The Haunting of Hill House

An interesting read

I thought this was a wonderful book, but much of it is very subtle. I found myself feeling sorry for the main character (Eleanor), rather than frightened for her. Her story is a very sad one, and often, it was her character that kept me interested, not the plot itself. The ending leaves many questions about the character of Eleanor and the events at Hill House, but they are questions that are better left unanswered. I was also surprised at the amount of humor in the book. Much of the dialogue between characters was actually funny and it was refreshing amongst the dark nature of the story itself. I came across The Haunting of Hill House after reading Richard Matheson's Hell House, which has a very similar plot (even a similar name). However, Matheson's novel is much more graphic and overall more frightening, I would say. Although I did not find The Haunting of Hill House especially scary, its characters drew me in and made for a very enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A classic that may seem a bit tame by today's standards...

I read this as a teenager after reading Ms. Jackson's classic short story, "The Lottery"(which I loved) in the seventh grade. It is superbly written, but one must remember from a more subtle era. We have become accustomed to a more "in your face" type of fright today. It's good to go back every once in a while and read literature that spawned interest in a genre.

For an updated, fresh story about a haunted house I suggest "The Supernaturals" by NY Times bestselling author David Golemon (Event Group Series). A Ghosthuners type TV show plans a live broadcast on Halloween night from a house with an evil past. It's clever, well-paced, creepy and even pays homage to this wonderful tale.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Sophisticated chill

This book is a perfect ghost story. Jackson had the ability to create fear just by the way her characters and environment interact. Subtle horror permeates even the most mundane moments. I have never yet been able to find a more perfect first paragraph for a book about a haunted house. This story is flawless which is why this book has served as a template for so many other books and movies. Classy

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not what i hoped for

I bought the book hoping that it might be a text of House on Haunted Hill (1959) and when i read it, it was exactly that of "The Haunting" movie that came out a while ago. The Book is just as dry, and also just plain bad. The characters in the book never really become real to you. The horror in the book doesnt even come close to touching you. you could read this book in a dentist waiting room or on a plain, but dont buy it.

1 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

A chilling ghost story

I love this book and reread it at least once year. The terror is understated and leaves a lot to the imagination, which makes it even more effective. Ir ia left up to your imagination what is behind the manifestations at Hill House. Is the house evil or are the manifestations caused by one or more of the participants? The chilling atmosphere is relieved by the arrival of Mrs. Montague and Arthur, a headmaster and friend of the Montagues. The busybody know it all self-styled sensitive Mrs. Montague with her ouija board and the headmaster, Arthur, are only two people who seem to be immune to sensing the presences in the house and provide comic relief. This is the quintessential ghost story and a great read.
The old black and white movie starring Julie Harris and Clare Bloom is wonderful; its only flaw was the omission of Arthur and the reduction of the character of Mrs. Montague to little more than a walk-on. I have seen a play based on the book; it has the same flaw.
As someone else stated, the remake with Catherine Zeta-Jones is an abomination, sharing little but the title with the book. The only thing that can be said for it is that it did have some impressive special effects, none of which was based on events in the book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

imagination

If you like to imagine-really imagine-while you read, this is a great book for it. You can almost hear the sounds, see the scenes, almost draw the floor plan of the Hill House. In some passages, you can also experience a chill sensation in your back. Its 100% terror. Smart terror.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Best haunted house book ever

If you like this book and have never seen the original movie from the sixties, you are in for a treat. It is played on AMC and TCM periodically, and it is nothing and I do mean NOTHING like the remake with Catherine Zeta Jones. That was an abomination. The original movie is very true to the book. Just creepy from beginning to end. The book, however, remains the gold standard in the genre in my opinion. If you read only one ghost story in your lifetime, let this be the one. No gore, no blood, no need for it. Boo!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Not so Haunting, Somewhat Interesting If you are looking to be s

Not so Haunting, Somewhat Interesting
If you are looking to be scared...this is not the book for you. It was written in an engaging way that one could relate to and appreciate the characters. I was never bored throughout. I was seldom excited either.

Highly recommended.

Amazing, after years of watching the original movie production,to realize how closley it followed the book. One of the all time great scarry movies.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Must read

I saw the movie ans i read the book MUST READ!!!!!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Excellent for the right sort of reader

If your sensibilities have been shaped by video, you will probably not like this. If you are sensitive to nuances of language and atmosphere and skilled at turning text into a waking dream, this will chill you to the bone.

Highly Recommended

Real good Ghost story. The best, don't read it alone in the night, in the dark. I live in an old house 84 years old, lots of creaks and grones. I Read it on a cold rainy night in bed with wife sleeping at my my side,our two dogs at our feet and it was indeed very scary. Much better than the 1999 movie or the 1963 movie. Although i picture Catherine Zeta-Jones as Theo (1999 movie). and Julie Harris as Eleanor (1963 movie) As far as movies go The 1963 movie was the best.

Completely Awful

I started reading this book to take up time before another book came out, and I wish I just spent those two weeks not reading. This book was boring from the start. The characters are so weird and annoying it's dreadful to read them talk, or especially, Eleanor think. It's annoying that she repeats the same sentence ALL the time, and it never makes sense. I would never read this book again. It was a complete waste of time and money. DON'T READ IT! Grab a Goosebumps book, it'd be a lot more scarier.

0 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ!

In all my years of reading, I have never read such a piece of garbage. In school I was assigned a book review to write about a classic book. I chose The Haunting of Hill House. I was excited to read this book because my English teacher had us read the lottery by Shirley Jackson, and I enjoyed it. This book sucked! I thought it was going to be a thriller and a horror book. But through out this whole book I did not pick up any of this. It was quite a bore. I recommend that if you have a choice to read this book or get eaten by a dinosaur. Get eaten, it would be much more enjoyable. That was dramatic, but in any case. DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Loved It!

This book was first published in 1959 but can definitely hold its own in today's market. The characters leap right off the pages; they are fun, a little tragic, a little silly. I didn't find it to be a nail-biting horror tail. Instead, the story was more of an expedition into psychological suspense with an edge of paranormal horror. The characters pulled the story along, with Hill House at its center.

Atmospheric

A ghost story...a psychological study...a classic.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Maybe or Maybe not

The Haunting of Hill House didn't get me involved to much, the house itself was described VERY VERY good. Jackson got me to believe I was in the house, but that is pretty much it. The characters you seem to know very well but other then that, not too well.
Good for all ages that want a good book to read.

It was alright...

I had heard great things about this book for a few months now. I decided to go get it from the library. I was kink of disappointed. If you can get through the first 60 pages or so it becomes more interesting. I just really did not like how the characters talked. It really got on my nerves. I was determined to finish the book though...and did. It is an enjoyable story and I can see why so many people like it so much. For me, I just could not get over being annoyed for how they characters talked to each other.

A Gory Fav!

I make it a point to read this book at least once a year and have done so since I first discoverd this title many years ago. A brillaiant horror-fest that leaves me too afraid to turn the lights off!

Outstanding

I had to read this book for a paper I had to write in the 11th grade, and to my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. The suspence, the constant motifs all leading up to the horrific climax. Shirley (Jackson) knows what suspence is all about, and 'The Haunting of Hill House' is just an example of that. For all who are looking for a fun, suspenseful read, 'The Haunting of Hill House' is the book for you!