Shirley Jackson - We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Shirley Jackson's gothic masterpiece, We Have Always Lived in the Castle, is narrated by Merricat Blackwood, an eccentric and deeply unreliable 18-year-old. She lives in isolation with her agoraphobic older sister, Constance, and their frail, memory-addled Uncle Julian, six years after a family dinner party where everyone else died from arsenic poisoning. Ostracized by the nearby village, the remaining Blackwoods create a strange, peaceful routine for themselves within their crumbling mansion. This fragile existence is shattered by the arrival of their greedy cousin, Charles, who seeks to exploit the family’s wealth. Merricat perceives Charles as a threat to her and Constance’s seclusion and uses superstitious rituals to drive him out, leading to a shocking and destructive climax. The novel explores themes of isolation, mental illness, and female autonomy, all filtered through Merricat's disturbing and compelling perspective.