Saturday, October 23, 2021

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson (Adult Horror Book Review)

We Have Always Lived In The Castle
Written by Shirley Jackson
Published by Penguin
First published in 1962
Genre: Adult, Horror, Classics
Length: 146 pages


Synopsis:
Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods--until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears. Only Merricat can see the danger, and she must act swiftly to keep Constance from his grasp. 

My Thoughts:

I originally read this back in 2019, I think, and loved it! 

I decided I needed an audiobook for the spooky season, but it had to be something I could focus on while doing other things and the best option for me right now (since I don't listen to audiobooks very often and have trouble focusing on them) was to listen to something I was familiar with. 
It definitely did the trick. 
I loved listening to this a second time around! 

Merricat Blackwood lives in a grand manor with her older sister, Constance, her Uncle Julian, and her cat, Jonas. When Merricat was younger the rest of her family died from arsenic poisoning. Constance was acquitted of murder but no longer goes to town, so Merricat goes once a week in her place. The townsfolk don't take kindly to the Blackwoods and Merricat finds solace in burying charms to ward them away. But then she finds her charms destroyed and knows the world has come to them. 

This is one of my favorite stories and I feel a little more confident saying that now that I've encountered the story twice (and watched the film adaptation!) 
I love the subtle horror of Shirley's stories and this one is perfect for getting me in the mood for spookier reads! 


Setting: New England / Vermont


1 comment:

  1. I love to listen to audiobooks frequently. I've had We Have Always Lived In The Castle on my reading wishlist for a while and hope to get to it one day soon.

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