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batrick_pateman's review
4.0
First off - this is genuinely hilarious. I had no idea that Shirley Jackson could do dark comedy so well, and now that I know it I love her even more. Despite the comedy, it's also a perfect showcase of what makes her stories so good for me - that combination of familiarity and surreal-ness, that feeling of seeing normal domestic scenes unfold and slowly realizing that there's something deeply wrong going on just beneath the surface. The atmosphere Jackson creates during the party and the following events is especially unsettling.
cranberry__sauce's review against another edition
4.0
"I have my doll house," Fancy said suddenly, looking for the first time squarely at Aunt Fanny. "I have my beautiful little doll house...When I put [my dolls] to bed they have to go to bed. When my grandmother dies all this is going to belong to me."
"And where would we be then?" Essex asked softly. "Fancy?"
Fancy smiled at him. "When my grandmother dies," she said, "I am going to smash my doll house. I won't need it any more."
Shirley Jackson's tale of a family burdened by visions of the apocalypse and ensuing chaos is incredibly engrossing and captivating.
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book but I gave it four stars. The themes were done really well, and there are so many different pathways to explore in that regard. There was something about the book—I'm not entirely sure what—which made me not completely love it.
dbenceno's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kittoji's review against another edition
3.5
this was so interesting - stylistically it felt more like a theatre play than a novel. her settings are unmatched; a recipe that repeats and never fails, with ghosts, strange people, quietly unhinged women and a house, always a house
bonemade's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
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
4.0
onewaymirror's review
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bozzi1's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Utterly delightful🖤
bbrown1034's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My favorite Shirley Jackson! The ending is very ambiguous which I love, and I would recommend it to anyone. I think the characters were all made amazingly
yana_readsbooks's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
lydiacherith's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0