It’s hard to describe Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House in a short book review without spoiling the beauty of this book. From page one, it sets a cold, eerie tone that just doesn’t leave you as you read about Eleanor Vance and her mysterious stay with what appears to be a haunted house.
Usually, I’m too much of a scaredy-cat to read horror, especially paranormal, so I loved that it was a group of characters in the house for a scientific analysis of the particular activity that happens in its walls; It added a different dimension for me; namely, it helped to look at the creepy factor with a level, logical head instead of being scared out of my wits and unable to finish.
I loved the details of the house as if it were alive, as if it breathed with the characters. The unsettling feeling was similar in atmosphere to The Color Out of Space. If you want to read something utterly eerie and catch some really lovely writing, definitely give The Haunting of Hill House a go!
The character development, although short, was deep enough to make you feel like you were living within the walls along site them like they actually existed outside of the pages. It was almost as if I knew Eleanor Vance personally and felt like she would pull me into the story to get lost in the walls with her.
I can’t say much more without giving too much away about the story, so I’ll let you read it for yourself! You won’t be disappointed. The Haunting of Hill House is a brilliant gothic horror novel. It was frightening, and it offers excellent characterization, vivid imagery, and a compelling plot that keeps you hooked to the very last page. I couldn’t page through this book fast enough.
It’s a quick read, but one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished.
