Book Review : We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Book Title : We Have Always Lived In The Castle

Author : Shirley Jackson

Genre : Mystery, Thriller

ISBN : 9780141927558

Publisher : Penguin Modern Classics

Publication : October 2009

Pages : 160

Binding : Kindle Edition

Plot :

Merricat Blackwood lives on the family estate with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian. Not long ago there were seven Blackwoods—until a fatal dose of arsenic found its way into the sugar bowl one terrible night. Acquitted of the murders, Constance has returned home, where Merricat protects her from the curiosity and hostility of the villagers. Their days pass in happy isolation until cousin Charles appears. Only Merricat can see the danger, and she must act swiftly to keep Constance from his grasp.

My Rating : 2.5 ☆'s

Review :
If you had been following my instagram

account, you would know that this book was part of our first read along in the "Booktroverts Girl Gang". We picked up the book, for our general appreciation towards the genre.

Coming to the book itself, the book started real slow - so slow that it took an effort to keep going. I found it repetitive and thus slow. It truly was difficult to latch on to this one.

But once the book manages to have a grip on you, it becomes quiet a page turner and you realise that, that repetitiveness was for a reason - that it was needed to move the story forward and to move something inside the reader - and when that happens you know, you are in the hot bed of the things.

The plot thickens, the suspense grows and then the events sadden you, they leave you broken. The secrets are revealed, the suspense dies down and then only a sizzle remains. The end was kind of disappointing - because with how dark the story was, you did expect some action, but then there is none. It's the best thing for the sisters, it's their happy ending - but that wasn't what I was expecting.

Also it wasn't a scary or a horror story as we had anticipated but a murder mystery suspense thriller through and through.

If I try to put my reading experience into words, it was hot stifling kind of day that suddenly saw a thunderstorm but then it ended in the dull peter-pan of a soft drizzle.

Happy Reading!

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