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Cover of We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Horror · Classics

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

by Shirley Jackson

3.9 out of 5, from 953 ratings from Hardcover readers

Eighteen-year-old Merricat lives with her sister and ailing uncle in a large house outside a village that shuns them, since poison killed the rest of the family years ago. A visiting cousin disturbs their routine.

Facts last checked 2026-10-16

First published
1962
Pace
Slow
Length
Short
Pages
146
Format
Standalone
Borrow free with Libby Compare prices Save to my shelf

Read this if you want a short, strange, beautifully written gothic with a narrator you cannot quite trust.

Skip this if you want a conventional plot or a clear moral.

The feel

Content warnings

  • Death
  • Bullying

Also reported by Hardcover readers:

  • Fire/Fire injury
  • Murder
  • Violence
  • Mental illness
  • Death of parent
  • Confinement
  • Schizophrenia/Psychosis
  • Sexism

Quick answers about We Have Always Lived in the Castle

What is We Have Always Lived in the Castle about?
Eighteen-year-old Merricat lives with her sister and ailing uncle in a large house outside a village that shuns them, since poison killed the rest of the family years ago. A visiting cousin disturbs their routine.
Who should read We Have Always Lived in the Castle?
Read it if you want a short, strange, beautifully written gothic with a narrator you cannot quite trust. Skip it if you want a conventional plot or a clear moral.
How long and how fast is We Have Always Lived in the Castle?
It is a slow-paced, short read of about 146 pages, first published in 1962.
Does We Have Always Lived in the Castle have content warnings?
Content we flag: Death, Bullying.
Can I borrow We Have Always Lived in the Castle for free?
Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends We Have Always Lived in the Castle; the borrow button above searches it for you.
What should I read after We Have Always Lived in the Castle?
Readers who liked it often move on to The Haunting of Hill House, Rebecca, The Turn of the Screw.

Where to get it

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