October 2023 - We Have Always Lived in the Castle

[Grainne]

I have finished Chapter 3.

Merricat senses that (view spoiler)[there is a change coming. When she is not going into the village on Tuesdays and Fridays, she stays at home helping with the chores and patrolling the fences. On Thursdays, she tries on their clothes. That is very strange behavior. Most people who have lost a loved one avoid touching their belongings after they have passed and when they do decide to rearrange the house, they usually call on a friend or relative to help support them through that process. (hide spoiler)]

Uncle Julian used to be (view spoiler)[ fit and strong but now he is in a wheelchair. I wonder what happened that took away his mobility and why he needs a wheelchair to get around? (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Odette wrote: "I have finished the book now, [spoilers removed]

Chapter 8 - [spoilers removed]
Chapters 9 and 10 - [spoilers removed]"

I have finished chapter 8 (view spoiler)[ Merricat is definitely not mentally developed. I don't know if killing her whole family triggered something but I am guessing she was born autistic or something and that is why she was often "misbehaving" and sent away from dinner.

I fully expected a rock from the villagers to have killed Uncle Julian. I now believe he must have been blind from the poison incident and that is why he could believe Merricat dead while she was right there. It makes all Merricat's kindness gestures exquisitely sad to me - like leaving a leaf for him on the windowsill or by his spot on the porch - when he could never see it.

I absolutely hate the villagers and I am rooting for Merricat to poison them all. And Charles too for that matter. I think it has become clear that he is only after the monies. He even started accusing one of the girls (not sure which one he was implying) of having killed Uncle Julian!

I wonder if Constance is disfigured. It could just be that she is too timid to see the hateful look on the villagers faces, I sure wouldn't want to see or be seen by them either. But I wonder if there is anything else going on. (hide spoiler)]

There are some really excellent storytelling moments here. (like the end of chapter 7 when (view spoiler)[Merricat imagines her family being so kind to her. It makes you stop and rethink everything before. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Finished Chapter 9

(view spoiler)[ What can Helen Clarke mean by saying that "Constance takes these things so seriously?" In what universe was what happened not such a big deal? I recall Helen crying and whining that she wanted to go home.

Is Merricat such an unreliable narrator that we should question everything that is happening (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

I have finished the book

ending(view spoiler)[ I found the ending rather disappointing. The girl can't live in a house with no roof confined to 2 or three rooms. That is crazy. How long can they last from the elements and sickness? I thought they would at least move to the ugly summerhouse. I also was hoping for a more horror like twist. Is it suppose to be sad knowing they can't last like this forever, sad that they have regressed into a fantasy world, sad that they will be the last Blackwoods to live in the castle? (hide spoiler)]

Charles (view spoiler)[ While I still think Charles is awful for wanting the family money for himself, I do sympathize with some of his outbursts. Constance had so long been humoring Merricat and Uncle Julian that to an outsider it would seem quite the madhouse. Imagine finding things nailed to trees. I think it's funny that we dislike the most normal person in the book. (hide spoiler)]

Your afterword (view spoiler)[ What?? There is sexuality in everything?
I did get creepy mother father vibes from Constance with Charles but I had no notion that Constance was taking out repression in chores. Maybe that is an old timey trope that used to be common. (hide spoiler)]

[Odette]

Vicki wrote: "Finished Chapter 9
Constance (view spoiler)[takes things seriously I think as she is a damaged personality due the trauma she went through during the time of her trial, and ongoing mistreatment of Merricat by her parents. Also lack of confidence and trust in people. They do not interact with any contemporaries, other than when they were at school. Thus, happy to retreat into their own world
Helen thinks they are frightened and says, "they cannot be left alone, I want them out of there and home with me where I can take care of them". However does not get her own way - too little too late. (hide spoiler)]

[Odette]

Vicki wrote: "I have finished the book

The ending: (view spoiler)[I agree about the sadness of the ending. How can they continue to exist as they proceed further into their own reality, 'on the moon'. The villagers outside in the grounds of the house no longer concern them. Perhaps in the villagers mind they are dead and the house is haunted. How long can they keep providing food? (hide spoiler)]
Their clothes (view spoiler)[are very bizarre, Constance in Uncle Julian's suits and Merricat using curtains for dresses. Does this have any deeper significance?
I was expecting more of a twist at the end and wondering if I have missed something. (hide spoiler)]

[Katrisa]

I saw that there was a 2018 movie of this book so I am watching it. So far it is spot on! And Crispin Glover plays Uncle Julian! He is perfect!

[Odette]

Katrisa wrote: "I saw that there was a 2018 movie of this book so I am watching it. So far it is spot on! And Crispin Glover plays Uncle Julian! He is perfect!"

Thanks, sounds good! I will have to look for it.

[Katrisa]

They did a great job with the movie version. It was really well cast and they really nailed the tone of the book. They upped the sexual tension with Constance and Charles and there is a surprise addition to the ending but I liked the changes made and it still rings true to the story.

[Anusha]

I just finished Chapter 1 and found the beginning very gripping. (view spoiler)[I can't imagine how Mary survives the hate from the villagers, it sounds like a tiring journey. I am not sure how old Merricat is, but I would assume at any age people speaking ill of you is hard to ignore in the long term. (hide spoiler)]

[Anusha]

I just finished Chapter 6.
(view spoiler)[ I am getting annoyed by Constance. Why can't she see Charles is not an honest man? So far, I haven't liked him and feel he is a devious character taking advantage of Constance. I would like to join Marnie in cooking up an arsenic pie for Charles. (hide spoiler)]

[Anusha]

I finished it now.

I liked how the story picked up the momentum, especially the creepy atmosphere set by the narrator. I felt all the characters were a little strange. I was hoping some of my questions would be answered by the end, but (view spoiler)[I was disappointed. I was curious to know why Constance was afraid to venture outside. Was she always an agoraphobic, the result of losing the family and the consequent trial? Probably?
The ending wasn't what I expected. How can they live enclosed forever in that small space and on the generosity of the villagers? More importantly, why were the villagers being generous all of a sudden, when previously they hated them enough to destroy their home?
(hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Anusha wrote: "I finished it now.

I liked how the story picked up the momentum, especially the creepy atmosphere set by the narrator. I felt all the characters were a little strange. I was hoping some of my ques..."


I think we had very similar takes on the ending. (view spoiler)[ It is too absurd of them to think they can stay in that house. They are not rational. The villagers were nasty for a lot longer than they were kind. I like how they are nasty in public but kind in secret. (hide spoiler)]

[Grainne]

I finished chapter 8! (view spoiler)[ Merricat can feel that a change is coming and it is clear that she does not like change. When Uncle Charles arrived, he came empty handed which I thought was strange as he had not seen them in a long time. Also, his Dad has not approved of Merricat's family or supported them through the trial so I am getting the impression that he is not of great character.

Merricat is the one who poisoned her family and now she has set fire to the house all the while hoping that her cousin Charles will be blamed! It's incredible how spiteful she is and how much she wishes others in her family and the village harm. I had my suspicions that she might be the culprit and it doesn't surprise me, what does surprise me is that Constance knew and continues to live in the same place as her. I also feel sorry for Uncle Julian as he is old and deserves to live out the rest of his years in peace. He has died in the house fire and the doctor is reporting it as a heart attack. (hide spoiler)]

[Grainne]

I finished the book. In the final two chapters we get to see the relationship between (view spoiler)[ Merricat and Constance get stronger while their opposition to the village folk gets weaker. If anything the remaining Blackwood girls don't want anything to do with any of the villagers where as before they permitted tea ceremonies and the like with a select few. They live sparsely but seem to be content with each other. It's a shame that they haven't rebuilt it with all their wealth but they don't want the interference. Charles' reappearance didn't surprise me, of course he was going to come back for the money. I am glad the girls held strong. (hide spoiler)]

[Odette]

It is interesting to catch up on comments as I was distracted last week with the Toppler.
I was pleased to have read this book. I enjoyed the author's style of writing and found the storyline quite captivating. Though, parts of it were hard to read with some unlieable characters.
The downside for me was the ending, which was disappointing, as it is does not appear to be sustainable or realistic and is open to many interpretations.

[Jayme, Moderator]

If you haven't already reported that you read the book, head on over to the reporting thread and do it soon. I will be posting badges Sunday night.