Audiobook Review: We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
Narrated by Bernadette Dunne
Genre: Gothic Horror
Age: Adult
Format: Audiobook
This is one of those novels I know I should have read a long time ago, but I came to Shirley Jackson pretty late and have slowly been catching up. I definitely prefer The Haunting of Hill House, but We Have Always Lived in the Castle has an eerie, under-your-skin kind of creepiness. As in, it really does creep up on you what’s going on here. I listened to this as an audiobook but it’s one I’d like to revisit in print form at some point.
If, like me, you haven’t got to this yet, this novel is the story of the Blackwood family – specifically, the three Blackwood family members who survived after the rest of the family died from arsenic poisoning. Constance, the elder sister, Uncle Julian, and Mary Katherine, Merricat. The family are isolated, with the townsfolk viewing them with suspicion. The novel is from Merricat’s point of view, but we get strong ideas throughout regarding the attitude of the rest of the town towards them.
Mostly, the family are left alone, as Merricat works through her own set of beliefs to keep her, her sister and her uncle safe. When cousin Charles arrives, Merricat finds their lives thrown into disarray, and Merricat sets out to drive him away.
The novel is intriguing and, as mentioned above, the strangeness of it creeps up on you. The narration for the audio was handled so well, really giving an extra layer to Merricat’s character. Jackson’s writing is excellent at building up the atmosphere, and as in The Haunting of Hill House, she really nails the element of the unreliable narrator, as we’re swept along with Merricat and her version of events.
This is definitely a classic horror novel for a reason, one that remains evocative and intriguing, and if you like the atmospheric side of horror, and the strangeness that comes along with the gothic, it’s well worth checking out.
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
www.elleturpittediting.com
I purchased this book with an Audible credit.