Reviews - L'Auberge de la Jamaïque

2.02k reviews for:

L'Auberge de la Jamaïque

Daphne du Maurier

3.81 AVERAGE

jjb21's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Great book. Very visceral and mysterious. Proper drama and intrigue.

paperbackbish's review against another edition

4.0

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

lectoribenevolo's review against another edition

4.0

Jamaica Inn is a fun, dark, occasionally ludicrous tale set in du Maurier's Cornwall circa 1820. Inevitably everyone compares everything du Maurier ever wrote to [b:Rebecca|17899948|Rebecca|Daphne du Maurier|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386605169s/17899948.jpg|46663], usually unfavorably, but I think Jamaica Inn holds up well. I found it far more enjoyable to read. The storytelling is more straightforward: whereas Rebecca's unnamed narrator continually breaks off into reverie and fantasy, Jamaica Inn gets down to action, with occasional interventions of purple prose.

The book also treats some of du Maurier's constant themes: suspicion of church and clergy; gender and femininity (in a lot of ways, gender issues are more in the forefront than in Rebecca); malevolent people who resemble birds. Seriously, there is a thesis to be written on the role of birds, people who look like birds, and people with the heads of birds and other animals in du Maurier. (She wrote "The Birds," for gosh sakes, but it is all over her writing, including in this book.)

All in all, I enjoyed this book more than I have enjoyed a book in some time. Go thou and read.