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Sep 13, 2017Brontina66 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I found this novel by chance among the library recommendations. I had never heard of Shirley Jackson or her short story "The Lottery." A quick look at the summary convinced me it was worth a try and I am happy that I read it, because I discovered a very interesting author. I am naturalized American and my degree is in British English and German literature, so I am relatively unfamiliar with modern American writers. The story is quite unusual and I liked the way Jackson kept the interest alive using a very basic vocabulary and a very limited number of characters. It's a mystery, so I will not spoil the surprise for anyone, but I have to say that you quickly figure out who the culprit is because of the clear characterization of the two sisters. You also immediately understand what Charles is after, for the same reason. Perhaps one fault with this novel is that the characters are in a way too 'one-dimensional' - Mary Katherine is always "silly Merricat," Constance is always sweet and cooking, Uncle Julian is always forgetful and monomaniac, and Charles is always greedy. However, this is also a very modern novel, dealing (among the other things) with bullying and the strategies we develop to cope with and survive in a world where we don't fit. I plan on reading also Jackson's other books now. Oh, and there is a movie with Taissa Formiga playing Merricat coming out soon.