Colin F. Barnes

I'm struggling to put into words my thoughts on this book. It blew me away on so many occasions that my review just wouldn't do it justice. It is, without doubt, the best 'horror' novel I've read, and perhaps the best book in general, I've read. It certainly rivals Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Something Wicked for that title.

Jackson's prose is mesmerising. She's an adept at subtle characterisation, internal monologue and use of repetition. All of which creates a kids of dream-state of poetry when reading, which drags you so far into the story, even single thing and person feels real.

This is not your average crappy haunted house book. You won't find gore or torture porn murders here. There are no cheap thrills. Instead, you get the raw examination of human nature, human fear, and a creeping sense of inevitability that still shocks when it comes. I can't recommend this book highly enough, and I'm mad at myself for leaving it so long to discover the genius of Shirley Jackson.