Book Review: Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier

Description of Jamaica Inn from Amazon:

"The coachman tried to warn her away from the ruined, forbidding place on the rainswept Cornish coast. But young Mary Yellan chose instead to honor her mother's dying request that she join her frightened Aunt Patience and huge, hulking Uncle Joss Merlyn at Jamaica Inn. From her first glimpse on that raw November eve, she could sense the inn's dark power. But never did Mary dream that she would become hopelessly ensnared in the vile, villainous schemes being hatched within its crumbling walls -- or that a handsome, mysterious stranger would so incite her passions ... tempting her to love a man whom she dares not trust."

As you probably noticed, I've given up on trying to write my own exciting plot descriptions, since there are so many others so well done (that description made me want to read it - and I just finished)! I very much enjoyed the suspense and mystery aspects of this book. I don't think it has quite the same quality and interest as Du Maurier's Rebecca (which I adored), but it has a similar feel. The setting on the moors is undoubtedly the most prominent part of this book and gives it the isolated, mysterious, perfect place for a mystery. The romance part fell flat for me - did she really fall in love with a man she met twice? Mary was a strange character - sometimes showing courage and wit and other times becoming a frightened child. I guess she is a lot like many women in that way (me included). All told, I was intrigued and entertained.

RATINGS:
s-factor: !@
Dirty-mouthed innkeeper.

mrg-factor: X
Rape is threatened, but never happens.

v-factor: ->->
Some pretty terrifying things, but written in a non-gory way.

Overall rating: ***