A review by raenyreads
We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is a deserving classic. I loved the atmosphere and the characters. I expected more horror but that may be due to having a modern view on the horror genre, nevertheless I did find this book had lots of tension and the isolation felt very real. I liked the themes on gender roles and how the characters both followed and defied these.
I think this is one of those books that if you really studied it you'd be able to analyse so many more themes and different aspects.
My main reason for not having a higher rating is it was very predictable.