In 'The Haunting of Hill House', a group of individuals gathers at a mysterious mansion to delve into the paranormal. As they confront eerie phenomena, their deepest fears and insecurities come to the surface. The house itself seems alive, weaving an unsettling atmosphere that engulfs them. Relationships fracture and sanity is tested, leading to a chilling climax. Can they escape the sinister grip of Hill House, or will it claim them forever?
By Shirley Jackson
Published: 2019
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream."
The greatest haunted house story ever written—the inspiration for the hit Netflix horror series! First published in 1959, Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House has been hailed as a perfect work of unnerving terror. It is the story of four seekers who arrive at a notoriously unfriendly pile called Hill House: Dr. Montague, an occult scholar looking for solid evidence of a “haunting”; Theodora, his lighthearted assistant; Eleanor, a friendless, fragile young woman well acquainted with poltergeists; and Luke, the future heir of Hill House. At first, their stay seems destined to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable phenomena. But Hill House is gathering its powers—and soon it will choose one of them to make its own.
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“No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.”
The Haunting of Hill House
By Shirley Jackson
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Shirley Jackson (1916–1965) was an acclaimed American author known for her profound psychological horror and chilling explorations of the human experience. Best known for her novel 'The Haunting of Hill House' and the short story 'The Lottery,' Jackson's works often delve into themes of isolation, societal norms, and the macabre hidden beneath the surface of everyday life. With a distinctive writing style that combines suspense, wit, and rich character development, she has left an indelible mark on the genre of horror and is celebrated as an influence on contemporary writers.
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