Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

189 reviews

pumpkinbisque's review

challenging dark mysterious reflective fast-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

3.75

really interesting horror, it got me excited to read more shirley jackson. i loved the meditation on sisterhood this offered, and i loved how nothing felt surprising but still packed a punch. also always love a good cat character.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury and Murder

i knew it was merrikat all along there was no way it wasn't. this isn't really a critique i just like when i guess things right. also kinda love how we never find out why merrikat did what she did and if she would do it again -- i think we're supposed to think she would? because constance won't let her touch food? but idk i thought it was interesting. also liked how quickly i forgot merrikat was 18 bc she acted like she was 12; really effective way to show her infantilization at the hands of her sister. i wonder how much of that had to do with the murders?

writteninmagic's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Dementia, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Murder, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

suchsweetsorrow89's review

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

the more i think about this book, the more fond of it i am becoming. this tale, one that is part ambiguous, part philosophical, part fantasy, but ultimately entrenched within the evils and dangers that exist in our present reality come together to make a story that keeps to interested, makes you laugh at some points, but leaves you thinking of so much. while it was a bit slow for me in the beginning to imagine where we were, i think that was partly the point. this text is jarringly modern, breaks the typical ideas of what horror can and should look like in a literary space, and makes itself a quick favorite for me in my informal "summer of horror" journey. it's honestly shocking that this book is not more spoken about than it is, and i highly recommend it for anyone, yes, but especially those fond of unreliable narrators, The Stranger by Camus, The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne, and skeptics of those who preach that the world we live in and the problems we face is "the best of all possible worlds" (thinking of Voltaire v Leibniz here). 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, and Grief

kairhone's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Death

meliemelo's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I am fascinated by how masterfully Shirley Jackson manages to create such an eery atmosphere, making you feel so much when so little happens. Merricat is a mesmerising heroine and I was equally intrigued by Constance and Uncle Julian. I found the last few chapters harrowing, more so than I had anticipated, mainly because of how deeply invested I was in Merricat and her feelings.

On a side note, I wasn't too keen on the analysis provided at the end of my edition, but it did not make me like the story any less. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Bullying, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Murder, Dementia, Confinement, and Violence

applesodaperson's review

dark mysterious sad fast-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

4.75

Shirley Jackson is so incredible at writing in the way that a child would think.
Read from the Provo library.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Bullying, and Fire/Fire injury

jelenwalker's review against another edition

dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death of parent, Death, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Dementia, Grief, Terminal illness, and Emotional abuse

hannahpings's review

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Medical content and Grief

another_dahlia's review

dark fast-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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Death of parent

emzhay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad tense

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

4.0

when grief has you in a silly goofy mood 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury