turning page after page, not wanting to put it down. It is a tale of a young couple who are expecting their first child and the sinister forces of satanic evil. This is a truly scary book.

Absolutely shocking.:
A totally ordinary story about the completely shocking; I was so disturbed after this book I had to put it down and play video games until I felt too dumb to worry about it. I can't remember the last time I was so scared by such a simply-written story. Read it. Now.

A chilling tale!:
Ira Levin is the master of horror, conveying the dark side of ordinary everyday life in suspenseful and terrifying ways. With The Stepford Wives he took on the issue of feminism and created a pop culture phenomenon still relevant over 30 years later. Rosemary's Baby has to be one of his best novels, a dark and brooding suspense shocker about a housewife's descent into a dark world of satanic worship. To say any more would be to give away the suspense and shocks like only Levin could provide. Rosemary is a brilliant heroine, real and emotional and it is so easy for the reader to relate. I found myself identifying with her and rooting for her to get through the madness her life takes on after moving into a popular apartment building with a history of evil. Levin slowly closes in on the horror, suffocating the reader as they try to unravel the mystery. The villians are more terrifying than any I have come across in literature because they are real people doing unreal things, which adds an effective creepiness to the story. This is a terrific page-turner and one of the most twisted and disturbing novels I have ever read. I also like the movie, although I wish it had a darker tone like the book, but have not read the sequel, Son of Rosemary, which is supposed to be awful. It is such a short book, reading it won't take much time. This one is highly recommended.