Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

96 reviews

lancemama's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad slow-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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Bullying

Moderate: Death, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

clovetra's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious medium-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

4.0

first classic of the year and i am thoroughly impressed!

i think this is also my first time reading a gothic? and tbh don’t ask me what defines a gothic but all i know is that i loved this.

i’ll say the only reason this isn’t a 5 star is simply due to a pet peeve. the introduction by jonathan lethem should’ve been an afterword. not only did it lowkey spoil some plot elements to me such as the culprit of the arsenic poisoning, but it also spoiled the introduction of charles and the two girl’s personalities. i read the introduction before i began the novel and i’ve just gone back to reread it and although some elements should’ve been in a foreword, like background about shirley jackson’s life, i think things directly related to the plot should’ve been placed at the end.

other than though how i adored this book!

my favourite part was easily seeing merricat. i’ve never seen any story in any form ever with such a unique character as merricat. she is whimsical yet terrifying, and i loved seeing the book from her point of view. constance was beautifully characterised as well, although i will say she left me with a lot of questions! uncle julian was probably my least favourite character as he was the least fleshed out and was kind of filler i felt, but he still served his purpose. charles can go jump off a bridge sorry i love merricat and he had it out for my girl!!!!!!!! death to charles blackwood.

the way shirley jackson writes in this book was so spectacular, i was transfixed. i almost didn’t want to read this book not because i was bored, but because i knew the more i read the less i would have to enjoy. sometimes i’d be starring up at my ceiling just reimagining past chapters i’ve read, which honestly not many books have had me pondering them that deeply. i love the characterisation of the town as well, i just wish there was a tad more explanation as to why they hated the blackwoods (although ngl i could’ve just missed that, or it’s just because they think they’re murderers and/or weird).

anyways i really enjoyed this book and could defo see myself dabbling in some more gothic books in the future!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Confinement

Moderate: Bullying and Terminal illness

megandavis768's review

dark emotional sad medium-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Bullying

jomjom's review

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense 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? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Violence, Mental illness, Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Incest

maddalenacesco's review

dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

3.5

hardcore goth girl goes through a phase when she meets her cousin. (not in an alabama way)(it's not a phase)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Bullying, Death of parent, Murder, and Mental illness

yolanda_h's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-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? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury

kyrstin_p1989's review

dark emotional mysterious 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

3.5

In traditional Gothic horror fashion, this story by Jackson makes just enough sense to keep you engaged. The characters are just this side of realistic. The story is believable, yet horrifying. The fact that they continuously discuss the day that the entire family was murdered via arsenic poisoning (by one of the sisters discussing it) is morbid and disturbing. And yet, I found myself in full adoration of the sisters in this story. I loved how well they took care of one another. I also found the story to be full of humor. I liked "The Lottery" better, but I really enjoyed the macabre this story has to offer. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Confinement, Death, Dementia, Murder, Ableism, Child death, Misogyny, Bullying, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Child abuse

bambicat234's review

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Minor: Death of parent, Dementia, Chronic illness, Death, Terminal illness, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Child death, Classism, and Confinement

mijtje's review

dark mysterious sad 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? Yes

5.0

“Oh, silly Merricat.”

This is one of those books that I read and enjoyed but makes me feel like I should read it a hundred times more to get it. Which is a good thing.

The story is narrated by Mary Catherine (Merricat) Blackwood, who lives with her sister, her uncle, and her cat in their big mansion. They have been ostracised by the community they belonged to after a dark tragedy that played out in the mansion years before.

Merricat quickly drew me in with her childish, magical way of thinking. It’s crazy how fast this book managed to make me think “Yeah, these thoughts are logical. I get this”. However, Merricat isn’t a child. She’s 18. And pretty messed up in the head. Which was a delicacy to read.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent and Dementia

shadowspinner's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, and Death

Minor: Death of parent