The Haunting of Hill House
Ratings40
Average rating4
15
Ratings40
Average rating4
Hill House is an 80 year-old mansion built by long-deceased Hugh Crain. The story concerns four main characters: Dr. John Montague, an investigator of the supernatural; Eleanor Vance, a shy young woman who resents having lived as a recluse caring for her demanding invalid mother; Theodora, a flamboyant, bohemian, possibly lesbian artist; and Luke Sanderson, the young heir to Hill House, who is also the host to the others. Dr. Montague hopes to find scientific evidence of the existence of the supernatural. He rents Hill House for a summer and invites as his guests several people whom he has chosen because of their past experience with paranormal events. Of these, only Eleanor and Theodora accept. All four of the inhabitants begin to experience strange events while in the house, including unseen noises and ghosts roaming the halls at night, strange writing on the walls and other unexplained events. Eleanor tends to experience phenomena to which the others are oblivious. At the same time, Eleanor may be losing touch with reality... A finalist for the National Book Award, The Haunting of Hill House is considered as one of the best literary ghost stories published during the 20th century, even by stalwarts like Stephen King. It has been made into two feature films, a TV series and a play. Jackson's novel relies on terror rather than horror to elicit emotion in the reader, utilizing complex relationships between the mysterious events in the house and the characters' psyches. A must read!
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Reviews with the most likes.
The Haunting of Hill House is listed as a classic horror novel. A haunted house... possession.... strange sounds... creepy maid/cook. This book has it all.
The story begins with Eleanor. She receives a letter to spend the summer at Hill House. Little is known about the house except that it may be haunted. With nothing left at home, Eleanor sets off towards Hill house. She is met by the strange caretakers Mr. and Mrs. Dudley. They insist on never staying past sunset. In the coming hour, more people arrive. Theodora, same as Eleanor, decided to come because of a letter. Luke, is set to inherit Hill House. Dr. Montague, the man who wrote the letters, is writing a book on Hill House.
The night starts off normally. The house is strange, but nothing out of the ordinary happens. Then, as the hours and days role past, the house awakens. Doors start to close, strange noises can be heard, and one of the characters appears to be losing their mind.
Shirley Jackson has created an excellent atmosphere. There is a constant sense of foreboding. Something is watching and waiting for the right moment to strike. I felt like I was in a horror movie and often didn't know which way to turn. One visit into Hill House was more than enough. The reason I knocked a star off my review was because of the characters and their dialog. Mrs. Jackson tried to duplicate multiple conversations happening at the same time. It was hard to discern whom was talking to whom. There were also a number of irregular shifts in the plot. One minute the characters would be together huddled in fear. The next they'd be sleeping soundly. If events like this happened to me, I'd have left immediately.
Overall the Haunting of Hill House is perfect to read before Halloween. It has some very unnerving scenes that can only be enhanced by the shorter days, colder weather, and haunted decorations.
OMG so good!!!!! left a terrible feeling in my stomach the whole time and i had to remind myself that i am NOT IN HILL HOUSE
Après avoir vu la série, après avoir enfin vu le film, je me suis dit que je devais m'attaquer au livre. Autant dire que les trois ont peu à voir l'un avec l'autre si ce n'est à travers les noms des personnages et le contexte de la maison. J'ai trouvé dans ce livre une magnifique poésie plus que de l'horreur, des personnages uniques (Eleanor <3) complexes et une atmosphère unique. J'y ai retrouvé finalement ce côté poétique et aigre doux que la série a à plusieurs moments et j'ai été vraiment touché par beaucoup de passages et une fin magistrale.
Journey ends in lovers meeting.
