2022 ONTD Reading Challenge discussion

This is another I've been meaning to read for a while (especially since the movie is coming out) and it fits the theme of unreliable narrator.

I do recommend, once the reader is finished with the book, to take a look at the book's wikipedia page and read up on its themes (it's a very short section).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_Have...

I didn't know anything about Shirley Jackson and so it helped to know what she had in mind when writing the story, what she based it on, her personal context, etc. It really made me understand the book a lot better and to appreciate the story more.

This was a good book but it wasn't as great as The Haunting of Hill House. I really liked it until the last Act. I felt that it tapered off in a boring way rather than going out with a bang, or even a small clash. Also, I saw the "reveal" coming since page 1. That being said, Jackson is a fantastic writer and this was still a good story.

I feel like I'm missing something when it comes to this book but hoping that others in this discussion can enlighten me.

I read the introduction to the book and they gave away the big reveal in it! I was so upset about it. Yeah, I probably would have figured it out on my own but it was still damn upsetting.

Jamie wrote: "This was a good book but it wasn't as great as The Haunting of Hill House. I really liked it until the last Act. I felt that it tapered off in a boring way rather than going out with a bang, or eve..."

I agree, I read it for the March challenge and felt similarly. I really want to like Jackson's stuff, but both Hill House and Castle fell flat for me for very different reasons (though Hill House was a lot better, THAT ENDING!). I wanted so much more from Castle...more explanation, more plot, more motivations...and I hate feeling like that because I don't think the author should have to hold your hand and explain everything, but I feel like more should've been in the book lol

I was hoping for some supernatural elements (view spoiler)[ like maybe one or all of them were actually ghosts? (hide spoiler)].

I just finished this. While I did enjoy it, it still wasn't as good as The Haunting of Hill House. I love Shirley Jackson's prose though. I did appreciate how creepy and strange it was. The whole book kinda felt like an odd dream.