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A review by futurememory
Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I'm unsure what to even say regarding Hangsaman, which is Shirley Jackon's second novel. It's infinitely more surreal, in a mundane way, than the other novels I've read by her (Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle). We're placed entirely in the head of Natalie, a college freshman with a lot of anxiety and a lot of overthinking, as she navigates the rough waters between girlhood and adulthood.
This is probably the most interior of Jackson's novels that I've read thus far. It's also the most contemplative, and least propulsive. That being said, I'm happy that I read it. There's a lot of gorgeous prose and shrewd observation here, some satirical elements about 1950s life, and a lot of social commentary on a woman's place in marriage and society. That being said, I missed a lot of the great tension that Jackson is known for - the last 20-30 pages are full of dread, but before that, we meander quite a bit.
I don't think this is a necessary Shirley Jackson read, but it was an interesting one, nonetheless.
This is probably the most interior of Jackson's novels that I've read thus far. It's also the most contemplative, and least propulsive. That being said, I'm happy that I read it. There's a lot of gorgeous prose and shrewd observation here, some satirical elements about 1950s life, and a lot of social commentary on a woman's place in marriage and society. That being said, I missed a lot of the great tension that Jackson is known for - the last 20-30 pages are full of dread, but before that, we meander quite a bit.
I don't think this is a necessary Shirley Jackson read, but it was an interesting one, nonetheless.