We Have Always Lived in the Castle- (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) by Shirley Jackson
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Web ID: 14390937Riveting and Creepy Classic
A riveting and creeping classic. I enjoyed listening to We Have Always Been in the Castle, although I did not totally get the story connection to the title. Merricat is both delightful and unsettling, especially when you realize that she is a murderous 18 year old who is stuck in the mentality of her 12 year old former self. She lives with her sister, Constance, who she is completely devoted to “protecting” and seemingly keeping to herself, as well as her Uncle, who survived the mass arsenic murder of the family. This is a dark and disturbing tale of family disfunction and hysteria.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
not for everyone, but I LOVED it
k first things first, moment of appreciation for this DOPE cover !!! this book is SO GOOD. i’ll admit it took me a hot minute to get into the swing of things but once i did, it was a treat. oh merricat! she is such a fascinating character, and it’s fascinating to watch the inertia of her inner dialogue unfold before you. i grew to love her, that poor little tortured soul. this book was pretty strong for me from the beginning, but once i got to the last two chapters, it was an instant 5 star for me. this book lets you inside the castle — it brings you inside the scariest, spookiest looking house on the block you grew up on and I LOVED IT!! it feels like you’re peeking into the psychosis of merricat’s mind, and it is hard to deny the delight that shirley jackson ~bestows~ upon the reader. it’s giving Patricia Highsmith if she wrote psychologically twisted and nonsensical prose. this story gave me everything i was hoping for and more, and i was totally not expecting it! i get why people might dislike it — the language is a bit elevated in only the way a 1960s horror author could do but it adds another element to the greatness of it. this story stands the rest of time. it was a quick fun read that i will definitely be treating myself to again
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A mixed bag with nothing delicious to speak of
I’ve always been a fan of gothic horror and the horror genre in general. I’m also a huge fan of Shirley’s writing style and the subtle ways she ties personality and psychology into her stories. She has written some wonderful stories and really knows how to set the reader up for some tension. However, this is not one of her finest attempts. Maybe it was a frail attempt at exorcising some of her own demons, or perhaps coming to terms with the paralyzing state she found herself in? I’m can’t say for certain, but this one is just far too flat and anticlimactic for my tastes. I must admit I love the writing style in this one as usual, but it seemed to drag on, the shocking twist was more of a slow burn that walked predictably into a dull campfire, and there wasn’t any real peril other than the paranoia of a couple reclusive girls and that of a bunch of mostly harmless and opportunistic village cretins and a gold digging distant relative. I was hoping for more… much more. In the end the most exciting thoughts were what could have been. For me there just wasn’t enough at all to justify this as even a mild thriller much less any kind of horror story. I can see how it could appeal to other fans however. Give it a read and judge for yourself.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Better than The Haunting of Hill House
This is an awesome book, and it shouldn't be rated as poorly as it is. This book is first and foremost a character study about the narrator, who is (from what I observed) a sociopathic narcissist who manipulates everything and everyone around her. However, the writing and narrative are incredibly subtle and almost everything important is implied or mentioned in passing. In my opinion, Mary Kathrine is one of the best written villains in all of horror.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Certainly creepy; predictable outcome
I enjoyed this as pretty much a simple page-turner, though there was no action as in no gooey axe murders, shootouts, car chases, fistfights, etc. Like all horror stories, it's necessary to "suspend one's disbelief" when the eerie details collide with the requirements of civic reality. None of the characters can really be considered sane, and the motivation for their behavior is evident for only one of them. I found the story most remarkable for the darkly-colored ambiance, even in the descriptions of the weird house and furnishings. A haunting-good fun read.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Which house? THAT HOUSE !!!!
Do you ever wonder about the house at the end of the street? Yes, THAT house. The one you were warned not to go near? The one that you hear stories about, but never verified? Read this book if you want to know. Short, poetic, disturbing and original.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com