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henrygravesprince's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The writing is stellar and the story is unnerving, very good at creating an atmosphere of dread. I saw myself in Nell and the ending feels abrupt but impactful—it’s very fascinating how nuanced and accurate suicide is portrayed in this book considering the cultural climate around mental health in the 1950s.
It’s always interesting to see the literary DNA of a genre through its classics. In particular, I think it’s fascinating to look at the characters as early iterations of different horror archetypes in this book; for example, Mr. Dudley stuck out to me as a prototype of the “Crazy Ralph” character.
It’s always interesting to see the literary DNA of a genre through its classics. In particular, I think it’s fascinating to look at the characters as early iterations of different horror archetypes in this book; for example, Mr. Dudley stuck out to me as a prototype of the “Crazy Ralph” character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Car accident, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Gaslighting
Unrealitysoup591's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
kelcaro1's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic ending
I enjoyed all of this book, but for a great portion of it I thought it would be a straightforward 4 stars. That was until I came to the ending of it. The book’s conclusion is one that will stay with me for a long time, I know it and it is well worth reading the entire thing to get to it.
I enjoyed all of this book, but for a great portion of it I thought it would be a straightforward 4 stars. That was until I came to the ending of it. The book’s conclusion is one that will stay with me for a long time, I know it and it is well worth reading the entire thing to get to it.
eerie_iri's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Alcohol, Blood, and Suicide
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Confinement
njmaas's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mickeyandy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
northerngypsyblog's review against another edition
5.0
I love the Netflix series! It is my favorite piece of cinematography ever. I had high hopes for this book, and once I stopped comparing it to the Netflix series, I enjoyed it. When reading, one should remember this was published in 1959. This book would have been engaging and considered a thriller for that period. I agree with many that, for a horror fan, it was not scary or, honestly, anything new. From a classic literature point of view, this book is brilliant. Jackson made a house a character, allowing readers to engage with a place. That is genius!
I recommend anyone who likes the Netflix series read this with the reminder that it was published in 1959 and is significantly different than the series. Allow the book to be its own, and you will enjoy it.
I recommend anyone who likes the Netflix series read this with the reminder that it was published in 1959 and is significantly different than the series. Allow the book to be its own, and you will enjoy it.
jessdito17's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
darktwistedreads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.0
Probably the single most boring book I've read.
It's almost like school made me read this.
I know it was supposed to be more atmospheric than horror, but I literally felt nothing other than annoyance and boredom. The characters honestly sucked.
It's almost like school made me read this.
I know it was supposed to be more atmospheric than horror, but I literally felt nothing other than annoyance and boredom. The characters honestly sucked.