A review by seawarrior
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

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.
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