Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Spuk in Hill House by Shirley Jackson

41 reviews

cheazcakeguy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

This book was so unsettling throughout. Deeply horrifying in a way that makes you question reality along with the characters. The frequent and sometimes sudden shifts in the emotional and mental states of the characters are so off-putting. And it's short, and a total page-turner!
*MAJOR spoiler ahead*

Though I pretty much saw the ending (Eleanor's suicide) coming before I was halfway through the book, I was not expecting the misdirect from the tower followed by the joyful mania of Eleanor as she gleefully sped to her death. And then the brief moment of clarity before she hit the tree. So damn creepy, and a tragic end to a tragic character.

Would like to re-read someday to see if I pick up on anything I missed the first time.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Death, Suicide, Death of parent, and Blood

emmonsannae's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

The slow dread of this book is unparalleled. Its tragedy is both self-aware and utterly unavoidable. What an excellent read! I can already tell I will be coming back to this again and again. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Suicide, Car accident, Alcohol, and Death of parent

mothie_girlie's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

2.5

Just didn't hit right, also this is so queer coded?? 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Alcohol

Moderate: Blood

louiepotterbook's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-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? It's complicated

1.0

Eleanor deserved better and the fact that Theo lived and she didn’t is absolute bullshit

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Car accident, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Sexism, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence

maryellen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Suicide

Moderate: Alcohol

babudarabu's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Suicide

Minor: Death of parent, Blood, Car accident, Alcohol, and Child abuse

bexsur's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious 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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Car accident

Moderate: Alcohol

Minor: Mental illness and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

lunarpancakes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

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

5.0

I went into this one knowing I was going to enjoy it. I had watched the Netflix series beforehand and was curious as to how Mike Flanagan lifted the material from the original text -- even though I knew this came first, I had a small inkling I was going to have enjoyed the Netflix series more. Not the case -- because they feel immensely different. In "Monster She Wrote," the author talks about how the Netflix series is an adaptation from the bare bones of The Haunting of Hill House -- and I agree. 

Something that I found out after I read it was that

It may very well be an allegory for familial abuse -- namely, the relationship between Shirley Jackson and her toxic mother. The house bears down on Eleanor and whittles at her until she collapses under the pressure of it. The house -- though physically cozy -- psychologically preys on Eleanor's trauma. 

Another interesting interpretation that I actually had myself while reading was that Eleanor was doing all of this to herself. Not intentionally, obviously, but that Eleanor was actually the cause of the shower of stones on her childhood home. The idea that, when Eleanor faces some kind of emotional intensity or trauma or the like, she psychically manifests things i.e. the blood on Theodora's door and all over her dresses.

This book is such a slow burn with rich language that makes you savor every bite. Every character was fully realized, spoke with charming and realistic dialogue, and at the same time, would disappoint you in ways that real humans let you down. A fully engrossing read that left me just. sitting there. After I finished. Bravo. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Car accident, Suicide, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment

priscillarobock's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Minor: Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Alcohol, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Blood, Self harm, and Suicide

mlewis's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness

Moderate: Death of parent, Alcohol, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

Minor: Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, and Suicide