We Have Always Lived In The Castle ~ Shirley Jackson

For a book just shy of 150 pages, We Have Always Lived In The Castle, took me far longer than I expected to actually finish. For the last couple of years, my own personal reading challenge was to read more classics. This led to buying a fair few and then them all collecting dust on my bookshelf.

From the blurb, it really sounded like a book I would love. Going into this read all I knew was that two sisters, Merricat and Constance, live in their family ‘castle’ with their Uncle Julian. 5 years ago, Constance got acquitted after being accused of murdering the rest of her family and now the town has disowned the family due to the controversy.

Deep down I really wanted to love this book but after a good 100 pages of suspense building it kind of fell flat and I was definitely left wanting so much more. However, I did love the character of Merricat and how Jackson developed her throughout the book. She was the only character that I actually connected with and felt for.

I was also very fascinated by how Shirley Jackson uses food as a constant theme throughout the book. Everything in their lives revolves around the food that the family has to buy, grow and make which apparently is a reoccurring theme within Jackson’s books.

This book is quoted as her final publication before she died and also her greatest book on the Penguin edition I own. However, I cannot comment on this statement as this is the first Shirley Jackson book I have read. Although, I was somewhat dissatisfied by We Have Always Lived In The Castle I am intrigued to read her other books especially The Haunting Of Hill House.

Overall, I give this book ⭐️⭐️ and a half stars because I just wanted it to be so much more. Let me know if you have read this book and what you thought.

M🌸