A review by lpluedd
Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson

challenging dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

For whatever reason, I found this book difficult to sink my teeth into. I didn't have this problem with the other two Shirley Jackson books I've read (THOHH and WHALITC) but something about this one threw me for a loop and I closed the book feeling like I just didn't really "get" it. I found Natalie's infatuation with the professor to be a little played-out, but Tony was an interesting addition and part of why I was so puzzled by the book is that it was not clear to me whether Tony was real or a manifestation of Natalie's psyche. (To be clear - I love ambiguity and I don't care whether Tony is real or not, I think it works either way, but I guess I wasnt sure whether it was supposed to be that ambiguous or if I was just crazy, so I had ambiguity about ambiguity, and it was a little overwhelming).

That said I am always a fan of watching someone slowly descend into insanity so I am sure I'll circle back to this book someday and maybe then it will resonate more with me. 
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