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adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I did not even know this was a classic when i purchased it, i bought it because I'd heard of the show and watched maybe one episode of it.
Some 10 pages in, I start feeling like this was a very classic-ish book, only to google and find out, yes indeed its a classic, very easy to read though.
Honestly, never thought a horror BOOK would scare me but oh my god. The writing is so perfect, like almost vigilant, its just so on point, i was SO immersed in the book when the hand scene happened that I genuinely flinched and had to close the book for a bit. I am NOT lying when I say I was lowkey second guessing whenever walking into a dark quiet room at home because of this book, this was amazing, I would give 10 stars if it was possible, my best read of 2025 so far, no doubt
Some 10 pages in, I start feeling like this was a very classic-ish book, only to google and find out, yes indeed its a classic, very easy to read though.
Honestly, never thought a horror BOOK would scare me but oh my god. The writing is so perfect, like almost vigilant, its just so on point, i was SO immersed in the book when the hand scene happened that I genuinely flinched and had to close the book for a bit. I am NOT lying when I say I was lowkey second guessing whenever walking into a dark quiet room at home because of this book, this was amazing, I would give 10 stars if it was possible, my best read of 2025 so far, no doubt
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved this book. It’s scary, but in a creepy and highly unsettling way. The main female character is very complex and well written, and her very complex relationships with other characters in the story are also very well written. I like how the writer sets up the story, it makes you hang on to every word she writes. This book has obviously had a lot of thought put into its pacing and story. If you want to read a ghost story that centres on relationships and characters, is well paced and very spooky, then this might be for you.
(Just be aware that this isn’t a light read, so please check content warnings before reading.)
(Just be aware that this isn’t a light read, so please check content warnings before reading.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Blood, Death of parent
Moderate: Violence, Toxic friendship
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Violence
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Car accident
Moderate: Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Toxic friendship
Minor: Suicide attempt, Gaslighting
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cute story. I love the Netflix series a lot more, to be truthful
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Violence, Abandonment, Dysphoria
Minor: Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Alcohol
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As four characters come together to investigate the psychological effects of a haunted house, Eleanor narrates the effect on both her and the others. As the lively aspects of the house become increasingly creepier, Eleanor and the house mates begin to devolve. The set up of this book is incredibly interesting and I actually really enjoyed the slow burn. I think my issues stem from two parts. Part 1: no one in the house ever really addresses any haunted occurrences unless it's during or immediately after. Part 2: The last third of the book was incredibly confusing. I think if I was actually reading it and not listening to the audiobook, it might be different. Overall it was an interesting book and i'm intrigued to see how the show modernized it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
If I based everything purely on vibes, this book would have rated higher but it kind of got to the point where I was having trouble picturing what was going on and so I got confused about what was actually happening..
Content Warnings
Minor: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gore, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Stalking, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’m obsessed with this book. Shirley Jackson’s writing is impeccable. I love that the book feels so modern, despite being written in the late 50s. It is an impressive and utterly horrifying piece of literature.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rereading "The Haunting of Hill House" after my initial foray in 2018 showed how important rereads can be. Six years is a long time, and I've grown as person and artist (dichotomy intended). I love Shirley Jackson, but I thought this book was hella boring. Nothing's scary and nothing happens! Whats-her-face just drives into a tree! How is this the "scariest horror novel" or whatever?
... but this time, I've realized a mastery of Jackson's prose: your imagination is what makes it scary, just as the characters' imaginations bring forth the House. Jackson doesn't outright describe the pathway through the forest that Eleanor and Theo take, because she knows anything your mind uses to fill in the gaps makes it far creepier. You might read about the room in the center of the house that the characters' sing and dance and hang out in, and as we all know merriment dispels ghosts... but what if you expand outward and consider the whole house? What if you imagine this island of ostensible happiness as a silent, dark, house leans over them in what is its absolute focal point? Jackson's stark prose came off as beige in 2018, but that couldn't be further from the truth; what she did was provide me the outline, knowing what whatever I sketched in would be far more terrifying and bring me closer to Eleanor than anything else. And *that* is the horror of Hill House within the book... and without.
... but this time, I've realized a mastery of Jackson's prose: your imagination is what makes it scary, just as the characters' imaginations bring forth the House. Jackson doesn't outright describe the pathway through the forest that Eleanor and Theo take, because she knows anything your mind uses to fill in the gaps makes it far creepier. You might read about the room in the center of the house that the characters' sing and dance and hang out in, and as we all know merriment dispels ghosts... but what if you expand outward and consider the whole house? What if you imagine this island of ostensible happiness as a silent, dark, house leans over them in what is its absolute focal point? Jackson's stark prose came off as beige in 2018, but that couldn't be further from the truth; what she did was provide me the outline, knowing what whatever I sketched in would be far more terrifying and bring me closer to Eleanor than anything else. And *that* is the horror of Hill House within the book... and without.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Violence, Blood
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this is such a good book!!! definitely deserves all of the hype and the classic title, shirley jackson is a phenomenal writer
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Grief