tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post8760091071628953143..comments2024-03-28T11:17:43.586+00:00Comments on Read-warbler: We Have Always Lived in the Castle, plus photosCathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-70316051246642055442009-09-18T08:04:37.290+01:002009-09-18T08:04:37.290+01:00Tara: so glad you liked the photos. My next batch ...Tara: so glad you liked the photos. My next batch will from a day out in North Cornwall yesterday.<br /><br />I agree with you about the book, I really liked the unusualness of it. The Haunting of Hill House is the other book by her that a lot of people seem to read. My library doesn't have it but I did manage to find a book of her short stories to read for RIP.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-30474337535259360542009-09-16T16:51:02.497+01:002009-09-16T16:51:02.497+01:00I love those photos!
I really like this book and ...I love those photos!<br /><br />I really like this book and loved the creepy atmosphere. I think I agree with you in that the secret isn't really so secret. I found it satisfying just the same though. I want to try something else by Jackson one of these days.Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07208766776468157501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-44821229541396657982009-09-10T19:45:52.839+01:002009-09-10T19:45:52.839+01:00Paperback reader: I think there may be an awful lo...Paperback reader: I think there may be an awful lot of American authors - and other nationalities - whose books we've never heard of. Everything was so insular before the internet. A few classic authors crossed the boundaries from various sides but a lot of really good authors never did. At least now we have a chance to catch up!<br /><br />I wondered that myself, Nicola, and am not sure of the answer. I Capture the Castle is the older of the two books I believe so it could well be that Jackson meant there to be a connection. But I can't personally see what it would be. <br /><br />No, I wouldn't call it a YA book but I'm not sure why. Teens could read it but I wouldn't give it to anyone under 15 as it's really quite an unsettling book.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-89896417161512271762009-09-09T23:32:21.021+01:002009-09-09T23:32:21.021+01:00Cath, I'm intrigued by that book and your revi...Cath, I'm intrigued by that book and your review. Is the title an allusion to I Capture the Castle? Is it a young adult book?Vintage Readinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05971819409379613967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-81635537166394789442009-09-09T16:09:21.862+01:002009-09-09T16:09:21.862+01:00I can't wait until my copy of this arrives and...I can't wait until my copy of this arrives and I hope it delivers. I am sorry it didn't for you however.<br /><br />I think that we in the UK have been deprived of Shirley Jackson; I too only came across her a few months ago via "The Lottery" and felt a little ignorant when I realised she is taught in schools in the US. I am pleased that Penguin are re-releasing her work here so that she is easily accessible.Paperback Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579608422235511054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-5021853496558623072009-09-08T14:09:21.202+01:002009-09-08T14:09:21.202+01:00Susan: Glad you enjoyed the photos.
I'll sear...Susan: Glad you enjoyed the photos.<br /><br />I'll search out The Haunting of Hill House at some stage. I'll probably end up reading it for *next* year's RIP. LOL.<br /><br />Book Pusher: I agree, the cover art of this one is absolutely superb and suits the book perfectly.<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed the photos. This is my favourite time of year. I don't deal with extreme heat all that well so do not envy you your hot Aussie summer. But I bet it's beautiful there all the same!Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-86905567316077010342009-09-08T13:17:34.426+01:002009-09-08T13:17:34.426+01:00I am quite intriqued by this one, the title and th...I am quite intriqued by this one, the title and the cover art are attractive, thanks for the informative review, I will keep this one in mind.<br />Your photos are just beautiful, I wish I was in nice, cool, misty England, we are about to enter the hot days of spring and summer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-39730325749358400972009-09-05T17:49:39.453+01:002009-09-05T17:49:39.453+01:00Love the photos, Cath! they are superb, moody and...Love the photos, Cath! they are superb, moody and just right for RIP. Thank you so much!<br /><br />I really enjoyed your review of We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I have always found it very creepy and claustrophobic also. Haunting of Hill House is superb - like your other commenter said- better in many ways - truly frightening too - so I hope you can get to that soon. <br /><br />You are doing so well at this challenge! Yikes, I've just started my first book! lolSusanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09095246748581382752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-90974219926354431862009-09-04T23:18:12.274+01:002009-09-04T23:18:12.274+01:00Booksplease: I'm certainly tempted to try some...Booksplease: I'm certainly tempted to try some of Jackson's other books now. Always good to discover a new supernatural writer.<br /><br />Carl: to me Charles was a tiny bit clichéd - too much the typical 'cat among the pigeons' almost psychotic bad guy. There was not enough subtlety. But I still liked the book despite having one or two issues with it.<br /><br />Glad you liked the photos - I think that building was in fact the place where that scene in the P&P movie was filmed. It was also used for a scene in the BBC's recent adaptation of Bleak House (highly recommend that if you've never seen it). The gardens are used a lot in filming because of their uniqueness.<br /><br />Kate: so pleased you enjoyed the photos. Stourhead has many moods and I've seen a few but never like this - it was magical.