The Haunting of Hill House
By Shirley Jackson
A Review of the haunting of hill house
Following in the footsteps of the likes of Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson sets her eerie tale in a Gothic mansion- twisted, vast, and physically impossible in design. At the center of the story is Eleanor Vance, an unlikable and unreliable protagonist. Jackson builds the narrative on a deep sense of distrust, rooted in Eleanor’s fractured voice. From here, the tale warps around Eleanor’s crumbling psyche, often reflecting her insecurities, and, in turn, being shaped by them.
The house itself, in keeping with Gothic tradition, is personified almost to the point of literal being. Oxymoronic in nature, Jackson writes: “whatever walked there, walked alone.” And that it does, unity divided. Whatever walks there does indeed walk alone.
The story is a perfect autumnal read, drawing on ghost story tropes and psychological unease. An unlikable narrator makes for an unusual experience; rather than rooting for the character, the reader is pulled into the atmosphere and story itself. Solipsistic Eleanor adds another layer of intrigue, particularly through her fraught maternal relationship (a thread that feels reflective of Jackson herself).
The Haunting of Hill House is one of my absolute favourite ghost stories. Its creepy simplicity is deceiving at first glance, but like an onion, once the layers are peeled back, something much deeper is revealed.
My Rating: 10/10
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