Since I am not experienced in the realm of Shirley Jackson novels, what better introduction could there be than, “The Haunting of Hill House”. This is the story of multiple strangers being invited to a mansion to experience potential encounters of the supernatural. In the first chapter of the book, the opening paragraph is quite a well crafted masterpiece. It was only after reading the entirety of the book that I came to understand what about this strong opening was so great.

With the use of tone and tempo, the author is able to carefully define everything that Hill House embodies while also establishing a foreboding atmosphere for the reader. A small sense of dread for whatever is to come seems to fill the room as the house is described to us. A large and well-structured building where no form of life could function without losing its sanity. And yet, in the same paragraph the house is also defined as well organized with the phrase, “…bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut.” This stark contrast to the first sentence of the opening prompts the reader to think about what aspects of Hill House could make one lose their sanity if the home is so organized and secure. We are coerced into believing there is something more to this large home near a small town from the moment we open the book based on the ominous tone established by the author.

I am a firm believer that each book, regardless of reading level requires 20 to 40 pages of what I call, “adjustment time” which allow the reader to become accustomed to the pacing of the book and the writing style of the author. However this is the first novel I have read where the author actually uses the tempo of the writing to alert the reader to significant moments. The reading seems to become more difficult to fully understand in these moments of high tensity. A couple of examples of this are the very first paragraph where Hill House is first introduced, any of the paragraphs where significant paranormal events occur, and the final paragraph of the book as well. Outside of these instance, the book has a very normal tone to it. There is the standard practice of introducing characters, establishing biases for them early on, and setting the scene for exactly where we are. The book reads as if you are driving on a very smooth paved road and suddenly there is unexpected construction, causing you to veer off into the emergency lane where the road is much less paved and quite patchy. This gives the same effect to readers as it does to drivers of the road by saying, “pay attention”. In order to fully understand the context of what is happening, I had to reread multiple paragraphs from the book and I believe that was the intention. Shirley Jackson also shows off a wonderful talent for persuading the reader to join the side of a specific character, regardless of their flaws.

In the beginning of the book, the tone for the doctor is quite a pretentious one. He seems to be a character who believes himself higher than all others in his own world that he has invited everyone else into. The other members who are invited to Hill House each seems to have exaggerated personalities that are quite obnoxious to interact with. The only sensible character I found myself relating to was the main character, Eleanor. At 32 years of age, you witness each interaction between her and other members of her family as well as everyone from the house which pushes you to her side immediately. As the most sensible and the most relatable of people, she is practically a doormat to all others in her life and seems to be breaking out of her shell for the very first time. As previously stated, she is 32. The fact that she is so deep into her life yet devotes absolutely none of it to herself and her own well being gives the reader a strong yearning to see this character succeed in a world that seems to only tear her down. It is the very emotions you feel which make you love Eleanor that make the ending such a shocking one to digest.

Without providing too much context, you can see how Eleanor become something more than a small woman whose family did not view her as much more than a fly in the same room as them. You question why you saw so much of yourself in her and you wonder if the same events would happen to you when arriving at Hill House. Slowly, each character loses the eccentric pieces of their personality and they form into people who would make similar decisions you would make in the end, yet the book reminds you that they were always this way, and it was you or Eleanor that changed. Any book that forces me to take a long look in the mirror and reevaluate my moral standing is an outstanding book to me.

If it had flaws, it would be in the point of view for the writing and the descriptors of the intense moments. There seems to be targeted descriptions of character interactions in the novel that hint to the viewer the true feelings of the author towards her own cast. You can see a clear preference for some characters versus others based on how they were written. This can also be seen with the moments of high tension. The reader is unable to clearly tell whether something is real or not, and while this is quite appealing to most, that kind of confusion can turn off a less educated audience. Yet, the very portion of the novel that could pose as a weakness becomes its biggest strength by the end by almost making you appreciate the moments of clarity and just how much you come to associate yourself with everyone else. And for that reason, I rate the book an 8 out of 10. Please give it a read and feel free to leave a review as to whether you enjoy or dislike my content.