Search - The Haunting of Hill House

With all the hype I was expecting a book that would give me chills. While it was an interesting (if quick) read, I didn't think it was scary at all. This is one of the very few times that I have actually preferred a movie version to the book itself.

Since I had seen the original movie (the b/w version of The Haunting), I was able to visualize the characters based on that. But I don't think the book alone would have brought the images as much to life. For example the first manifestation of the pounding on the door was extremely vivid in the movie, but I didn't get the same sense from reading the book.

I was more afraid reading the book than the "recent" movie. If you are into thrillers, this will is a good one.

I decided to read this novel because I love Shirley Jackson's short stories, and I was just as happy with this book. Jackson did a great job at creating subtle, yet effective, suspense. If you like psychological thrillers and excellent writing, you'll love this book. In a society where the art of story telling is being replaced by movie making, this is still a classic. I enjoyed this much more than the movie.

Four people team up to spend a summer in Hill House, a known haunted house that the rest of the townsfolk avoid after dark. Lots of interesting paranormal events happen and one member of the group feels especially drawn to the Hill House. I've read this book several times and each time I get scared reading it--a testament to how well this book was written. This is simply the best haunted house story I've ever read, and I read a lot. Stephen King also recommends this book!

My favorite part of this book was Shirley's descriptions of the house. They were so intriguing, creative and creepy. Seeing the changes the characters were going through was so entertaining and interesting too. I really enjoyed reading it. The only thing I didn't like is that the ending is fairly predictable. I had it figured out around half-way through and that killed the suspense.

Still a great, well-written read though. I have never seen the movie so I couldn't compare it to that.