The Haunting of Hill House (Penguin Classics)
The greatest haunted house story ever written—the inspiration for the hit Netflix horror series!
One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years
First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
One of The Atlantic’s Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years
First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Community Reviews
I don't think my review will be very popular. And with how many positive reviews I second guess my thoughts and opinion on this but I will include it in my review anyway.
I thought the overall book was okay. I do think that watching the Netflix show will completely ruin this book. I found the Netflix show really well done, but as I read this book I realized that they are completely two different stories.
I did like in the book the fine line between mental illness hallucinations and fact. I felt the book consistently had me thinking whether something was real or not.
I think saying this book is a slow burn is definitely an understatement. I think there were about two or three instances where it could have been very scary. I am confused why this is named one of the best horror books of all time. I just didn't get it. I found the characters quite annoying and not very nice. I think the author is really great at describing the house and really putting us in the story. But I just found it really lackluster.
I thought the overall book was okay. I do think that watching the Netflix show will completely ruin this book. I found the Netflix show really well done, but as I read this book I realized that they are completely two different stories.
I did like in the book the fine line between mental illness hallucinations and fact. I felt the book consistently had me thinking whether something was real or not.
I think saying this book is a slow burn is definitely an understatement. I think there were about two or three instances where it could have been very scary. I am confused why this is named one of the best horror books of all time. I just didn't get it. I found the characters quite annoying and not very nice. I think the author is really great at describing the house and really putting us in the story. But I just found it really lackluster.
Although I liked it, I don't entirely recommend or love it.
The personalities of the characters were really confusing and in some parts, annoying. At one point the character seemed smart and then 2 chapters later, childish and annoying.
I also couldn't catch on with what was really happening, for instance Eleanor started hating Theodora and then suddenly she wanted to come home with her and they were best friends again?
Also I feel like we should have gotten a wrap up, maybe the book Dr Montague was supposed to write, to tell us how the experiment really concluded, as some reader's (including me) may be confused on what really happened.
The personalities of the characters were really confusing and in some parts, annoying. At one point the character seemed smart and then 2 chapters later, childish and annoying.
I also couldn't catch on with what was really happening, for instance Eleanor started hating Theodora and then suddenly she wanted to come home with her and they were best friends again?
Also I feel like we should have gotten a wrap up, maybe the book Dr Montague was supposed to write, to tell us how the experiment really concluded, as some reader's (including me) may be confused on what really happened.
I don't really know how to feel about this one.
First off, it's set in America? My audiobook had a British narrator (who did a lovely job, thank you very much) but because it's set in an older America the British accent fit in well and all I saw were Brits everywhere.
Secondly, misogyny much? This book had so much potential for beautiful, redeeming female relationships. There was so much sexual tension between Theadora and Eleanor and at the beginning of the book it really seemed to me like they were both closeted lesbians and might actually get together. I should have known better, this being written rather a long time ago, but I thought at least they could end being good friends and we would all nod our heads knowingly. But alas, their relationship devolved into the embarrassing woman-on-woman conflict, where they were scraping and picking at each other, both trying to shamelessly vie for the attention of the sole young, eligible man. Now, I understand that the house was having an effect on their behaviors, but what a beautiful ending it would have been if instead of everyone disbelieving Eleanor and not really listening to her and sending her away, Theo and Eleanor had come together in a show of comradeship and understanding and at least partially beaten the house by their affection for one another?
Then there was the portrayal of Mrs. Montague. God, I understood her. She just wants to be taken seriously by a husband who doesn't really love her, thinks of himself as the real professional in the family, and only allows her to do these things because it makes her feel better. She was a nagging, unpleasant, shrill shrew. And I totally got her. She has been transformed over the years by his inattentiveness and it has turned her bitter and regretful. She lashes out through her unhappiness and especially so when she is trying to be helpful and is dismissed. Poor thing.
I thought the story of the house itself was interesting. I liked that it was built at angles that prevented the doors from staying closed; that was clever. But there just wasn't resolution enough for me. Was it actual malevolent spirits? Was the whole family haunting it? Was the house itself just bad, a la the hotel in the Shining? Clearly, nothing was to be done about it, but was Eleanor really in the grasp of the house? Sigh. It just felt undone and unresolved.
So yes, I enjoyed it. Have I read better haunting stories? You bet. Is this still a seminole work? Sure! Will I recommend it? Mmm, maybe. Depends on the person. I'm not its biggest fan but I still had a good time.
Next time, American narrators for American books, please.
First off, it's set in America? My audiobook had a British narrator (who did a lovely job, thank you very much) but because it's set in an older America the British accent fit in well and all I saw were Brits everywhere.
Secondly, misogyny much? This book had so much potential for beautiful, redeeming female relationships. There was so much sexual tension between Theadora and Eleanor and at the beginning of the book it really seemed to me like they were both closeted lesbians and might actually get together. I should have known better, this being written rather a long time ago, but I thought at least they could end being good friends and we would all nod our heads knowingly. But alas, their relationship devolved into the embarrassing woman-on-woman conflict, where they were scraping and picking at each other, both trying to shamelessly vie for the attention of the sole young, eligible man. Now, I understand that the house was having an effect on their behaviors, but what a beautiful ending it would have been if instead of everyone disbelieving Eleanor and not really listening to her and sending her away, Theo and Eleanor had come together in a show of comradeship and understanding and at least partially beaten the house by their affection for one another?
Then there was the portrayal of Mrs. Montague. God, I understood her. She just wants to be taken seriously by a husband who doesn't really love her, thinks of himself as the real professional in the family, and only allows her to do these things because it makes her feel better. She was a nagging, unpleasant, shrill shrew. And I totally got her. She has been transformed over the years by his inattentiveness and it has turned her bitter and regretful. She lashes out through her unhappiness and especially so when she is trying to be helpful and is dismissed. Poor thing.
I thought the story of the house itself was interesting. I liked that it was built at angles that prevented the doors from staying closed; that was clever. But there just wasn't resolution enough for me. Was it actual malevolent spirits? Was the whole family haunting it? Was the house itself just bad, a la the hotel in the Shining? Clearly, nothing was to be done about it, but was Eleanor really in the grasp of the house? Sigh. It just felt undone and unresolved.
So yes, I enjoyed it. Have I read better haunting stories? You bet. Is this still a seminole work? Sure! Will I recommend it? Mmm, maybe. Depends on the person. I'm not its biggest fan but I still had a good time.
Next time, American narrators for American books, please.
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