We Have Always Lived in the Castle Audiobook By Shirley Jackson cover art

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

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We Have Always Lived in the Castle

By: Shirley Jackson
Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne
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Shirley Jackson’s deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family takes readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, macabre humor, and gothic atmosphere.

Six years after four family members died suspiciously of arsenic poisoning, the three remaining Blackwoods—elder, agoraphobic sister Constance; wheelchair-bound Uncle Julian; and eighteen-year-old Mary Katherine, or, Merricat—live together in pleasant isolation. Merricat has developed an idiosyncratic system of rules and protective magic to guard the estate against intrusions from hostile villagers. But one day a stranger arrives—cousin Charles, with his eye on the Blackwood fortune—and manages to penetrate into their carefully shielded lives. Unable to drive him away by either polite or occult means, Merricat adopts more desperate methods, resulting in crisis, tragedy, and the revelation of a terrible secret.

Jackson’s novel emerges less as a study in eccentricity and more—like some of her other fictions—as a powerful critique of the anxious, ruthless processes involved in the maintenance of normalcy itself.

©1962 Shirley Jackson (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Genre Fiction Gothic Horror Literary Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Unreliable Narrator Scary

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Editor's Pick

A spooky yearly must-listen
"When I first listened to this classic last year, I truly couldn’t believe that I had gone so long without it in my life. With its atmospheric prose, mysterious characters, and a slow revealing plot that's haunting in the purest sense of the word, We Have Always Lived in the Castle has quickly found its way onto my list of top 10 favorite novels (and listens—Bernadette Dunne's performance brilliantly evokes Jackson's melancholy, ominous tone)."
—Sam D., Audible Editor

Gothic Atmosphere • Psychological Depth • Excellent Narration • Beautiful Prose • Perfect Voice Casting

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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Not really, its a story that takes a long time to get to its point. You have to really enjoy listening to stories and have a dedicated imagination to stick with this story.

What does Bernadette Dunne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice helps draw you into a story that would otherwise be painful to follow

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes to compare to my own vision

Eerie but not what you expect

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This was well done and an excellent story, but I can't give it more than a three because I thought it was kind of scary and a little disturbing. If you like kind of scary and a little disturbing, this is an excellent listen.

creepy

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The whole time got me so stressed and curious, I almost ended it in a day. The story seems simple at first, but it's not, it's captivating.

Full of suspense

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Definitely not my favorite audiobook. I kept waiting for a twist or something to perk up my interest but it was mostly slow and confusing at times.

Not my favorite

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This is an interesting story that does remind me of The Lottery in the way it portrays towns folk. The entire story I sat listening feeling disturbed by and sorry for the main characters.

Pleasantly disturbing.

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