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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
It took me a century to read this book.. Not sure how a book can have so much crime and "action" yet be so bloody tedious. Just didn't flow for me. What a shame, I really wanted to like this one :/
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A grand gothic adventure I never tire of - I think this is my fourth read. Daphne du Maurier excels at creating tense atmosphere, this time on the dark & brooding moors, and Jamaica Inn is full of equally dark secrets.
Jamaica Inn is the third Daphne Du Maurier novel I've read now (the other two being Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel). It tells the story of Mary Yellan, a young woman who goes to live with her villainous Uncle Joss and poor, beaten down Aunt Patience at their pub on Bodmin Moor, the Jamaica Inn. Uncle Joss is a bad man who is up to some very bad things, and is using the pub as a headquarters for his criminal activity. The 'heartthrob' of Jamaica Inn is Joss' younger brother, Jem, who Mary inevitably falls in love with despite her better judgement.
I'll start with what I liked best: first of all, I liked Mary Yellan. As a female protagonist who is mostly very strong-willed and brave, her interactions with the other characters were banterous and at times pretty badass. I also really enjoyed Du Maurier's descriptions of other characters, who were all created and painted out to be extreme.
As usual, I also enjoyed the writing - as the queen of gothic literature, Daphne Du Maurier always excels at creating a spooky, mysterious air with her descriptive language, which made me feel almost as though I was there in 19th century Cornwall storming the moors alongside Mary Yellan.
As with Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel, Jamaica Inn started well but then slowed down considerably in pace, before ramping up the suspense for the last third/quarter. Jamaica Inn didn't drag as much in the middle as the aforementioned novels (Rebecca was especially bad for this and I almost stopped reading because of it) and by the time I'd noticed that it was starting to get a bit boring, the storyline was already starting to pick up. This made the overall reading experience of Jamaica Inn more enjoyable.
Now for what I didn't like: I thought the storyline was too simplistic. Du Maurier is famous for her outrageous plot twists, but there just weren't any for me in this novel. I wasn't shocked by the bad things that Joss Merlyn and his cronies were up to, even though I was expecting to be. Maybe I would have been shocked if I was reading it at the time of publication in the 1930s, but since then I think it has become almost common for abhorrent things to happen on a daily basis. I also guessed who the real bad guy was very early on, so his reveal didn't come as a surprise either. Perhaps if there had been more than 7 characters in the story this would have been different.
I also didn't really enjoy the love story that unfolded between Mary and Jem. It felt very much like an afterthought, and I thought it was rushed. I felt thoroughly dissatisfied with the lack of romance at the ending, although I'm not sure if this was perhaps Du Maurier's desired effect - there's lots of connotations to be gained from Mary's change of heart and the comparisons to Patience's early relationship with Joss, so maybe so. But I was expecting to feel either totally outraged or happy at the end, and I didn't experience either or those feelings... What I felt was 'meh'.
So all in all, an enjoyable read but the endings of Du Maurier's later novels were far superior. 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
I'll start with what I liked best: first of all, I liked Mary Yellan. As a female protagonist who is mostly very strong-willed and brave, her interactions with the other characters were banterous and at times pretty badass. I also really enjoyed Du Maurier's descriptions of other characters, who were all created and painted out to be extreme.
As usual, I also enjoyed the writing - as the queen of gothic literature, Daphne Du Maurier always excels at creating a spooky, mysterious air with her descriptive language, which made me feel almost as though I was there in 19th century Cornwall storming the moors alongside Mary Yellan.
As with Rebecca and My Cousin Rachel, Jamaica Inn started well but then slowed down considerably in pace, before ramping up the suspense for the last third/quarter. Jamaica Inn didn't drag as much in the middle as the aforementioned novels (Rebecca was especially bad for this and I almost stopped reading because of it) and by the time I'd noticed that it was starting to get a bit boring, the storyline was already starting to pick up. This made the overall reading experience of Jamaica Inn more enjoyable.
Now for what I didn't like: I thought the storyline was too simplistic. Du Maurier is famous for her outrageous plot twists, but there just weren't any for me in this novel. I wasn't shocked by the bad things that Joss Merlyn and his cronies were up to, even though I was expecting to be. Maybe I would have been shocked if I was reading it at the time of publication in the 1930s, but since then I think it has become almost common for abhorrent things to happen on a daily basis. I also guessed who the real bad guy was very early on, so his reveal didn't come as a surprise either. Perhaps if there had been more than 7 characters in the story this would have been different.
I also didn't really enjoy the love story that unfolded between Mary and Jem. It felt very much like an afterthought, and I thought it was rushed. I felt thoroughly dissatisfied with the lack of romance at the ending, although I'm not sure if this was perhaps Du Maurier's desired effect - there's lots of connotations to be gained from Mary's change of heart and the comparisons to Patience's early relationship with Joss, so maybe so. But I was expecting to feel either totally outraged or happy at the end, and I didn't experience either or those feelings... What I felt was 'meh'.
