We Have Always Lived in the Castle

I love a story with ‘outsiders’ at the heart of it, and Shirley Jackson’s gothic masterpiece gives us exactly that. This book tells the tale of the strange Blackwood sisters who live in a crumbling great house on the outskirts of a small American town, whose locals view the reclusive family with suspicion. 

Unsettling from the outset, we are nevertheless attracted to the main character, Merricat, whose possible involvement in the poison murder of the rest of her family only spurs us on to keep reading. I’m always drawn to these characters, the ones who don’t behave quite as convention… show more.

Secret’s out: I love (fictional) relationships that are kind of toxic and disturbing. And the Blackwood sisters are just twisted.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m fairly certain that I’m on their side. From the opening paragraph, Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood cemented herself as one of my favorite narrators of all time. She’s uncanny and compelling, and it’s impossible to look away from her and Constance’s eerie state of codependence.

This is another book that features themes of otherness, this time through the lens of Gothic horror. I want a better world for the Blackwood sisters, but I don’t trust that their… show more.

This is one of my favorite reads of all time. I love the way Jackson can make you so uncomfortable with her writing.

I love the way her characters are full of idiosyncrasies. I love the twists and turns. Mostly, I love the co-dependent, creepy, yet captivating sister bond she manages to display throughout this wild mystery!

Shirley Jackson is perhaps best known for The Haunting of Hill House, but her final work, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is masterful. The novel is narrated from the knowing perspective of eighteen-year-old Merricat Blackwood.

In the wake of the murder of their family, Merricat lives with her preternaturally serene sister Constance and their Uncle Julian. Six years earlier, the rest of their family died from arsenic poisoning at dinner, Julian being the sole survivor – Merricat had been sent to her room without supper, and Constance, who avoided consuming the poisoned sugar, was tried for… show more.

First published in 1962, the novel revolves around the lives of two sisters, Mary Katherine “Merricat” and Constance Blackwood, who live in isolation in their family mansion with their Uncle Julian after the rest of their family is poisoned with arsenic.

I loved this book because of how subtlety the plot develops—I devoured each page wanting to learn more about Merricat and the true story behind the poisoning of her family.

I read this as part of a Spooky October read, but it is way more than a quick, haunting read. It is a well-deserved classic. I much prefer it over Jackson’s more famous story, The Lottery.

It is gothic at its finest. A slow, burn creepy novel set in small-town Vermont that will keep you turning pages to find out how everything comes together in the end. Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged and goosebumps raised. 

I’m not sure anyone has written with such clarity about the everyday horror of social/cultural alienation better than Shirley Jackson.

I loved reading about the main character, Merricat, and her trips into town to purchase groceries and other common household goods. The pariah-like way she is received by the allegedly typical townsfolk is a theme I—admittedly to a much lesser degree—wanted to include in my own writing.  

Shirley Jackson’s last book, a novella, is considered by many to be her masterpiece. I never forgot first reading it as a young teenager, riveted by the unreliable narrator, Mary Catherine Blackwood (“Merricat”), and her practice of weaving magic spells around the house to keep the remains of her family safe from the prying eyes and hostilities of the townsfolk. A murder mystery lies at the core—half of her family were poisoned by arsenic put into the sugar bowl—and only she, her Uncle Julian, and her sister Constance survived. The tale ends with a conflagration set by Merricat,… show more.

Known for her chilling short story, The Lottery, a classic once studied in every high school in America, Shirley Jackson’s work is diffused with horror; a horror that can be humorous at times, yet always understated and profound. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is told from the peculiar perspective of eighteen-year-old Mary Katherine, AKA Merricat, about her isolated family and the wooded estate they hole up in. This is not a genre novel – not a stalker or slasher of teens, no gore to speak of – but insightful, funny, compassionate horror at its best. Funny, compassionate… show more.

Last, but most important to me, is Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, an awesomely deceptive novel about two outcast sisters in a decaying mansion. Murder, resentful villagers, and a love interest who threatens the status quo power this tale. It’s funny as hell, its devious narrator is a genius at revelation, and the story itself is gripping and true to human nature. A small gift that constantly reveals new layers and complexity, and a fantastic read to boot.