oliviayoumans's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
wandareadssapphicbooks's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
booksanddopamine's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is one dark and unsettling story. The unreliable narration leaves the reader to decipher the true meaning behind the happenings and interactions.
The psychological impacts of trauma and abuse on the minds of the two sisters is characterized really well. I completely forgot that they were older than I thought - I went through the whole book thinking Merricat was 12 and then remembered she's actually 18 which made her perspective that much more unsettling.
I was disturbed by the fact that I could relate to Merricat as a child. I saw a lot of the OCD magical thinking (which I struggled with - undiagnosed and untreated - a great deal as a child). Because of this the book - which details Merricat's rituals and compulsions - was a bit triggering for me at first. I'm also autistic and saw a lot of those traits in Merricat as well, with her need to control her environment through compulsions and rituals in order to avoid change in her routine or surroundings.
There's also the idea of how myths and legends are formed through small town gossip.
There's a great deal to dissect and think about. I love Shirley Jackson's ability to tell so much without directly doing so. There's complexity within the simplicity of her writing.
The psychological impacts of trauma and abuse on the minds of the two sisters is characterized really well. I completely forgot that they were older than I thought - I went through the whole book thinking Merricat was 12 and then remembered she's actually 18 which made her perspective that much more unsettling.
I was disturbed by the fact that I could relate to Merricat as a child. I saw a lot of the OCD magical thinking (which I struggled with - undiagnosed and untreated - a great deal as a child). Because of this the book - which details Merricat's rituals and compulsions - was a bit triggering for me at first. I'm also autistic and saw a lot of those traits in Merricat as well, with her need to control her environment through compulsions and rituals in order to avoid change in her routine or surroundings.
There's also the idea of how myths and legends are formed through small town gossip.
There's a great deal to dissect and think about. I love Shirley Jackson's ability to tell so much without directly doing so. There's complexity within the simplicity of her writing.
holl3640's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
4.0
abby_lake's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
silver_valkyrie_reads's review against another edition
This is the wrong kind of dark story for me. I love Dracula and Jane Eyre, where the darkness is offset by hope and a struggle to be good and to conquer evil.
This is story is dark, but also bleak, and in a very quiet way, wallows in the darkness instead of fighting it. It was very readable (or in this case, listenable) and I was interested in the slow, quiet, disturbing lives of the characters, but I also never really wanted to pick it up again because I felt disturbed every time I listened to it.
This is story is dark, but also bleak, and in a very quiet way, wallows in the darkness instead of fighting it. It was very readable (or in this case, listenable) and I was interested in the slow, quiet, disturbing lives of the characters, but I also never really wanted to pick it up again because I felt disturbed every time I listened to it.
deejmgee's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.5