Reviews

O Homem da Forca by Shirley Jackson

anthonysimon99's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

erinbarton's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

3.0

annexelizabeth's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective 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

3.0

unfortunately i didn't quite fall in love with this book as i was hoping to, but i did find shirley jackson's writing here to be as strong as ever. i wish that the surrealist elements were stronger here and that it was less focused on our protagonist's rambling mind and the paths it took. or not that it wasn't focused on natalie's neuroses, but that there was a stronger plot structure. but then, the sort of messy plot of this book does lend it a sort of strange, off feeling that is enjoyable. overall, this is a decent book, but not an all time fave — my fave shirley jackson book i've read so far is probably the haunting of hill house

aurora_linnea's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

3.75

greengreninja7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad medium-paced

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

5.0

shesagift's review against another edition

challenging tense slow-paced

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

3.0

eagoldberg's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

Shirleyyyyy!

ellieavery's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

hihihuey's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective 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

4.25

futurememory's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

I'm unsure what to even say regarding Hangsaman, which is Shirley Jackon's second novel. It's infinitely more surreal, in a mundane way, than the other novels I've read by her (Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle). We're placed entirely in the head of Natalie, a college freshman with a lot of anxiety and a lot of overthinking, as she navigates the rough waters between girlhood and adulthood.

This is probably the most interior of Jackson's novels that I've read thus far. It's also the most contemplative, and least propulsive. That being said, I'm happy that I read it. There's a lot of gorgeous prose and shrewd observation here, some satirical elements about 1950s life, and a lot of social commentary on a woman's place in marriage and society. That being said, I missed a lot of the great tension that Jackson is known for - the last 20-30 pages are full of dread, but before that, we meander quite a bit.

I don't think this is a necessary Shirley Jackson read, but it was an interesting one, nonetheless.