So all in all, an enjoyable read but the endings of Du Maurier's later novels were far superior. 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Daphne Du Maurier knows how to write settings that leap off the page and stories that fill the reader with dread. I also learned so much, about the moors and landscape (like what tors are), along with some of the goings-on of the time that I knew nothing about prior to reading this book (like what wreckers are) . While I didn’t love this one as much as Rebecca, due to some problematic characterizations, it was still a page turner and very fitting within the du Maurier style that I have come to expect. Plus, it was neat to read a historical fiction book written by an author from a different era than both the time it’s set and our present time (written in the late 1930s, but book set in the 19th century).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Sexual harassment
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
http://www.hyperebaaktiivne.ee/2019/04/xv-ehk-jamaica-voorastemaja-halvast.html
Varraku uute raamatute nimekirjast jäi mulle silma "Jamaica võõrastemaja", mille autor Daphne du Maurier on kirjutanud väga põneva romaani "Rebecca". Olen selle kohta samuti arvamust jaganud. Muidugi tahtsin lugeda ka teist tema teost, mis õieti ilmus kaks aastat varem kui "Rebecca".
19. sajandi algus, november-detsember, Inglismaa. Kui Mary ema sureb, peab neiu armsa kodutaluga hüvasti jätma ning kolima kaugele Cornwalli rannikule tädi juurde, keda ta pole kaua näinud. Tüdruku uueks eluasemeks saab Jamaica võõrastemaja, kõle paik, kus teelised ei peatu ning tõllad möödudes vaid kiirust lisavad. Mary ei lase end hirmutada ei võimukal tädimehel ega süngel õhustikul. Teda muudab muidugi uudishimulikuks, miks võõrastemajal niivõrd halb kuulsus on, kuid kui neiu selle viimaks välja selgitab, soovib ta, et ei teaks põhjust.
Raamatu haaras kohe alguses kaasa ning mind huvitas sama palju kui Marytki, milline saab olema neiu uus kodu. Peale seda minu huvi rauges ning raamat tundus veidi igav. Rabas kondamine ning Joss Merlyni järgi luuramine ei suutnud mind nii väga köita. Põnevust lisas alles kohtumine hobusevarga Jemiga ning minu lemmik koht raamatust oli hobuste müük. Pahad poisid on ju ligitõmbavad. Arvasin, et haripunkt oli siis, kui Mary sai teada, miks tema tädimeest ei sallita. Mind see suur saladus nii väga ei šokeerinud, kuigi tekitas ebameeldivaid kujutluspilte. Olen vist liiga palju veriseid krimkasid ja põnevikke lugenud. Igatahes, ma eksisin, sest raamat läks teises pooles nii põnevaks ning rabas mind oma loopöördega suisa jalust. Ma ei näinud üldse seda tulemas. See pinge ja ootamatus meenutas juba moodsaid põnevikke.
Ta taipas esimest korda, et vastikus ja veetlus võivad käia koos; et nendevaheline piir on õhuke.
Kui "Rebecca" puhul tundus Manderley ise ühe tegelasena, siis Jamaica võõrastemaja jäi kirjelduste põhjal küllaltki kahvatuks ning ellu ei ärganud. See-eest kujutasin hästi ette looklevat teed, mida mööda üksik tõld äikesesajus sõidab. Samuti kerkis silme ette raba ning muidugi Cornwalli rannik. Romaan loob sellise õhkkonna, et on tunne, et seal küll kunagi päike ei paista. Kusjuures, tagantjärgi avastasin, et hoone, mida kaanel kujutatakse on see sama Jamaica võõrastemaja, mis ka praegu Bodmini ja Launcestoni vahelise tee ääres seisab ja mis autorit romaani kirjutama inspireeris. Kaanekujundus on igatahes hästi õnnestunud ning annab romaani sisu hästi edasi.
"Mul pole kunagi naabreid olnud, nii et ma ei saa vastu vaielda, aga mulle on alati tundunud, et külas elamine on, nagu elaksid kastis. Pistad oma nina üle värava teise mehe aeda ja kui tema kartulid on sinu omadest suuremad, siis räägite sellest ja arutate seda; ja sa tead, et kui sa õhtusöögiks jänest küpsetad, tunneb ta oma köögis selle lõhna. Pagan võtku, Mary, see pole mingi elu."
