We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (Penguin Vitae) (Penguin Classics Deluxe Editions)

by Shirley Jackson

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.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Reviewed by Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub on

3 of 5 stars

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This little book is an eerie delight. It wasn’t at all what I expected, although I really couldn’t say why. I guess maybe I expected more of a gothic atmosphere. I actually thought the book was more entertaining than creepy.

Mary Katherine lives in the family house with her uncle Julian, and her sister Constance. Everyone else in her family is dead, poisoned during a meal. Because of this, everyone in town understandably views them with suspicion and more than a little fear.

Constance won’t leave the house, and Julian can’t, but a visitor shows up in a see-through attempt to woo Constance and find the fortune everyone thinks is hidden in the house. Things build to a crescendo, which I won’t give away.

Merricat (as Mary Katherine is called) has a hateful, spoiled personality, which makes her a fun narrator. Constance is fearful and Julian is a blast to read. His odd quirks make for fun interactions.

I enjoyed this book. It’s a short one; pick it up if you’ve got a few hours to fill.

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  • 22 October, 2019: Reviewed