We Have Always Lived in the Castle

After I read The Haunting of Hill House I knew I needed to read more by Shirley Jackson. I went with the next — and last — book she wrote: We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Jackson wrote it in 1962 and it has touches of the autobiographical, taking place in a small New England town much like the one she and her husband lived in, North Bennington, Vermont, and deals with themes of othership and relationships between those regarded as others by the villagers.

The narrator, Mary Katherine Blackwood — referred to by her nickname, Merricat, throughout the novel — shows us the isolated world of the Blackwood house and it’s inhabitants. Merricat tries her best to protect the house and what’s left of her family with small magic and protective spells. That can only last so long, of course. She also tells us — through the rambling memories of her Uncle Julian — about the tragedy that killed four members of the Blackwood family.

In 2018 a film adaptation of the story came out. I saw the movie before I read the book and was left underwhelmed. After reading Jackson’s story, I rewatched it and I did appreciate it more, but I don’t think it’s a great adaptation overall.

The novel, however, is excellent. It’s a quick read, but also satisfyingly complex and has great characters. I’ll be going back into Shirley Jackson’s earlier work soon.