<br /><br />I'll check my library catalogue to see if they have The Haunting of Hill House. You've definitely made me want to read it now. This always happens to me with RIP... I make a list of my own and then proceed to read people's recs rather than my list! LOL.<br /><br />Thanks for your comment.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-85718365204864313662009-09-04T17:33:15.700+01:002009-09-04T17:33:15.700+01:00Wonderful review - and amazing photographs! Mist b...Wonderful review - and amazing photographs! Mist be damned - they're beautiful, atmospheric, and perfect for this review too.<br /><br />I read Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House before I read this one, and I do think that Hill House is a superior tale on just about every level. The characters were more complex, as was the story, plot, and setting, and Hill House was much more deeply psychological. I did enjoy Castle, just not as much- I too guessed the secret well in advance of the reveal. But Jackson's writing is fantastic, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.<br /><br />Thanks for the great review!Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314153391153507955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-62659545480097545632009-09-04T13:34:25.251+01:002009-09-04T13:34:25.251+01:00Great review. I read it last year and really enjo...Great review. I read it last year and really enjoyed it. I think my biggest problem with it (Possible Spoiler) is that I didn't find the actions of Charles to be very genuine. I felt like he was a bit of a gold digger all along and it seemed to me that he gave up too easily in the end. Perhaps it is seeing too many modern movies, but I expected him to have a more violent reaction than he did. I still really enjoyed the book though. It was very atmospheric and creepy and well written. Perfect reading for this time of year.<br /><br />Your photos are lovely. The bridge and the place with columns remind me so strongly of a specific scene in the Keira Knightely version of Pride and Prejudice.Carl V. Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15948764216438379394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-80540532135018138602009-09-04T07:36:44.850+01:002009-09-04T07:36:44.850+01:00Lovely photos - so atmospheric.
I really liked We...Lovely photos - so atmospheric.<br /><br />I really liked We Have Always Lived in the Castle. I too guessed the secret very quickly but it was the working out that intrigued me and as you say Merricat's head is a very confused head! She is a distubed and disturbing character. It's a macabre tale, portraying fear, resentment, hostility and persecution. Yes, genuinely creepy!BooksPleasehttp://www.booksplease.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-22101673035936182922009-09-03T23:35:25.411+01:002009-09-03T23:35:25.411+01:00Caitlin: It's an interesting book and I unders...Caitlin: It's an interesting book and I understand why you would have a fondness for it. I was kind of surprised at how much I empathised with Mary Katherine myself!<br /><br />Val: Glad you like the photos. I agree that book reviews are useful not only to tell you what you might like but also to warn against books that you probably won't.<br /><br />Hi Pat. I don't think this book would be your kind of thing. There's not a great deal about it that's cheerful.<br /><br />I was bemoaning the misty conditions on Monday until I realised that my photos would be quite atmospheric because of them.<br /><br />GeraniumCat: Stourhead is beautiful and quite famous as a TV series and film location. A scene from Bleak House was filmed there for instance and something Austen but I can't remember what.<br /><br />The Jackson book is well worth a read if you like that kind of thing. The writing is just fantastic.<br /><br />I found Witch Wood in the library today but not The Hound of Death unfortunately. <br /><br />Nymeth: it's just one of those things with books, win some, lose some, but it certainly was not a *bad* read.<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed the photos.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-89008303777152759512009-09-03T22:02:41.970+01:002009-09-03T22:02:41.970+01:00I'm sorry to hear the novel didn't quite d...I'm sorry to hear the novel didn't quite deliver for you. And wow, what gorgeous photos!Ana S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16092495983972185943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-52944919225322614632009-09-03T20:03:25.919+01:002009-09-03T20:03:25.919+01:00Your photos of Stourhead are just lovely, I want t...Your photos of Stourhead are just lovely, I want to go there.<br /><br />I've been meaning to read the Jackson book for ages, I really like the sound of it. I'm impressed at how much you've managed to read and blog about already.Jodie Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02442935205880334932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-27281454614281458652009-09-03T18:42:30.536+01:002009-09-03T18:42:30.536+01:00I have too many books to consider this one...but g...I have too many books to consider this one...but gads those photo's are fantastic Cath!! The fog does them justice! I envy you England!DesLilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582481597658080464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-58302904364552288462009-09-03T18:15:47.804+01:002009-09-03T18:15:47.804+01:00Beautiful photo's (Good book review too ...not...Beautiful photo's (Good book review too ...not my kind of book so a nice head's up so to speak)Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03003915263556622215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-25366360016493588222009-09-03T16:40:32.501+01:002009-09-03T16:40:32.501+01:00Cool photos & good review. I've always ha...Cool photos & good review. I've always had a fondness for this book.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00374987261333318644noreply@blogger.com