We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

Shirley Jackson is a gem. The Lottery was my first introduction to her and that fully creeped me out so I decided to try We Have Always Lived in the Castle. And we're creeped out again!

I listened to the audiobook from Audible and it was really well done and about 5+ hours long. Mary Kathering (or Merricat) is 18 and lives with her sister Constance and her Uncle Julian in the Blackwood house. There used to be 7 members of the Blackwood family but only 3 remain. The other 4 were poisoned when someone put arsenic in the sugar bowl.

The townspeople hate the Blackwoods and only Merricat goes out for groceries in town and to get the items they need. Constance hasn't left the house since she was acquitted of the murders. In the beginning of the book, I was so angry with the villagers who taunted Merricat to her face as she went about her business. Then, I began to wonder about Merricat. She's 18 but talks like a child. She practices a form of magic to protect their estate and themselves. She seems to be her sister's protector but....is she?

Merricat is the first to detect that a change was coming, and the change would spell trouble for the little family. His name is Charles, and he is their cousin. Charles comes to stay with them for a bit and Constance seems taken with him. We find out rather quickly that he's a pretty terrible person and truly does bring trouble.


This was a strange little book, and Jackson's last, that is very worth reading. Standing out, apart from the norm, brings the bullies down upon people. I think you'll find the sisters have figured out how to handle the world and still be happy. You'll also find out what really happened to the Blackwood family.

(It looks like this is being made into a movie with Sebastian Stan (IMDB link))