We Have Always Lived in the Castle

This book is sinister and comforting at once, a combination I did not think was possible. Through details, and carefully chosen words, Shirley Jackson injects creepiness into the everyday, and coziness into the darkness. I grew to love the murderer, and will forever be scared of New England's small villages. I must admit that I read this book on a great holiday after a few, long months of hard work. So, the perfect situation to fall in love with a book. That said, I thought it was a little masterpiece.

The reader finds themself taking part in the perplexing day-to-day lives of the remaining Blackwood family through the puzzling eyes of Miss "Merricat" Blackwood. This world has you always feeling that something is not quite right; from the villagers, to the Blackwood family, and the settings themselves, the lurking unease never leaves. This work is beautifully crafted but, upon finishing, I was left wondering why I had ever picked it up to begin with. (3.5/5)