The. Haunting. Of. Hill. HOUSE! I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read this one. Ghost stories and haunted house stories are not my go-to when it comes to books, but I have always loved the movies and shows. I need more haunting book so I can expand my horizons. While I absolutely loved this one, I was DEFINITELY not a fan of Susan Hill’s The Woman In Black, as you might remember from a previous post. So feel free to send me recommendations!
What I loved most about this book is how it still stands up after so many decades since its release and publication. And I am impressed with how Jackson was able sustain the underlying sense of dread, terror, and fear throughout the entire book. I can only imagine if I were one of the main characters and trying to go to bed in this house. I am always the person who hears branches hitting the windows, my cat walking on the creaky floors, etc in the middle of the night. I have a HUGE fear of waking up and seeing someone walking towards me down the hallway at night. All of these things were constantly racing through my mind as I read this, putting me in their shoes, and making it that much more real for me. Yea… imagining someone walking at “It Follows” speed down my hallway … *cringe*
Additionally, Jackson does something that I have not seen done so well in novels (but I have noticed in movies before). She made the house an actual character. A living, breathing, thinking, changing character. In my opinion it is the MAIN character of the story. She totally brings this house to life makes it terrifying for the reader.
This is also one of those books that will hook you from the first paragraph and first page. I am always in awe of authors that are able to do that from time to time and it makes me want to read even more of their works. Case in point:
“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.” ~ The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson
If anyone is looking for a classic horror novel or a haunting/ghost story and don’t know where to begin, I suggest this book. It has countless positive reviews and the people are not wrong. She has inspired so many authors and there have been quite a few inspirations for movies from this book, too. 4 out of 5 stars for me!
findingmontauk 
LOVE this book 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