We Have Always Lived in the Castle

De: Shirley Jackson

Narrado por: Bernadette Dunne

Shirley Jackson’s deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family takes readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, macabre humor, and gothic atmosphere.

Six years after four family members died suspiciously of arsenic poisoning, the three remaining Blackwoods—elder, agoraphobic sister Constance; wheelchair-bound Uncle Julian; and eighteen-year-old Mary Katherine, or, Merricat—live together in pleasant isolation. Merricat has developed an idiosyncratic system of rules and protective magic to guard the estate against intrusions from hostile villagers. But one day a stranger arrives—cousin Charles, with his eye on the Blackwood fortune—and manages to penetrate into their carefully shielded lives. Unable to drive him away by either polite or occult means, Merricat adopts more desperate methods, resulting in crisis, tragedy, and the revelation of a terrible secret.

Jackson’s novel emerges less as a study in eccentricity and more—like some of her other fictions—as a powerful critique of the anxious, ruthless processes involved in the maintenance of normalcy itself.

©1962 Shirley Jackson (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Eerie but not what you expect

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Not really, its a story that takes a long time to get to its point. You have to really enjoy listening to stories and have a dedicated imagination to stick with this story.

What does Bernadette Dunne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice helps draw you into a story that would otherwise be painful to follow

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes to compare to my own vision

creepy

This was well done and an excellent story, but I can't give it more than a three because I thought it was kind of scary and a little disturbing. If you like kind of scary and a little disturbing, this is an excellent listen.

Full of suspense

The whole time got me so stressed and curious, I almost ended it in a day. The story seems simple at first, but it's not, it's captivating.

Not my favorite

Definitely not my favorite audiobook. I kept waiting for a twist or something to perk up my interest but it was mostly slow and confusing at times.

recommend!

loved it! good book . we had to read it for class but was to busy to sit down and read, so I got the audio. either way this is a great book!