A review by davidrb
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad 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

5.0

DAMN. Shirley Jackson is a master of dread: the entire book is a slow build to one disaster interrupted by another, and the entire time, your hair is on end. You don't know exactly what is going to happen, but also, don't you? Perfect despairing horror.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Murder, Stalking, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

When it comes to the incest warning

it's debatable, but it was enough to make me uncomfortable. However, I wouldn't say it's viewed in a positive light beyond Merricat herself being the narrator and thinking all of her actions and thoughts are justified.