Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

24 reviews

vilmuska's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Dementia, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Injury/Injury detail

fiz23_'s review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Child death

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, and Classism

meliemelo's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I am fascinated by how masterfully Shirley Jackson manages to create such an eery atmosphere, making you feel so much when so little happens. Merricat is a mesmerising heroine and I was equally intrigued by Constance and Uncle Julian. I found the last few chapters harrowing, more so than I had anticipated, mainly because of how deeply invested I was in Merricat and her feelings.

On a side note, I wasn't too keen on the analysis provided at the end of my edition, but it did not make me like the story any less. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

jelenwalker's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Terminal illness, Dementia, and Grief

my_a's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This wasn't the eerie haunting gothic novel that I had expected it to be. Next to no plot, felt lacklustre in its writing and plot. Cousin Charles seemed like a bolted-on afterthought, I was expecting him to advance the plot or flesh out the backstory but he may as well have not been there. I really did feel for the Uncle & would've like to have known more about him and his story.

The Afterword was interesting & I can see that there is much more going on under the surface. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

emry23's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship and Murder

Minor: Terminal illness

vas_17's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

adverb17's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death and Mental illness

Minor: Terminal illness, Grief, and Murder

mossgoblins's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Murder

Minor: Child death, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury

breezer's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious reflective sad 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? Yes

3.0

Just *gothic vibes* but make it 1960s

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury