Denae's Reviews > We Have Always Lived in the Castle

It would be difficult to overstate the creepiness of We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Shirley Jackson brilliantly weaves a story of three recluses who are all frightening in their own way. The book begins with the knowledge that something terrible has happened and something terrible is going to happen. The steady pacing and consistent revelation of just how terrible the lives of the Blackwoods are is countered by the arrival of a greedy, disruptive cousin. Despite knowing that the reclusive way the characters Mary Katherine, Constance, and Julian live is extremely unhealthy, I could not help hating their cousin for the way he behaves. The event for which you wait is traumatic to read, particularly for someone (view spoiler)[who cannot bear for beautiful things to be destroyed. (hide spoiler)] Overall, while The Lottery is also excellent, I found this to be more powerful.