Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

121 reviews

sappypatheticm's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Mental illness, Violence, Dementia, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, and Death of parent

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

24carrotgay's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

This book completely took me by surprise! I was expecting the kind of horror that involves descriptive murder and builds to a horror-movie-esque climax of gore and, well, horror. Instead, the unsettling vibes and theories (including one that Merricat was actually a ghost) turned out to be directed at the wrong people.

Okay, yes, Merricat committed mass murder of her family and caused Uncle Julian's permanent disability and Constance took the wrap for it while supporting Merricat and her murderous tendencies but, like, the villagers were worse!! When they started leaving food for them at the house though? Emotion. Tears. Crying.

God, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a rollercoaster in the dark - ups and downs, twists and turns, and you have absolutely no idea where it's gonna go next.

The content, pleasant ending was my second favorite part. My first was when Charles thought Constance wanted him and Constance had to hold back her laughter before wishing him dead

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Violence, Dementia, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

clare072's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Bullying, Death, Death of parent, and Murder

chrisljm's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-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

3.25

village full of cunts 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Confinement, Death, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death of parent

bookedbymadeline's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

Atmospheric setting and perfect for autumn! It could be a little slow and being at times as well as repetitive. I felt like Merricat read as being a child as opposed to 18, her voice sounded very young and immature (maybe because of the trauma?). Overall it was an interesting, unique story but I kind of wanted more since not much happens and most of the pages are just repeating things! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death

liline163'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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

Minor: Bullying and Child death

ariajb's review

mysterious 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

2.0

I was hoping for plot twists, but there wasn’t even a plot so 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Child death

peasandpancakes's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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

4.5

I really immensely enjoyed this book. Merricat was a very interesting narrator, obviously very unreliable, and I loved her little disturbing thoughts. A reddit user whose account was deleted really nicely summarised the writing as a “sense of overwhelming dread that lies beneath the surface of ordinary life. Like something sinister is slowly, but surely, making its appearance, but you don't know when or how it's going to happen”, and I fully agree with that. 

At first I was a bit confused with the kind of sudden ending, but I have come to appreciate it. This will definitely be a book that I will think back on from time to time!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Mental illness

ilaxaria's review against another edition

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Dementia, Death of parent, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Suicide

bobbijo104's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Bullying and Classism