two reviews

The Haunting of Hill House / Shirley Jackson

   From the powerhouse that brought us We Have Always Lived in the Castle comes this chilling number, and it is spooksville from start to finish. If I were to describe it in two words, they would be "mounting terror".  (Fun fact: did you know that "terror" and "horror" are related but quite different? Essentially, terror is a dread of something coming, and horror is a mix of disgust and shock plus dread of/for/at something that has already happened. Horror comes after terror. Words! Who knew.) The spookiest part isn't even the ghostly activity, it's how one of the the characters goes completely crazy. She seems pretty normal at first AND THEN: it hits.

   Shirley Jackson makes an art out of creating tension, let me tell you.You know those times when you're going up the stairs and it's dark behind you and all of a sudden your brain decides that something is about to grab your ankle (this can't be just me)? WELL take that weird dread and consternation and spread it in increasing thickness over this book and voila: you now have an idea of what it will feel like to read it.

The Virgin Suicides / Jeffrey Eugenides

   We all know that a book with a smashing first line is proooobably going to be a winner. And oh boy, The Virgin Suicides does not pull any punches:

 "On the morning the last Lisbon daughter took her turn at suicide – it was Mary this time, and sleeping pills, like Therese – the two paramedics arrived at the house knowing exactly where the knife drawer was, and the gas oven, and the beam in the basement from which it was possible to tie a rope."

   And with that: you're stuck. I was considering not even writing about this book because of the subject matter. Let's be clear: there are seven suicide attempts, and five completions. The narrators are very matter-of-fact, and they don't leave anything out. After the youngest Lisbon girl dies, the family descends further and further into despair and shock, and they all deal with it in inadequate ways. They shut up their house, stop going to school, one turns to sex, they set up a shrine to Cecilia, and, finally, the girls all commit suicide and leave their parents to sort out the debris.

   This book is haunting. It's written as a report from the now grown-up neighbourhood boys who were fascinated by the Lisbon girls. They're old enough to be balding, but their lives are still, understandably, defined by the events of one year in their teens.

   I don't even know what to say. I don't know if you should read this or not. The writing is impeccable.

* * * * * 

   On a lighter note: did you guess the movies from a bit ago??? Here they are:

1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
2. Sahara (2005)
3. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
4. The Invasion (2007) 
5. The Lego Movie (2014)

   I don't have to tell you how fantastic Ferris Bueller's Day Off is, or so I hope because if I did then you are missing out on a MASTERPIECE. Speaking of masterpieces, Sweet Smell of Success is one of the best movies I have ever seen. It's about a journalist who ruins people's lives. I KNOW. Get thee to a video store. Sahara is one of those movies I can't help but love; it is full of very convenient coincidences and  implausible fight scenes but, in this case, I care not. If you are looking for a good Valentine's Day movie then may I recommend The Invasion (premise: an alien virus comes to earth and makes it so people CAN'T FEEL EMOTION, it's hilarious [it doesn't mean to be hilarious, it wants to be serious, which makes the hilarity EVEN BETTER {also be prepared for some great lines from Ms Kidman}]) Annnnd everyone and their dog knows about The Lego Movie so I am SIGNING OFF, hasta la vista (howwwww is that spelled?).