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

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

This is my second novel by Shirley Jackson and I can wholeheartedly say - it is not a me writer. I think the main problem I have with her writing style - to many direct “that’s what character felt” and imo it just doesn’t work in horrors. I need to feel unsettled myself, for a story to be spooky, not being told that characters are feeling unsettled. I did like the beginning of the book, I found conversations to be funny and a setting thrilling. There where also a few spooky moments throughout the book, but overall I was mostly confused and a little bored in anticipation of some more horror. Ended up reading along with audiobook, to help me keep my focus      on, cause it started loosing me. The repetition of certain phrases make a good job to stick with you, but I’m still not sure was it uncanny valley scary or just blank annoying. Maybe a little bit of both.