BOTM for April-We have always lived in the Castle

[Caroline, Moderate]

All discussions to go in this folder. Share with us your thoughts on the book, ur favourite quote or line, the character you like the most or any or everything that you liked about this book.

Readers who have read the book already read the book can also discuss the book but keep away from spoilers or use the spoiler tab.

A little about the Book

Shirley Jackson’s beloved gothic tale of a peculiar girl named Merricat and her family’s dark secret

Taking readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at their estate. This edition features a new introduction by Jonathan Lethem.

Pages - 160

Looking forward to everyone’s active participation and fun discussion.

HAPPY READING!📚📚

[♥ Sandi ❣]

I got this from the library, but it will be a bit later before I can start it.

[Caroline, Moderate]

♥ Sandi ❣ wrote: "I got this from the library, but it will be a bit later before I can start it."

Take your time but do share with us your views

[Makrand]

I have started reading the Book and finished the first Chapter.
I am liking the writing style already.
Although i got confused imagining the directions mentioned. Will read it again to create a mental map.

[Caroline, Moderate]

Makrand wrote: "I have started reading the Book and finished the first Chapter.
I am liking the writing style already.
Although i got confused imagining the directions mentioned. Will read it again to create a men..."

I just started it and it sounds exciting but i m a bit lost too with the directions. I think i need to start all over again

[♥ Sandi ❣]

Intriguing ... hmmmm

[Caroline, Moderate]

Ok, so I finished rereading chapter & all I can say for now is that, this book is gonna take me a while to finish coz I have to read into it slowly to understand what really happening & going on

[Makrand]

Same thoughts while reading Chapter 1.
Casual reading cannot do proper justice to this book. It needs proper attention

[Caroline, Moderate]

Makrand wrote: "Same thoughts while reading Chapter 1.
Casual reading cannot do proper justice to this book. It needs proper attention"

On the second chapter, it seems to be easy going as compared to the first.

I love Mary Katherine's imaginations & all the scenarios she creates in her mind about the village people.

[Caroline, Moderate]

Reading Chapter 5 and I m loving the way the story is going.

Though the first chapter was a little difficult to get through and needed to be read at a slower pace, the remaining chapters are much more easy going and I would pick up some pace with my reading.

Liking the characters and the writing style as well.

What are your thoughts & who is your favourite character till now?

[Caroline, Moderate]

So I finished reading the book & all I can say is that the book has left me confused. I did enjoy reading most of it but the ending just wore me out as the story just went on it circles. There was something terribly missing about this whole book.

The book does showcase some excellent writing and story telling skills by the Author but other than that the book was plotless and no purpose.

[Makrand]

I started reading the book again.
I like the way slowly and gradually things are being brought out to the front. A whiff of a murder by poison by someone within the family.

I particularly think we'll have a callback to Helen Clarke's dialogue with Merricat "You imagine things and if you disregard half of the feelings that you have you would know things aren't as you feel they are".
Also, Helen's remark about Merricat should be punished fro her wild behavior.

This is quite intriguing. Have all finished with the book?

[Caroline, Moderate]

Makrand wrote: "I started reading the book again.
I like the way slowly and gradually things are being brought out to the front. A whiff of a murder by poison by someone within the family.

I particularly think w..."

Yes I m done too. The writing was good but I just didn’t like the end, I felt it quite silly.

[♥ Sandi ❣]

I finished this a week or so ago. I didn't think it added up to its' fame of being a classic. Not a favorite Jackson book. Just a strange little ditty.

[Caroline, Moderate]

♥ Sandi ❣ wrote: "I finished this a week or so ago. I didn't think it added up to its' fame of being a classic. Not a favorite Jackson book. Just a strange little ditty."

So true. I felt the same.

[Makrand]

I finished the book and found it to be absolutely silly.
There were so many WHY's that the author simply ignored.

I've posted a couple questions in my review hoping someone would answer those incase i didn't get a part.

Glad it was a short book!

[Caroline, Moderate]

Makrand wrote: "I finished the book and found it to be absolutely silly.
There were so many WHY's that the author simply ignored.

I've posted a couple questions in my review hoping someone would answer those inca..."

Such a great review. I think the only person to answer your question is the author herself.

The book was really silly, just falsely hyped.

The question that came to my mind was whether anyone in this book was truly alive, except for uncle Julian?

Apart from the writing, nothing was good about this one.

[Makrand]

Caroline wrote: "Makrand wrote: "I finished the book and found it to be absolutely silly.
There were so many WHY's that the author simply ignored.

I've posted a couple questions in my review hoping someone would a..."

Thanks, Caroline.
I agree with you 100%. Uncle Julian's character was the most interesting and real one out there.
Constance died the moment she was arrested and decided to abandon the world. Charles was greedy and Merricat was well Merricat :D

What i loved about the book was the unwavering friendship of the Clarke's! The author did a solid on that one by not giving up on the girls.

[Makrand]

Apart from all this what do you guys think, what must be the reason for Merricat to poison them all?

Maybe her father must have shouted her for one of her antics and the others supported which might have led her to poison them?
All throughout the book, she feels people should die whenever she "feels" they did something bad to her.

[Caroline, Moderate]

Makrand wrote: "Apart from all this what do you guys think, what must be the reason for Merricat to poison them all?

Maybe her father must have shouted her for one of her antics and the others supported which mig..."

Merricat was mental ill and possessed with black magic or some kind of mental disorder is which she had an urge to kill everyone who did something bad to her.

But according to Constance in the book, Merricat poisoned the whole family coz of her father’s abusive nature, so it was some kind of revenge I guess and she must have spared Constance only coz she knew she could cook and that she would care for her after all had dead.

[Caroline, Moderate]

Another question is that “How did Uncle Julian survive?”

And “was Merricat really alive?” coz in one the the chapters we hear Uncle Julian stating that Merricat died in the home/orhanage where she was staying during Constance trail.

I just wish someone could write a prequel to this book, answering all these questions😂😂

[Makrand]

Caroline wrote: "Makrand wrote: "Apart from all this what do you guys think, what must be the reason for Merricat to poison them all?

Maybe her father must have shouted her for one of her antics and the others sup..."

Ok, this explanation makes sense


and yes i remember the statement by uncle Julian about Merricat's death in the orphanage but wasn't that intended to scare Mrs. Wright?

Seriously, someone write a book to explain this because our opinions are against the vast majority of 4's and 5 stars that have been overhyping the book

[Caroline, Moderate]

Makrand wrote: "Caroline wrote: "Makrand wrote: "Apart from all this what do you guys think, what must be the reason for Merricat to poison them all?

Maybe her father must have shouted her for one of her antics a..."

Everyone seems to come up with their own theories and logic to this book, the more I read into the discussion and the questions here on Goodreads.

Overall, a good book to discuss. Hahahaha…

[Caroline, Moderate]

And above all I forgot the mention the highlight of this book, "which is that, this book has its screen adaptation in form of a movie."

I started watching it but didn't want to waste a single minute more on it...