Reviews with content warning for Suicide attempt - The Haunting of Hill House

To be honest, I didn't expect to like this so much. I knew it was different from the Netflix show and classics are always a hit or miss for me, but I really enjoyed this one a lot. The writing is great, the atmosphere fantastic, I liked the characters and their dynamics. I didn't like the ending that much, though. But the more I think about it, the more I understand and appreciate it. There is just something that bothers me about it. Maybe it was too abrupt, maybe I needed a little more time at the end? Maybe I was identifying with Eleanor too much?

I kind of wish I had read the book before I watched the show. It is a different story, but it still influenced my reading of the book, my expectations, and the way I saw the characters. Can't say I was surprised by most of the things that happened here. I'm curious how I would have felt the other way around.

Content Warnings

luv2readbooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense 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

5.0

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anna_hepworth's review against another edition

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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? No

4.0

I can see why this is a classic horror story, and I imagine that it would translate quite well into a visual medium. While very well written, I didn't find myself gripped by it.

Lots of interesting details that I think may well have been picked up in later horror as worth developing - the cook with the very persistent phrasing and timing of events; the angles of the house that are just a bit off; how the haunting episodes occur.

What didn't work for me was the characterisation. The viewpoint character, Eleanor, was the best fleshed out, but only because we get a lot of what is going on in their head. The others were a bit flat. Particularly the two characters introduced later in the book, who were just a bit too close to farce, and seemed to be in a completely different genre of story. This might have been meant to intensify the creepiness the others were experiencing, but instead it managed to cheapen it.

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starlit_pathways's review against another edition

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dark mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.75

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bexi's review against another edition

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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

3.75

I'd probably rate this higher after a re-read. It was very atmospheric, which I enjoyed. However, I found it hard to follow at times. I believe that was intentional, and a smart choice on Jackson's part considering the direction she took the story in.

It wasn't very scary, more creepy and unsettling. Which is what I was hoping for because I am a soft, anxious marshmallow and need to be careful about the content I consume. If you're not a fan of gore/murder/body horror in spooky books I think this is a good option, but do check out the content warnings.

Content Warnings

chaoticnostalgia's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

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

4.0

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