Reviews tagging 'Death'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

205 reviews

crystal689's review against another edition

dark 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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, Death, and Murder

micallab's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-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

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Content Warnings

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

mothstrand's review

dark mysterious sad tense 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent and Child death

jeggert10's review

dark mysterious fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

Minor: Death of parent

_nem_'s review against another edition

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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death of parent

suhbreenah's review

dark emotional mysterious sad 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? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Grief, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, and Classism

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)

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Content Warnings

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

aude's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

skylarkblue1's review

sad 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? No

2.5

Still honestly not too sure what this book is meant to be about. To me, it seems like it's a rather depressing book about a rather unlucky autistic child. It's not explicitly about autism, but goddamn if it's not perfectly (mostly) accurate I don't know what is. 

There isn't really a plot, it's just about Merricat and Constance and a series of very unfortunate events that take their quiet and sheltered life alone into disarray and ruin - shattering any sense of security and hope they might have once had.

I did quite like Merricat as a character, mostly because I could relate to how she views the world a lot. Her special interests being a place of comfort and what she uses to calm herself, her love of animals, etc. I loved her and the cat Jonas' relationship especially!

The writing did confuse me though. It was very loopy and "bouncy" kinda like a poem in a way? I can see why some might like it but for me it wasn't until like halfway through where my brain could actually process what it was reading properly aha..

I think if you're wanting horror, a plot and a mystery you'll be very disappointed. If you (for some reason) want a depressing story of an autistic girl just trying to survive then this'd be for you.

If you're concerned about the fate of the cat, check the content warnings for what's there/what's not there. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Murder

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. 

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Content Warnings

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