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brandie_abbie19's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-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
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Blood, Confinement, and Car accident
annoyedhumanoid's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
i wouldn't say i found it scary or tense at all, just a lil spooky at times. it started off strong but kind of fell into a lull for the last third until the very end. i wanted to see the house's control over Eleanor play out longer; it was definitely a slow burn but there wasn't much payoff.
also, no, this book doesn't have any queer undertones. they are so blatant they're fucking overtones.
also, no, this book doesn't have any queer undertones. they are so blatant they're fucking overtones.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide attempt, Car accident, and Suicide
Minor: Blood, Child abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, and Death
flowingleaves's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Death
Moderate: Cannibalism and Confinement
lucinotlucy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Car accident, Confinement, and Death of parent
botanicpanic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Suicide
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement and Gaslighting
seawarrior's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
- 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
4.0
In my opinion the most striking element of The Haunting of Hill House is in how effectively the story enveloped me as a reader. Though Hill House is repeatedly said to be hideous and unsettling, I fully understood Eleanor's growing attachment to it. Portions of her time there are described as idyllic and joyful, especially in regards to her whirlwind relationship with Theodora. Her pleasurable experiences provide an intriguing dissonance once the house starts to inflict disorientation and horror on its inhabitants, along with explanation as to why she does not attempt to flee immediately, or at all. I didn't really find this book frightening, but what it lacked in scares is made up with psychological complexity. Eleanor is a character whose motivations and ordeals can be examined from multiple angles, and whose narration becomes increasingly unreliable as the book goes on. She pulls us into her thought process and disorients us as Hill House has done to her. Her perspective grips and disturbs us, all while throttling towards a shocking finale that stuck with me long after reading. I'm not a person who is usually interested by ghost stories but felt this book was thoroughly engaging, memorable, and worthy of the praise it's earned over the years.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Confinement and Death of parent
mayr3adsab00k's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol
Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Confinement, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing, Death, and Death of parent
karahildebrand's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-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
4.5
Incredible transformative writing, conflicting and shifting character relationships, and vivid psychological torment make this book incredibly captivating and hard to put down. That is, it takes about half of the book for the actual haunting to begin which is kind of a drag to get through. The last third of the book is exceptionally good, giving you such a personal view of Eleanor’s deteriorating sanity and the other characters’ gradual exasperation towards her. Nothing is over explained, you really feel Eleanor’s state of being just from what she does and the simplistic thoughts that cross her mind. I love Eleanor as the main character lacking anything to leave Hill House to go back to, susceptible to the influence of the house because of her preexisting instability and desire for a home or something that’s truly hers. Despite her insecurities and rapid mood shifts I found myself feeling the way she felt about the other characters, infuriated at Theo’s selfish and cruel tendencies, and irritated at Luke constantly brushing her aside. It’s interesting to see the characters’ behaviors change as Eleanor’s perception of them changes and makes is clear that she is manipulating the world around her as she lives the story. The dialogue is interesting, with Mrs. Montague specifically it was amazing and i felt like I was hearing her so clearly as i read her lines, but there was something so off about how the rest of them spoke that I was a little perplexed by, even in the beginning of the novel before a lot of the spooky stuff happened. I’m not quite sure what to make of it, but it certainly creates a unique atmosphere. Overall a powerful, psychologically driven ghost story with a setting that becomes its own character. If you’re into lore or answers or unpredictable twists in your horror then you might not love this. If the first half had been condensed and there was a little bit more creativity put into the specific “haunting” incidents that happened i would give it 5 stars easily.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Confinement
Moderate: Suicide
ladysanctuary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Car accident, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
parttimerarebookdealer's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, and Suicide