The Haunting of Hill House

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Summary: It's incredible!
Review: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is an incredibly written story. I watched the movie after reading the book--- the movie is NOTHING compared to the well-worded, suspenseful novel. This is a spellbinding read for anyone who dares to try it... but you might want to sleep with the light on... I know I did. I kept imagining statues coming to life or hands coming out of the walls to grab me. It's terrifying!

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Summary: This is the all-time best ghost story of the millenium!
Review: This is the ghost story by which all other ghost stories are gauged. I have read this book at least five times over the past 30 years (I read it first when I was 12!) and will read it again this summer. The story strikes at many levels, but the psychological tension between the four characters is the best part of the book. The understated horror effects only add to the chilling atmosphere. The original movie complements the book very well. The new movie is a sad departure from what makes the story work.

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Summary: a real thriller
Review: don't see the movie (remake)...it's horrible and does not do the book justice...(there aren't many movies that do)read the book...then see the original movie, a real black and white thriller...they just don't make them like they used to....don't blame Jackson...she's an incredible story teller!

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Summary: This book will scare the daylights out of you!!
Review: I first read this book when I was about 14, and had to sleep with the lights on! It looks small, but packs quite a wallop of fright! Don't bother with the newest version of the movie, but read the book instead!!!

Rating:
Summary: forget the movie - read this book!
Review: because i loved this book so much, i had to go out and see the movie the haunting - which i regretted. the movie, in spite of a few neat effects and a somewhat promising beginning, bears no resemblance to the book. the screenwriters for some reason chose to change shirley jackson's chilling and extremely well done plot into a ridiculously contrived cheap thrill. don't let the movie discourage you, read this book! it's excellent.

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Summary: 4 people go to a haunted house to spend the summer and......
Review: This book starts of really boring. It talks alot about the people in the book and about one person for almost the entire chapter.Around the 6th chapter it starts getting a little more interesting. At the end of the story something happens that you wouldn't expect to happen. If you like to read books that start out really boring and then hardly get any better then this would be the book for you.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!!!!
Review: Two thumbs way up!! Great Holiday fun!!!

Rating:
Summary: It was a great read.
Review: A great story and I found it a fun read. I would of perferred a different ending. The movie "The Haunting" that was based on this book had a better ending. Still it's a good book to bad Shirley isn't still here.

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Summary: Decent book, but definately see the 1963 Movie....
Review: I for one saw the 1963 movie far before I read the book. While its rarely the case, I felt the movie edged the book in terror and character developement. I havn't seen it mentioned, but does anyone else see a similarity between this book (and movie) and Richard Matheson's Legend of Hell House? Its obvious Mr. Matheson heavily copied the style and scenario of this book (and later the movie Legend of Hell House which was decent in its day as well). I will say that if you enjoyed this book, Read Matheson's as he did it much better despite the obvious similarities.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I have to agree with the reader from San Jose, CA. Where did Jackson come up with that dialogue? I found it to be totally unbelievable. If the characters had been real and honest with each other instead of conjuring up false realities about themselves, and had actually connected in some way, the book would have been far more frightening. The scary scenes in the book were scary, yes, but the poor dialogue and character development hindered my enjoyment of the book as a whole.