Reviews with content warning for Mental illness - We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

101 reviews

lancemama's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

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ohlwinem's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced

4.25

There is something about this book that scratched a brain itch that I didn't know that I had. Given that in the past I have read other Shirley Jackson works, I am uncertain how I hadn't read this sooner. Though I do feel it is definitely more so in the vein of gothic rather than horror.

It is strange with a dash of unhinged given the cast of character. For me the mix of audiobook with me reading along with a physical copy helped with the pacing and ultimately the 'unique' voice of the narrating main character.

I'd recommend this to those that like the genre I refer to as weird girlhood. (Though Merrikat is 18, her mental state is very much in the realm of someone years younger. )

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clovetra's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious 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

4.0

first classic of the year and i am thoroughly impressed!

i think this is also my first time reading a gothic? and tbh don’t ask me what defines a gothic but all i know is that i loved this.

i’ll say the only reason this isn’t a 5 star is simply due to a pet peeve. the introduction by jonathan lethem should’ve been an afterword. not only did it lowkey spoil some plot elements to me such as the culprit of the arsenic poisoning, but it also spoiled the introduction of charles and the two girl’s personalities. i read the introduction before i began the novel and i’ve just gone back to reread it and although some elements should’ve been in a foreword, like background about shirley jackson’s life, i think things directly related to the plot should’ve been placed at the end.

other than though how i adored this book!

my favourite part was easily seeing merricat. i’ve never seen any story in any form ever with such a unique character as merricat. she is whimsical yet terrifying, and i loved seeing the book from her point of view. constance was beautifully characterised as well, although i will say she left me with a lot of questions! uncle julian was probably my least favourite character as he was the least fleshed out and was kind of filler i felt, but he still served his purpose. charles can go jump off a bridge sorry i love merricat and he had it out for my girl!!!!!!!! death to charles blackwood.

the way shirley jackson writes in this book was so spectacular, i was transfixed. i almost didn’t want to read this book not because i was bored, but because i knew the more i read the less i would have to enjoy. sometimes i’d be starring up at my ceiling just reimagining past chapters i’ve read, which honestly not many books have had me pondering them that deeply. i love the characterisation of the town as well, i just wish there was a tad more explanation as to why they hated the blackwoods (although ngl i could’ve just missed that, or it’s just because they think they’re murderers and/or weird).

anyways i really enjoyed this book and could defo see myself dabbling in some more gothic books in the future!

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