Son of Rosemary by Ira Levin

Title:  Son of Rosemary
Author:  Ira Levin
Format:  PB
Pages:  314
Genre:  Horror
Publisher:  Onyx, 1998
ISBN-13:  978-0451194725
Series:  Rosemary's Baby, Book 2

Favorite Quote:  "Oh, before I forget, Roast Mules?  Exactly three minutes and twelve seconds by the clock."

Synopsis (Amazon):  Thirty-three years ago, Rosemary gave birth to the Devil's child while under the control of an evil, satanic cult. Now the year is 1999, and humanity dreads the approaching 21st Century, desperately in search of a savior for this troubled world. In New York City, Rosemary's son Andy is believed to be that savior. But is he the force of good his followers accept him to be? Or is he his father's son? Rosemary and Andy will be reunited in a battle of good versus evil which will decide the fate of the world and of humanity....

Review:  It was with a great deal of curiosity that I began this book, written thirty years after the original and also set thirty-some years later.  It was a great disappointment.  Before I get to why the story was so horrible, let me say that the writing style changed dramatically from the last novel.  It was stilted and awkward.  The plot was weak and unbelievable.  The characters were shallow and absurd.

Horror?  Nope, not really.  I'd say more of a vapid thriller.  Sure, Satan and his son are in the book.  The end of the world is supposedly upon us.  It still wasn't exciting or scary.  If anything, I'd choose the adjectives boring and uncomfortable.  The sexual tension between mother and son is grotesque.  The book is full of barely-hidden political commentary and thinly-veiled jibes at the entertainment industry.

While it is a more current novel and therefore more politically-correct than the last one, this book is plain dreadful.  I kept waiting for it to get better since the first one was so darn good.  I suppose the 'was it a dream or was it a psychic vision about to come true' ending is supposed to give me goose pimples.  I just rolled my eyes, grateful to be done.  It was so awful that it left me wondering if I really liked Rosemary's Baby as much as I thought I had.  I am sorry I ever wasted a day on it.

Rating:  1 / 10