I’m not usually a great one for ghost stories or horror stories per se. My imagination is far too active for them, and they play on my mind. But I listened to a programme about Shirley Jackson which I found it fascinating. I was browsing in my local bookshop and came across this volume, considered to be a modern classic by penguin. So, I treated myself to it. The cover blurb suggests the story is acclaimed as one of the finest ghost stories of the 20th century. I couldn’t comment on that because I’ve not read enough! But I have to say this was most absorbing.
The word Gothic is much bandied about these days, but I would say that this really does tick all the boxes. The entire narrative has a chilling quality to it. Even the most prosaic of events still makes you feel a little off kilter. The description of the house’s layout made me feel like I was in one of those theme park houses with uneven floors and ceilings. Come to think of it they often have a haunted house theme!
It Isn't an out and out in your face, scary, ghosty, story. And I think that what makes it so disquieting. For it is subtle, nuanced, suggestive. The characters are all flawed, misfits in a certain sense with sub texts that leave the reader wondering and questioning.
Ultimately, I found myself struggling to differentiate between an actual haunting or whether the mental state of Eleanor was in question. So, I guess it’s also a psychological thriller as well as a ghost story!
I won’t rush to read any more Shirley Jackson, but I won’t pass any by if they come my way.
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