"Jamaica võõrastemaja" on sünge atmosfääriga romaan noorest aga tugevast neiust, kes peale ema surma kolib tädi ja tema mehe juurde üksikusse hoonesse, mis varjab tumedat saladust ning temagi saab selle osaliseks. Kahjuks ei ärganud võõrastemaja minu jaoks ellu ning esimene pool raamatust ei suutnud mind köita. Nautisin see-eest väga romaani lõppu, mis oli põnev ja pingeline. Soovitan romaani lugeda, kui paeluvad: morn õhkkond, saladused, kelmikas hobusevaras ning nendega silmitsi seisev noor naiskangelane!
Aitäh, Varrak, raamatu eest!
Varraku uute raamatute nimekirjast jäi mulle silma "Jamaica võõrastemaja", mille autor Daphne du Maurier on kirjutanud väga põneva romaani "Rebecca". Olen selle kohta samuti arvamust jaganud. Muidugi tahtsin lugeda ka teist tema teost, mis õieti ilmus kaks aastat varem kui "Rebecca".
19. sajandi algus, november-detsember, Inglismaa. Kui Mary ema sureb, peab neiu armsa kodutaluga hüvasti jätma ning kolima kaugele Cornwalli rannikule tädi juurde, keda ta pole kaua näinud. Tüdruku uueks eluasemeks saab Jamaica võõrastemaja, kõle paik, kus teelised ei peatu ning tõllad möödudes vaid kiirust lisavad. Mary ei lase end hirmutada ei võimukal tädimehel ega süngel õhustikul. Teda muudab muidugi uudishimulikuks, miks võõrastemajal niivõrd halb kuulsus on, kuid kui neiu selle viimaks välja selgitab, soovib ta, et ei teaks põhjust.
Raamatu haaras kohe alguses kaasa ning mind huvitas sama palju kui Marytki, milline saab olema neiu uus kodu. Peale seda minu huvi rauges ning raamat tundus veidi igav. Rabas kondamine ning Joss Merlyni järgi luuramine ei suutnud mind nii väga köita. Põnevust lisas alles kohtumine hobusevarga Jemiga ning minu lemmik koht raamatust oli hobuste müük. Pahad poisid on ju ligitõmbavad. Arvasin, et haripunkt oli siis, kui Mary sai teada, miks tema tädimeest ei sallita. Mind see suur saladus nii väga ei šokeerinud, kuigi tekitas ebameeldivaid kujutluspilte. Olen vist liiga palju veriseid krimkasid ja põnevikke lugenud. Igatahes, ma eksisin, sest raamat läks teises pooles nii põnevaks ning rabas mind oma loopöördega suisa jalust. Ma ei näinud üldse seda tulemas. See pinge ja ootamatus meenutas juba moodsaid põnevikke.
Ta taipas esimest korda, et vastikus ja veetlus võivad käia koos; et nendevaheline piir on õhuke.
Kui "Rebecca" puhul tundus Manderley ise ühe tegelasena, siis Jamaica võõrastemaja jäi kirjelduste põhjal küllaltki kahvatuks ning ellu ei ärganud. See-eest kujutasin hästi ette looklevat teed, mida mööda üksik tõld äikesesajus sõidab. Samuti kerkis silme ette raba ning muidugi Cornwalli rannik. Romaan loob sellise õhkkonna, et on tunne, et seal küll kunagi päike ei paista. Kusjuures, tagantjärgi avastasin, et hoone, mida kaanel kujutatakse on see sama Jamaica võõrastemaja, mis ka praegu Bodmini ja Launcestoni vahelise tee ääres seisab ja mis autorit romaani kirjutama inspireeris. Kaanekujundus on igatahes hästi õnnestunud ning annab romaani sisu hästi edasi.
"Mul pole kunagi naabreid olnud, nii et ma ei saa vastu vaielda, aga mulle on alati tundunud, et külas elamine on, nagu elaksid kastis. Pistad oma nina üle värava teise mehe aeda ja kui tema kartulid on sinu omadest suuremad, siis räägite sellest ja arutate seda; ja sa tead, et kui sa õhtusöögiks jänest küpsetad, tunneb ta oma köögis selle lõhna. Pagan võtku, Mary, see pole mingi elu."
"Jamaica võõrastemaja" on sünge atmosfääriga romaan noorest aga tugevast neiust, kes peale ema surma kolib tädi ja tema mehe juurde üksikusse hoonesse, mis varjab tumedat saladust ning temagi saab selle osaliseks. Kahjuks ei ärganud võõrastemaja minu jaoks ellu ning esimene pool raamatust ei suutnud mind köita. Nautisin see-eest väga romaani lõppu, mis oli põnev ja pingeline. Soovitan romaani lugeda, kui paeluvad: morn õhkkond, saladused, kelmikas hobusevaras ning nendega silmitsi seisev noor naiskangelane!
Aitäh, Varrak, raamatu eest!