The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson was first published in 1959 and it’s the first book by the author that I’ve read. Lots of bloggers seem to have been reading this book recently and so I thought I would give it a go.

I have to say that I was less than enthralled by the book, but you know what it’s like, maybe it just wasn’t the right time for me to be reading something like this. With everything that’s going on politically at the moment it might be best if I stick to comfort reads for a while!

If you haven’t read the book – it’s about an old house situated in a remote area and the people in the nearest town won’t even admit the place exists. Doctor Montague has been interested in paranormal experiences for years and he arranges for two young women – Eleanor and Theodora – to stay with him at Hill House along with Luke the young owner of the place.

The house has been built strangely, it’s all a bit out of kilter and that goes quite a long way to promoting a strange atmosphere. It wasn’t strange enough for me though. If you’re going to write a ghost story then there’s no point in being niminy-piminy (dare I say spiritless) and restrained about it.

I must admit that I might have been influenced by the fact that I’ve actually lived in a house that was spookier than Hill House, and it didn’t freak me out! Well not much.

I’ll try a couple more of Shirley Jackson’s books sometime though.