"We Have Always Lived in the Castle" Book Review 6/11/13

Title: We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Author: Shirley Jackson

Genre: Horror? I'm actually not sure on this one. We'll just go with Speculative Fiction

Date Published: 1962

Rating: 5/5

Yay! I finally got around to reading this novella by one of my favorite authors ever! And boy am I glad I did. We Have Always Lived in the Castle was just... fascinating! The tale centers around the Blackwood family consisting of sisters Mary Katherine and Constance and their Uncle Julian. From the very first paragraph , told in the first person from Mary Katherine (Merricat)'s point of view, we learn that the rest of the Blackwood family is dead. The chilling tale centers around the daily routine of the Blackwood sisters and the obstacles Constance must face after being convicted of poisoning her parents. Everyday is pretty much the same except for the days when Merricat goes into town to buy groceries. It is obvious that the townspeople despise the Blackwood's and a popular trend for the young boys of the town is to tease Merricat about Constance being a murderer. When Cousin Charles comes to visit, everything changes for the sisters. Charles seeks change in the Blackwoods' lifestyle, something that is alien to the sisters. The climax of the novella occurs when the Blackwood house is set on fire. By the conclusion of the story, it's obvious that Merricat is not sane. She acts like a ingenuous child on the outside and her thoughts demonstrate that of a mentally disturbed individual. For example, Merricat's fantasies that she tells Constance about. She reminisces about how they will visit the moon on her Pegasus where tasty plants grow. When Merricat is in town she imagines in her mind that she is walking on their dead bodies. She has a dream that her family is still alive and is seated at the dinner table where she orders them to "bow down to Merricat" and they obey her every command. It also becomes apparent that Merricat is the true murderer of her parents. Constance acts as a matronly figure to Merricat, even taking the blame for the murder. Even though Merricat is "crazy" and a murderer, I still felt really sorry for her. It's almost like she's an innocent child that doesn't know right from wrong. Shirley Jackson uses the motif of isolationism throughout the story. The Blackwoods are virtually cut off from the rest of the world, and they shut out all outside influence and refuse change of any sort. Jackson wrote We Have Always Lived in the Castle towards the end of her life and I think she was trying to tell us something. People may say she's "crazy" or a nutcase because of he content of her work, but I think she was just severely misunderstood. What I gather from all of the stories I've read by her, is that she feels trapped inside her own mind because she's different and she's isolated from society in that sense. I respect Shirley Jackson so much, and I appreciate her work because I understand it. I think only certain people can truly appreciate We Have Always Lived in the Castle because they understand it. I am one of those people, and I can honestly say that Shirley Jackson is brilliant. There will never be another author like her. I sincerely hope that wherever she is now, she is happy and at peace. I apologize for the somber tone of this post, but I refuse to poke fun at Shirley Jackson's achievements. Thank you for reading this, and hopefully I convinced you to check out We Have Always Lived in the Castle.

Enjoy your summer, be a Potterhead, sing like a Mockingjay, and above all... respect that nature!
~Sam 
aka The Black Rose Librarian ^_^