Now that Halloween has been over for several weeks, it’s been easier for me to get my hands on some spooky novels! Also, ever since reading and watching the biographical but largely fictional, Shirley, I’ve found myself more interested in reading her works. I figured what better way to start than with her very popular, The Haunting of Hill House. Selfishly, I also chose to read this because I want to watch the series, but I have been too afraid to do so. I figure if I give it a read first it might calm my nerves about eventually watching it.
However, I could tell within the first few pages that this was going to differ greatly from the Netflix adaptation. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it’s a good thing to realize going into it. I do know in the series the Crain family revisits Hill House after a recent tragedy to relive their initial tragedy in the house. In the novel, a lot of the first names are the same, but no one is related. Essentially, four strangers decided to live in the house for a time to mark down any occurrences they experience. They were all chosen because they had encountered supernatural incidents in their lives at some point.
The house is described with palpable detail. heavy doors, dark rooms, odd angles, a maze of rooms, and an inexplicable cold spot. The four agree early to never venture off alone lest they get lost in the house (very possible). Pretty early into their stay, Eleanor and Theodora encounter an aggressive spirit, and Dr. Montague and Luke determine that perhaps they are being deliberately split up. Events like this keep happening throughout the novel. Eventually, Eleanor seems to be possessed by the house, so Dr. Montague and Luke force her to leave. Her fate in the novel is as tragic as it is in the show, so I’ll let you make your own inferences.
I liked that Jackson never made it totally clear whether or not Eleanor was part of the cause of the some of the events taking place in the house, or if she was imagining things that were happening to her. It is clear that the house was haunted, but it was ambiguous enough to keep you wondering at times. I will confess that this book gave me the willies a few times, but it’s actually made me excited to watch the show. Even though I know there will be some major differences, I have no doubts that they’ve paid homage to Jackson’s horror.