Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Haunting of Hill House

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Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

153 reviews

bexi's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

I'd probably rate this higher after a re-read. It was very atmospheric, which I enjoyed. However, I found it hard to follow at times. I believe that was intentional, and a smart choice on Jackson's part considering the direction she took the story in.

It wasn't very scary, more creepy and unsettling. Which is what I was hoping for because I am a soft, anxious marshmallow and need to be careful about the content I consume. If you're not a fan of gore/murder/body horror in spooky books I think this is a good option, but do check out the content warnings.

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tatiana_luz's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I had a hard time rating this book. When the spooky elements came in, the story was compelling. The author paints a vivid picture of the various haunts. I also loved the questions of whether it was a possession or mental breakdown. The theme of fears personified vs. skepticism and reality is well explored throughout.

The issue with this book was how long it took to build. While I am aware of the slower nature of gothic horror, it, Jackson's execution left little room for the climax of the story. Overall, however, I enjoyed the story and Jackson's writing style. I gave me the spooks I was craving without and excessive or gory violence. I would like to read more of her works.

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bitofadisgrace's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition

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mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

i wouldn't say i found it scary or tense at all, just a lil spooky at times. it started off strong but kind of fell into a lull for the last third until the very end. i wanted to see

the house's control over Eleanor

play out longer; it was definitely a slow burn but there wasn't much payoff.
also, no, this book doesn't have any queer undertones. they are so blatant they're fucking overtones.

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taleofabibliophile'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? It's complicated

2.75

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zakcebulski's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Name me a book that fits more perfectly within the spooky season than the Haunting of Hill House and I will die on the hill the house is built on and haunt the house to disagree.
This book was exceptional.

Like many people who have Netflix, I was caught up in the craze of the show, I thought that the complexity of the characters in tandem with some genuinely well crafted scenes of terror (the car jump scare? fucccck) with an exquisite atmosphere made the Haunting of Hill House a truly wonderful experience.
With that being said, I had apprehension in reading the book, because, I have never been scared by a fiction book. When I read horrific details about true crime, or the horrors man commits unto man in history, I am scared, but, in fiction, I never feel that.
As such, I was sure that this book would not scare me, and, I was pretty wrong. I thought that Shirley Jackson's writing was goddamn wonderful. There were several parts of this book- especially the hand holding scene- which caused me to stop and just think "woah!". I thought that they were fantastic!

The book's narrative centers around a primary cast of four characters- Dr. Montague a paranormal researcher intent on seeking proof of hauntings at Hill House. Theodora (just Theodora!) an artist. Luke Sanderson the heir to Hill House and the one who hosts the others. And Eleanor Vance. Later on the introduction of Dr. Montague's wife- Mrs. Montague and her friend (?) Arthur come to assist in the research. I fucking hated Mrs. Montague, but, I think that that is the point.

These are, without hyperbole, some of the best characters which I have read this year. I thought that especially Eleanor (Nell/ Nellie) was fantastic. I am such a big fan of when a character has their motivations illustrated by their actions, rather than the author just telling us what to think about them. Jackson perfectly crafts Nell into a character who is shy, demure, caring, but also anxious and agitated and deeply conflicted. The fact that we are given insight into Nell's inner thoughts show how she is such an amazingly crafted character. Theo is implied heavily to be a lesbian, but, again, this is left up to the interpretation of the reader.
Dr. Montague is such a brilliant mind but he is someone who cannot stand up for his convictions when they are challenged. Also, is he a cuck? Or was I just reading that wrong?
I love that the character work is left with such nuance that yes, they were written by Jackson, but, the reader is truly able to make the characters who they want them to be.

I am speaking so much of Nell because she is the one whom the paranormal entities (if they are there- I will speak of this later) seem to target the most. She is the one who is called out by the paranormal energies while the rest of the characters are oblivious to them. I loved how there is this internal gaslighting perpetuated by Nell upon herself when she believes her friends are laughing at her, or are demeaning her experiences.

The fact that so much of this book is left up to the reader's interpretation is a shining point to me. I love that the book does not rely on body horror, or hyper violence, rather, it relies on the atmosphere which Jackson cultivates in an absolutely flawless way. The way that Mrs. Dudley repeats the same things ad nauseum casts doubt that she is a real person and not a phantom. The way that the house is illustrated to have malevolent and humanistic aspects is amazing. Holy fuck this book is great.

I also loved that you could see the inspiration that this book has on horror titans like Stephen King. Throughout the book it is shown that Nell is gradually being detrimentally influenced by the house, she is becoming more and more possessed. This is very similar to one Jack Torrence and the Overlook Hotel.

I thought that this book was absolutely brilliant. It was so well written from the atmosphere, to the characters, that I would do nothing if not recommend this book to everyone.
I think that there are portions wherein I lost track of what was going on, but, I need to give the book a re-read to see if maybe I was just misunderstanding or not.

What a great start to the Halloween season!

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