Reviews tagging 'Death'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

205 reviews

akapaldo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-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

3.5

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bookb1itch's review against another edition

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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? Yes

3.0

I'm really not sure what to write about this book, except that it was NOT what I expected.  I thought i was reading classic horror, but although the atmosphere was creepy and the narrator was truly wacko i felt the book took a long time to tell not very much.  Not sure why this is a senior school study text?
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tyelperinquar's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Merricat has an enjoyable perspective to listen in on, and her childlike demeanor made me wonder sometimes if she was really meant to be eighteen. Her and her sister, Constance, have a sweet relationship, and it’s a joy to see them interact. Merricat is always talking about living on the moon, about riding her winged horse, marking days with symbols, putting protections on the house… she’s a cute little witch, but it’s sad to see her disdain for others become justified.
The main attraction of this book is, of course, Merricat herself, and I found the most tense part of the novel to be Charles’s visit. I quickly found myself
hating him, as he’s such a greedy and inconsiderate man. It’s so clear he only wanted the money and didn’t care a bit for the rest of the family
.
The progression is driven by the characters’ interactions, but after
the fire happens and the sisters are living in their burnt house
, I found myself a bit let down, almost. There’s never any explanation as to why
Merricat murdered the rest of her family
, which I feel is kind of an important detail, given it’s mentioned countless times throughout the story. I would have liked to explore the reasons behind that—
Merricat is such an interesting character, and it would have been fascinating to hear why she did what she did. Was it because she had to go without her supper at times? I can’t remember any other ill treatment. It just seems strange. (But then again, Merricat is a bit strange.)

I think I enjoy stories with a stronger plot, or at least, more significant consequences for the characters’ actions. The ending had me feeling a bit that all the lead-up had been pointless, but maybe I was expecting something else out of this story. Regardless, it’s a short book, and it was fun to live in the mind of Merricat Blackwood for a while. I only hope I can take some of her magic with me.
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merbears's review against another edition

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dark funny sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

An enthralling, funny, heartbreaking trip to the moon.  
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julian7's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I loved the mystery, and the writing itself was beautiful. I really enjoyed Merricat’s narration and her whimsy. I also really liked the fairytale elements like the spell-casting burials and the nursery rhymes. I’m still super confused about the motives of the killer. 🤔 There’s a reddit post with someone talking about how they think it’s because
Merricat was abused by her father
which would explain why
she hates Charles, who reminds her of her father.
Very interesting theory, would link it here if I could. 
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marithap's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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aristarcodisamo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-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

3.75

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teganbeesebooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

By every right I should love Shirley Jackson's books. I loved THE LOTTERY and the ideas of all of her books sound amazing, but they just never do it for me like I want them to. I really just wanted MORE, I guess.
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aserra's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was the second story of Jackson's I've read and it was solid all around. Jackson has assessed what buttons she can push in a person and her characters and the treatment of the protagonists pushes emotional buttons without apology and to great effect. Outrage was the primary emotion that accompanied me through the read, and fear derived from that rage as cruelties stacked up against the protagonists.

Additionally, I called the plot twist and predicted another one of the book's major events within the first 18 pages. Regardless, the story was incredibly effective for me, which testifies to the strength of Jackson's craft.

If I had to ask anything more of this book, I would ask for a prequel book focused on the Blackwoods (infeasible, as this was Jackson's last novel), and I think Charles could've been a few degrees creepier with incredible results. I want to describe Charles as unequivocally sinister but, instead, I feel he's more plaintive, entitled, and irritating. I can understand why he wasn't taken to that level, though, and think this is an indication of preference rather than quality of the book.

For a quick, tense, gothic read, consider picking up We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
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miwandie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

merricat is I, I am merricat, we are legion 
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