Book Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle
Author: Shirley Jackson
Pages: 227
Pub Date: September 21, 1962
Source: Library
GoodReads Description: Shirley Jackson’s beloved gothic tale of a peculiar girl named Merricat and her family’s dark secret
Taking readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at their estate.
Well, I loved this. Weird, quirky, disturbed characters. A richly drawn setting. Horrible pitchfork-wielding villagers. All the vibes were right up my alley.
The story revolves around the Blackwood house, where a horrible tragedy has taken place. All the members of the Blackwood family are dead, except Merricat (our narrator), Constance (her sister), and Uncle Julian. Merricat is clearly dealing with some mental health issues - to say the least. And I found it intriguing to be inside her head. Even Constance had her flaws and I adored Uncle Julian. Cousin Charles obviously was horrendous and his arrival very upsetting. But even the minor characters in the village or the people who came to visit the Blackwoods were interesting.
The setting is telling of the era, and the house very eery with the palpable presence of what took place in the dining room.
Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere and characterization in this story and I will be picking up more of Jackson's books this year to be sure.
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