Shirley Jackson & Her Hill House

Andrew, my hubs, recently renewed his library card and asked if there was anything I would like out from the library, I said, "See if they have anything by Shirley Jackson." Her name kept popping up in my readings on women and horror, Rue Morgue Magazine did a feature on her in their September 2016 issue, and the same article was included in Rue Morgue's Women with Guts Magazine that was in the May 2017 Horror Block Box.

She is known for writing about psychological suspense and the limits that are placed on women, she casually practiced witchcraft, AND she lived an hour away from me in Rochester, NY! This is my type of lady.

I haven't read anything by Jackson, so (as usual) I'm way past due in catching up! The library had The Haunting of Hill House. It was written in 1959 and is considered one of the best ghost stories written in the 20th century. The physical copy of this book looks like it's seen a ghost! The book is covered in paper, held together by a shoelace string and some pages are falling out. No, I'm not joking (see pictures). It seems a billion people have taken this book out before me! Man, I really feel behind. (p.s. I'm using my handy bat bookmark from the May 2017 Glamour Ghoul Box.)

I have to say it's a quick and timeless haunted house read. It follows 4 people ~ one professor of the paranormal, one man set to inherit the house, one bohemian psychic, and one girl on the verge of loosing her mind named Eleanor. What I enjoyed about Hill House, is that it goes into the mind of Eleanor and you find out what she's thinking. She's seems a bit "off" and in her own fantasy world to begin with. I won't give the whole plot away, but the house is a character unto itself and I understand why this book is so popular.

There's even two movie adaptations of it, both called The Haunting, but make sure you watch the one from 1963, the 1999 one tries too hard. There's even a rumour that The Haunting of Hill House might be turned into a series for Netflix! But if you can't wait for the series, try delving into more haunted house madness with The Changling or The Legend of Hell House, both have a haunted house that builds up tension until the end, and just remember to have a flashlight handy because you never know what's lurking around the corner...muhahahaha....