Review: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

 The Haunting of Hill House  by Shirley Jackson,was published in 1959 by Viking books, my copy was published in 2006 by Penguin books. The introduction to the book was by Laura Miller.

I am not a big horror fan, used to be in my 20's but as you grow older and hear the atrocities you realize you tend to live horror everyday. I have watched various ghost hunting shows and find them very interesting. I have always believed in entities, especially when my grandmother told me the figure passing behind her was my grandfather just checking up on her. Not a malevolent entity. 

Hill House is a little different as you are introduced in the beginning about the house that wished to be left alone. Enter a Dr. Montague who studies the occult, his assistant Theo, the future owner of the house, and Eleanor. Eleanor was brought in because the Dr. thought that she may have a poltergiest connected to her from a past experience. 

Eleanor arrives first, is introduced to the caretaker and the housekeeper, who basically tell her she should leave. The house description is great, she sees that the walls don't quite match, her room is dark, everything in the whole house is dark. On her way to Hill House she fantasizes about her escape from her current life and wouldn't be nice to live in a little place hidden by oleanders. Hill House is nothing like she expects or even hoped for, she thinks about leaving when the next guest arrives. 

Theo is all personality and tries to get Eleanor to not be afraid, but I feel that she abuses their tenuous friendship, constantly pointing out Eleanors feelings. But at first they are both thinking the house is a little weird, especially the housekeeper.

Luke is the potential owner of the house but he is young and full of life. Theo eventually tells Eleanor that he is a rake. He arrives with Dr. Montague. 

The real action does not start until midway through the book, but there is always a feeling that something is about to happen. To me it does not read scary, but I am sure in 1959 it was very scary type of book and I am sure the movie or miniseries of today will use CGI to make you jump, startle and hide your eyes. I need to watch the mini-series. 

But before the hauntings begin, there is the change in the attitude of Eleanor, talking to herself, trying to fit in and eventually getting angry at the people in the house. The end was unexpected but it shouldn't have been because of the foreshadowing in the book. Nobody leaves Hill House unless it wants them to leave. 

I liked th book, but I am preparing myself for the changes in the plot when I watch it. My daughter who has watched the mini-series says she is going to read the book. Then we are going to discuss the changes. 

Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

This is one of the books from my list of books first published the year I was born. It is Agatha Christies 29th Hercule Poirot story. In this book Hercule Poirot is somewhat retired only acting as a consultant. In fact the whole scenario plays out and he comes in about midway through the book. 

The cast of characters include, a headmistress at Meadowbank, an all girls school. She has a friend who helped develop the school and make it a high rated school, they are Miss Bulstrode and Miss Chadwick. Remember woman teachers are not to be married. Then there are the other mistresses of the school teaching various subjects and the girls themselves. Each their own precocious selves. 

But that is not the only place, we travel to another place called Ramat, where there is about to be an overthrow of the government. A british escort to the Prince of Ramat is about to receive a package from Prince Ali Yusuf to secret away from the country. Our escort, Bob Rawlison just happens to have family in the area and he hides it discretely away in their things. 

So with the revolution about to start British people are asked to leave, others are sabatoged and the whole mess lands in Meadowbank unbeknowst to any of the mistresses. Two deaths later and in comes Hercule Poirot, having been asked by an unlikely person to intervene.

Lovely twists and turns, felt like I could not put the book down and I figured out the culprit or culprits pretty easily. Especially, when the phrase "cat among the pigeons" was said on multiple occasions.

Good book, to while away the hours.

I have read over a hundred books since my last blog, a long time ago- it seems like at least 5 years. I have never finished my reading challenge of 100 books that you need to read in a facebook challenge. I only have two to go and for reasons unknown to me I just can't get them done. One is the Golden Notebook - Doris Lessing and the other is Marcel Proust- Swann's Way.

I vow to get them read but have started a new challenge for myself. This year I am going to read at least ten books written (published) in 1959.

This is the list- not in any particular order

1. Cat Among Pigeons-Agatha Christie

2. Goldfinger- Ian Fleming

3.The Sirens of Titan- Kurt Vonnegut

4. Endurance -Alfred Lansing

5. Echo in the Skull-John Brunner

6. Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlein

7-10 are still being debated. 

I am also doing reviews of books on Goodreads.