We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Merricat, said Connie, would you like a cup of tea?

Oh no, said Merricat, you'll poison me.
Merricat, said Connie, would you like to go to sleep?
Down in the boneyard ten feet deep!
~Shirley Jackson, We Have Always Lived in the Castle

I can't believe I had forgotten about Shirley Jackson! In high school, we read Jackson's short story called The Lottery, which provoked quite a bit of discussion among my classmates. It is a disturbing tale in which it is definitely not a good thing to be the "winner". In addition to being very well written, I liked it because it unnerved me in it's subtle horror, and gave me chills with it's startling ending.

Recently, I came across and read another wonderful Shirley Jackson title. We Have Always Lived in the Castle is narrated by 18 year old Merricat Blackwood, who tells us about her life with her sister Constance and Uncle Julian. We learn that she and her family are shunned in their town because 6 years earlier, Constance was suspected of poisoning their mother, father and brother by putting arsenic in their food. However, this strange family has stayed together and lives mostly in solitude, until their cousin Charles arrives. Charles deceptively plans to steal their father's fortune, but Merricat is not fooled and uses drastic and questionable methods to deter him. The story is creepy and may cause your spine to tingle- just great for Halloween!