My husband and I read this one aloud to one another–ironically, we discovered it on the shelf of a hotel we were staying at in Jamaica, called Jamaica Inn, though this book is set in England. (I never was entirely clear on why the eponymous inn was called that in the book.) This is the second book I’ve read by du Maurier — the first of course was “Rebecca,” which was wonderful. This was also very good, but the pacing was incredibly slow. Somehow I don’t mind that when reading anything by du Maurier though, because her prose is so gorgeous and atmospheric. Very little needs to happen, and yet I’m still wrapped up in the story.
I can’t now recall the exact date of the story’s setting, but it was about a century or more ago, perhaps in the Victorian era English countryside. Mary’s mother recently died, and to care for her, her mother told her she must go to her aunt, who has married the owner of Jamaica Inn. Mary remembers her aunt Patience as a vivacious and lovely woman, but she finds her a shell of a creature, cowering under the tyranny of her drunken and (apparently) abusive husband, Joss Merlyn. A good half the book or more is just Mary figuring out the exact nature of Joss’s villainy. It turns out that he runs a smuggling operation, but he’s not above murder to get his hands on his wares, either. Mary would just run away, if not for her concern for her aunt, whom she know isn’t strong enough to flee with her or stand up to Joss in any way.
Meanwhile, Joss has a brother, Jem, who’s basically also a scoundrel to a lesser degree. Mary strangely falls in love with him. Then there’s the albino vicar with whom she has a chance meeting, and she begins to form a plan that the vicar will eventually be her ticket out… or will he?
This is the sort of book to read on a wild and stormy night.
My rating: ****
Language: none
Violence: present but not gratuitous
Sexual content: none
Political content: none
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