The Haunting by Shirley Jackson

The Haunting by Shirley Jackson

copyright = 1959
pages = 246
source = purchase
date completed = 10/20/08

In this book Dr. Montague leases Hill House, a known haunted house, for the summer. He invites several people to join but only two respond--Theodora and Eleanor. He is also required to have a member of the family that owns the house there--Luke. The Doctor's intention is to scientifically examine the psychic phenomenon that occur in the house. However his method is mainly just to have the inhabitants observe and take notes.

I found this story pretty spooky but short. It almost seems unfinished even though the house does claim it's victim. The interactions among the characters were strange--like they already knew each other, but they had just met. And I could never figure out if there was some tryst going on between Theodora and Luke, Eleanor and Luke, or Theodora and Eleanor. Perhaps it's just because of the decade it was written in--they all seemed too friendly. Overall I liked the story and put the original movie on my Netflix list to see how it compares.