The Haunting of Hill House Review

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is a Gothic Fiction novel about 4 people, Eleanor Vance, Theodora, Luke and Dr. John Montague, who uncover the Hauntings of Hill House, a large mansion. Throughout the novel, the characters experience fear of the unknown. The main character Eleanor is found dealing with her past childhood traumas. Several times in the novel, Eleanor is known for mentioning her mother in lots of her conversation, which was someone Eleanor had unspoken tragic memories with. Eleanor’s stay at Hill House was a life lesson for myself. I loved every single piece of the novel. The Haunting of Hill House was terrifying and after reading a chapter I found myself double checking my surroundings and almost putting myself in the protagonist’s shoes. I began to see all of the tragedies of my past and present as something that should be faced and addressed, not ran away from. For example, how Eleanor reacted with pure fear when she first saw the library or the tower for that matter. I felt a connection with the novel at that point and that was the deciding factor for this novel to become one of my favorites. I did happen to dislike the relationship between Dr. Montague and the other characters. Dr. Montague seemed a little too impersonal and he seemed as if he knew information that he said he did not know, taking away from his overall character. For example, every time Eleanor or Theodora entered a room he was always one step ahead of everyone. Although, he was supposed to be the leader, he didn’t seem very genuine. I recommend this novel to a junior or senior in High School. The Haunting of Hill House was a great novel, though the message is something that younger audiences may not be able to fully grasp or understand. Overall, The Haunting Of Hill House was an amazing thriller!