Reviews

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

nixter's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

sklus's review

4.0

I think I liked the book less because I watched the show first. The show is fast-paced and dynamic, while the book is a slow build with no real answers. It was still good and I would recommend reading it. It's very different from the show, but I think it is worth it.

erh31's review against another edition

dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

arg1114's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

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

3.5

three_seagrass's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

grebegirl's review

dark mysterious tense slow-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

3.0

it's beautifully written but I found the characters frustrating. I didn't really understand their motivations, particularly Theo. She was very hot and cold but I didn't get insight into why. Was it the house, or was it her character?  I feel like maybe the intention was she and Nel replicating the relationship of the Crain sisters. I wish it was explored in more depth. It just ended so suddenly and left me feeling a bit hollow. 

The descriptions of the haunting were great. Not necessarily scary but the most interesting part of the book to read. 

awesomepawesome's review against another edition

medium-paced

4.75

wolfbridge's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

3.5

A lot of the horror-focused stuff doesn’t land for a modern reader. It feels quaint and hokey. However, the domestic isolation Eleanor faces is the true terror of the novel and that is just as powerful today as it was then. 

aggbutterfly's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-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? No

4.0

I enjoy a good gothic haunted house story!
“Sing before breakfast, you’ll cry before night”

juliette_readsgood's review

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0