Shirley Jackson is, of course, best remembered for The Lottery (see review), one of the great short stories of all time, and for The Haunting of Hill House, which has twice been made into a movie.  But this terrific novel is every bit as good as those others and may in fact be the best thing she ever wrote.

From what I've read, it seems that Ms Jackson's work may well have been an expression of her own psychological problems.  If that's true, this story is even more frightening.  It is about two sisters, the older one meek and shy, the other assertive and nearly demonic, who barricade themselves inside a gutted mansion to escape the local townsfolk who torment them because they suspect that the girls were involved in the mass killing of four family members.

The psychological overtones are plentiful and troubling.  There is, first of all, the sense in which it appears that it is only when together that the two sisters form one complete personality.  Second, the crime involved is not merely murder, but murder of the family, that ancient taboo.  Third, the two are completely alienated from the society around them, even ignoring the few friendly neighbors who come by to try and help.  Jackson apparently had a horrendous relationship with her mother and with the people of Bennington, where she lived.  Local legend even had it that The Lottery was based on an incident where local boys threw stones at her.  Finally there is a strong indication that not only are the girls happier in their isolation, they may truly be better off by themselves and they may be more "normal" than the people in town.

At any rate, the story is creepy and sly and a great deal of fun.  This is one of the truly great gothic horror novels of all time.

(Reviewed:17-Dec-99)

Grade: (A+) Orrin C. Judd

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