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We Have Always Lived in the Castle

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle

By: Shirley Jackson
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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About this listen

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. Genre Fiction Gothic Horror Literary Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Scary Fiction

Critic Reviews

“At certain moments, quietly, in quick, subtle transitions of tone, Miss Jackson can summon up stark terror, make your blood chill and your scalp prickle....To all the classic paraphernalia of the spook story, she adds a touch of Freud….” ( New York Times Book Review)
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I guess it was scary/fresh 60 years ago. Entertaining regardless, better than hill house too.

entertaining but predicable

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The narration was very strong and the Jackson’s novel is well constructed, entertaining and thought provoking.

Fantastic story and great narration

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I loved this book. The narration was perfect and captured the tone and feel of the book perfectly. Shirley Jackson's books can be such an interesting mix of ordinariness and horror. I think that this is my favorite of all.
I intend to listen to it again soon. I'm sure it's the kind of book that only gets better with multiple listens.

Delightful and enchanting

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a modern classic for a reason. The writing is fresh and interesting and the characters are each fascinating in their strangeness. The fate of the house and the family is equally strange and fascinating.

Deservedly a classic

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Not sure why people call it creepy, maybe my level of creepy is higher than others. It's a lovely sad little story that is filled with melancholy. A nice short piece of work I listened too while painting a mural. 10/10 would recommend for any style of literary fan

Lonely but beautiful

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I read this for book club and can’t say I “enjoyed” it. I found her world disturbing and chilling and the overall darkness uncomfortable - I didn’t like being inside Mary Kats mind. Just not my cup of tea, really.

Book club book

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worth a listen but buy it on sale as it's not worth a full credit.b

An odd little story

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A nice little story. Characters are likeable. Very well written and narrated. The ending is open to interpretation.

Great!

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Loved the atmosphere created and the story, while not intensly indepth, was engaging and left me wanting to know what happens next.

Loved it

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This was stunning. Complex and moving and the narrator did an incredible job of bringing each character to life. Really extraordinary.

Wonderful

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