La maledicció de Hill House (1959)

As a self-professed lover of the Gothic, I am rather embarrassed to admit that this is the first Shirley Jackson book I've ever read. Nor have I watched the movies based on her works. As a lame defence, I can state that I'm a greater fan of 19th Century ghost and horror fiction than of its more recent manifestations. But this book, though written in 1959, is an undisputed modern classic.

The novel starts traditionally enough. Dr John Montague, a paranormal investigator, together with three willing collaborators, goes to spend a summer in the allegedly haunted Hill House, a bizarre mansion built eighty years before by an eccentric businessman. It isn't long before the house starts living up to its reputation - doors close of their own accord, strange noises are heard during the night, ominous writings appear on the walls.

However, we soon realise that, despite the third-person narration, we are experiencing the house through the eyes and mind of one of the participants of the experiment - Eleanor, a shy, lonely and possibly disturbed young woman. In other words, Nell is the ideal candidate for the role of the proverbial unreliable narrator. Relationships start to crack faster than you can say "Big Brother". The tension mounts but it's more of the psychological than of the supernatural type. Indeed, Jackson leaves us in doubt as to whether the phenomena we've witnessed are otherworldly at all.

Did I find the novel terrifying? Not really, but that's likely because I read most of the book on a plane flight, in between safety announcements, air-hostesses peddling perfumes, drinks and scratch cards (!) and fellow passengers jostling to go to the toilet. I did feel a growing sense of unease as the novel progressed and ultimately I found the book delightfully disturbing.

Now on to Jackson's short stories! ( )

And thus, Eleanor found her home. ( )

The title says it all! Written in the 50s, this book might be a bit out of date and a little hokey at times, but that didn’t keep be from loving it! Creepy and atmospheric, this one is a study in how you do it right! There’s no doubt that Jackson has the supreme talent to make us care about her characters – and then to torture them! (I haven’t checked out the series, but I like the movie.) ( )

spectacularly creepyq ( )

I really wanted to LOVE this book but it was just okay for me. It was a creepy read but nothing spectacular. Unfortunately, I think the movie and the tv show really brought a lot to the table and made this book better even though I almost always have liked the books better then the movie/tv show adaptations. In this case, I think Shirley Jackson left too much up to the readers imagination and interpretation and really could’ve added some more details in.


“‘Do you always go where you’re not wanted?’
‘I’ve never been wanted anywhere.’”


“Journeys end in lovers meeting.” ( )