Delving into the Mystery of Jamaica Inn: A Book Review

Every Halloween, I need to read something spooky, mysterious, or downright horrifying. It’s my favorite book genre, and reading it on a dark, rainy, cold night adds that extra thrill down my spine. This year, I had planned many books for Halloween but eventually settled on a classic Gothic by Daphne du Maurier – Jamaica Inn.

About the Book

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.

~ Synopsis from GoodReads

Jamaica Inn Review

I went into this book with high expectations since her most famous book – Rebecca, was one of my all-time favorites.

Did this book meet my expectations? Well, yes and no.

What I loved

There is a particularly spooky, gothic vibe to this book, starting with the description of the place. Jamaica Inn (an actual real-life inn, by the way) is set in the middle of the moors in a remote part of Cornwall. Isolated and eerie, the place in itself is a character. The inn is at different times described as steeped in suffering, like a live thing but at the same time has a cold, dead atmosphere. The clock ticks like a dying man who cannot catch his breath, and the wooden sign creaks like an animal in pain.

The landscape works against its inhabitants with its perilous bogs, blinding fog, and lashing pitiless rain. The wind on the moors is a chorus from the dead – which isn’t very surprising as many people seem to have been killed there.

I also loved Mary Yellan – the protagonist. She is brave, kind, and ruthlessly, vulnerably honest with everyone. At times, I was cringing, wishing she would not put her trust in people who are obvious villains, but that’s how she is, and I grew to appreciate that honesty.

What I disliked

The best gothic novels rise above the genre. Jamaica Inn, however, falls prey to some of the biggest clichés seen in second-class gothic books.

The villain is apparent from a mile away. I don’t want to give out spoilers, but it’s impossible not to immediately guess who is the bad guy when you read the book.

The hero is awful! I know that heroes in such books are generally problematic, but I just hated Mary throwing herself on such a loser. Worse, she admits to herself that he is a loser, but still, she cannot resist. The book says:

He stood for everything she feared and hated and despised; but she knew she could love him.

I wanted to throw the book at her for willfully throwing her life away to follow in his footsteps.

Another weakness in the book is the cheesiness that Rebecca sidestepped so neatly.

Overall thoughts

Jamaica Inn is a good read, but it’s not as polished as Rebecca. In all probability, I would have rated this book lower if I had not already loved Rebecca. So, which of her books should I try next? I did try My Cousin Rachel but couldn’t finish it – I found it rather dull.

Read as part of my Classics Club initiative to read 50 classics in 5 years, which I have failed miserably at, but am still plodding along.