I cannot tell you why this book is so terrifying but the way the sense of unease is lingering with me even after finishing is probably significant! Maybe because at the end of all that, we still don’t know *why* Merricat did what she did? It’s such a compelling read, though. Straight up unsettling all the way through.

Who wouldn’t like a story centered around two creepy sisters and poison? We Have Always Lived in the Castle is Shirley Jackson’s final novel, and a must-read for all Jackson fans. This is a gorgeous edition and the afterword included in this edition makes it worthy of adding to one’s collection, shedding additional light on both Jackson and her work.

Review will be posted on retail sites, Goodreads, and on YouTube Channel Hicks Picks Books.

Thanks go to NetGalley and Penguin Group Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is eerie and thought provoking. I found myself always thinking, trying to figure out what was really happening and what would happen next. Shirley Jackson never disappoints!

It's clear why this book is a classic. Lethem's afterword is both illuminating and vital. This was Jackson's final novel and she packed so much into it. All her works are like writing masterclasses and this novel is very much in that vein. Lethem calls her a reader's writer and says this book is her best ever. Rereading the book after decades, I concur. She has inspired generations of writers across race and color lines and continues to be one of the biggest literary influences for American Gothic. The characters she's given us are archetypes in themselves now.

This new edition of We Have Always Lived in the Castle has been given a modern make over. This hardcover edition is eye-catching and visually appealing to the reader. A wonderful addition to any collection.

I have read this book before and it is an absolute classic. I wanted to pick this up so I could read the new afterword by Jonathan Lethem. I learned a few more things about Shirley Jackson from the afterword; overall, it's a perfectly fine addition to an amazing novel.

Wow! Why have I been sleeping on Shirley Jackson? If you haven’t gotten a chance to read her classic We Have Always Lived in the Castle, be sure to check it out immediately! It is a gothic tale about 18 year old Merricat who lives in isolation with her sister Constance, her uncle Julian, and their cat Jonas. The Blackwood family has a dark secret. The story is remarkably written and quite creepy. Highly recommended!

So Shirley Jackson is known for The Lottery, which was the story you read in high school that you're just reading and going along with and then it just punches you in the face. This book is more of a slow burn and creepy and just a horror novel unlike any other.

I am a huge fan of Ms. Jackson's: I've said it once, I'll say it again. Shirley Jackson is the coolest AND the creepiest. This is one of my favorite of her titles, and I'm always thrilled to read it again.