We Have Always Lived in the Castle is by Shirley Jackson. The classic realistic fiction novella of paranoia and mental illness. Constance and her sister Mary Katherine live with their invalid Uncle Julian in a large home in a small town. Their parents, sibling, Uncle Julian and his wife were poisoned at dinner and only Uncle Julian survived. Mary Katherine had been sent to her room, and since the poison was in the sugar and Constance never ate sugar they both survived. Constance was accused of the crime, but later found not guilty. The townspeople are still scared of the Blackwoods and avoid them when possible, but treat them poorly when they are forced to interact with the town. The situation changes when a cousin appears at the Blackwood home and moves in. A wonderfully creepy tale that is textbook Jackson. Prepare to meet the family who truly put the "fun" in dysfunctional.
Ratings: 9th grade - 10 out of 10.
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