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dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship
Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent
Minor: Child death, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was expecting ✨ghosts, poltergeists and jump scares ✨ Nope. This was pure psychology! I’m sorry but I will have to go into some SPOILERS to review this book, if you plan to read it…just know that it takes place in a haunted house (obs) and four very damaged idiots decide to ignore everyone’s warnings and live there for the summer to try and investigate the paranormal✌️
Lessons learned:
To me this book was trying to comment on three issues:
- On mental health. Eleanor’s unreliable mental state and actions. I wanted to hug her and take her away from the house myself. Her family's treatment towards her, deriving into anxiety and depression, was heartbreaking 🥺
-On the failure to fit into a traditional family structure. None of the mcs have a “regular” family, they have no place they belong. Eleanor just so happens to have the MOST on her shoulders.
-On queerness. This book was full of lesbians no? 🙌 The 'companion' of the previous lady of Hill House who had been hated by the family to the point of committing suicide? Theodora and her 'room mate'? Who are on a break. Eleanor wanting a life with Theo after the experiment is done. The super cute moments between them… ❤️ holding each other in bed, only admitting they had trousers when the other woman says she does too (wasn’t this gay code at some point?) 👀 When Eleanor shows revulsion to Theo’s touch (implying how hard it’s to ignore what society says you should feel)...
I think Eleanor’s demise did not come only from the house but because Theo refuses to carry on a life with her after the experiment. With nowhere to go and no one to love…what’s the point? 😭 That’s when sh*t really hit the fan for her y’all! To me THAT was the scariest part of the story.
Was I reading too much into it? Maybe...🤦♀️
notes
- A cup of stars. I love that. Eleanor is so precious.
- Luke is a soft boy that needs a hug.
- The Doc is kind of dumb thb I was expecting more from him. I like him in a Santa Claus kind of way… but he was NOT ready to take care of these people at all.
Lessons learned:
To me this book was trying to comment on three issues:
- On mental health. Eleanor’s unreliable mental state and actions. I wanted to hug her and take her away from the house myself. Her family's treatment towards her, deriving into anxiety and depression, was heartbreaking 🥺
-On the failure to fit into a traditional family structure. None of the mcs have a “regular” family, they have no place they belong. Eleanor just so happens to have the MOST on her shoulders.
-On queerness. This book was full of lesbians no? 🙌 The 'companion' of the previous lady of Hill House who had been hated by the family to the point of committing suicide? Theodora and her 'room mate'? Who are on a break. Eleanor wanting a life with Theo after the experiment is done. The super cute moments between them… ❤️ holding each other in bed, only admitting they had trousers when the other woman says she does too (wasn’t this gay code at some point?) 👀 When Eleanor shows revulsion to Theo’s touch (implying how hard it’s to ignore what society says you should feel)...
I think Eleanor’s demise did not come only from the house but because Theo refuses to carry on a life with her after the experiment. With nowhere to go and no one to love…what’s the point? 😭 That’s when sh*t really hit the fan for her y’all! To me THAT was the scariest part of the story.
Was I reading too much into it? Maybe...🤦♀️
notes
- A cup of stars. I love that. Eleanor is so precious.
- Luke is a soft boy that needs a hug.
- The Doc is kind of dumb thb I was expecting more from him. I like him in a Santa Claus kind of way… but he was NOT ready to take care of these people at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not sure if anyone needs another summary of this novel since it is considered a classic horror and there have been movie adaptions for it. But in short: This is about a few people getting invited into a house that might be haunted and develops into a story about madness.
I did really like the writing but I have to admit that I expected to be more scared and creeped out by this novel since it is talked about so much in the community. The story felt just a little weird and like a game of hide-and-seek instead of a proper horror story.
Still, I am happy to have read this now, so I can go on and watch the movie and series! :D
I did really like the writing but I have to admit that I expected to be more scared and creeped out by this novel since it is talked about so much in the community. The story felt just a little weird and like a game of hide-and-seek instead of a proper horror story.
Still, I am happy to have read this now, so I can go on and watch the movie and series! :D
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Misogyny, Terminal illness, Murder
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
i wanted to pick this up because i’m a huge fan of the netflix show and i’m so glad i did!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jackson wrote this before We Have Always Lived In the Castle and it's great but maybe this protagonist, Eleanor, isn't as developed as Marricat, but definitely just as unreliable of a protagonist. The characters that are invited to the house are very realistic and engrossing to come to understand and read about. But the standout star is the protagonist, Eleanor. Need to reread it again sometime.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship
Minor: Suicide
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A good haunted house story. I loved the writing style as well as the ambiguity. Is Eleanor doing all this or is the house haunted? Will she remain there forever as a ghost? Was planchette a coincidence? Was the red substance on Theo’s wall and clothes paint or blood? It leaves room for speculation and interpretation. All the strange happenings like getting lost, the banging noises at night, doors closing on their own, Eleanor hearing a voice and a song, etc could be seen as evidence for ghosts or evidence that when people think a place is evil they manifest it themselves. Masterfully written. Great characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide
Moderate: Blood, Death of parent
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship, Alcohol
The story wasn't my taste. 2 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts