The Haunting of Hill House

Creeping me out is not that easy. I can watch ghost movies or read scary books right before bedtime and then sleep like a baby. Turns out the supposedly scary books I've read have been too obvious, or perhaps a little too weird, for me to take seriously.

Stephen King is all well and good, but I've never found any of his creations truly frightening. Probably because I just can't see a sentient car trying to kill me.

Visiting a house which is known to be haunted and having the heck haunted out of you, however, seems possible to me.

Shirley Jackson, as the undisputed queen of 20th century Gothic tales, was a master at creating a chilling atmosphere. I love those moments in books where I stop reading and gasp aloud. Usually, they're brought on by the pieces of a mystery falling into place or a sudden revelation. I can't ever remember having that reaction because something was so spooky. Until now. Twice while reading The Haunting of Hill House, I jumped back, wide eyed because the story had lulled me and then shaken me violently.

But the scary bits are just a tiny part of what makes this book so wonderful. The characters are real and intricate, especially the two women. Eleanor and Theodora take Dr. Montague up on his invitation to investigate the titular haunting and find themselves instant friends.

The vast majority of the book comes to us from the perspective of Eleanor, a narrator of dubious reliability. But is it Eleanor herself who is unreliable or is the house affecting her in strange ways? She is a highly imaginative woman whose stifling life has made her hungry for the enchantments of stone lions and picnics by a brook. Her desperation to belong draws her toward any available port and Theodora's easy camaraderie gives her hope that she will find a home with her somehow.

As Laura Miller points out in this edition's introduction, Jackson frequently presents the reader with two paired women as representations of her own dual personality. She could write about the bleakest, most distressing topics, but at home she was the happy mother and hostess. Drawing on this chaotic version of domestic bliss, she wrote articles about her real life for women's magazines. How fortunate she was to find a willing audience for both the darkness and the light inside her.

Activation by Adam Gellert

I just recently got back into the free review copy game. In other words, I've been entering to win free books through Goodreads.com. Earlier this week I received a copy of Activation by Adam Gellert.

Christian books can be hit or miss and I'm picky about what I choose to read. The description was:

     "When God decides to activate and transform your life, amazing adventures await. Join Adam Gellert and his family on a journey of incredible revelations and discoveries, and see how God desires to reveal His true nature to all of us, His children. Are you ready for your ACTIVATION?

Winner of the 2016 Henri Christian Literary Award for Best Non-Fiction!"

So I decided it sounded pretty good, even though it seemed to be some kind of self-help book. I can count the number of self-help books I've read on one hand, thanks to that book I read on improving your digital math. (Get it, digital math?  Ha!) But I try to keep an open mind. And it turns out that this isn't actually a self-help book, which is a good start. It's simply the story of a man's developing interactions with God.

Activation has something else going for it. Christian authors are usually earnest, positive people. But their writing and editing skills sometimes leave something to be desired. I don't know why that is. Maybe the excitement of getting the book to the presses and getting their word out there leads to a rushed job. Gellert, however, is a pretty decent writer. The grammar is not always flawless and I noticed what appeared to be a typo, but overall this is some solid work.

As an author, Gellert's voice is engaging and encouraging. There's no holier than thou patronizing here. He is straightforward with the reader when it comes to times he has under performed in his faith and tells us over and over that we shouldn't sell ourselves short. The book also flows nicely, which makes it a quick read. The Activation Application section at the back boils each chapter down to a few concise and thought-provoking questions, followed by suggested scriptures.

The message I will personally take away is about prayer. I have sometimes been reluctant to pray for big, miraculous things because I know that while God hears our prayers, only He knows what is best for us. Most of the time, I just pray for God to guide the situation and help me toward the best outcome. But the feeling I got from reading Adam Gellert's personal story is that you should absolutely ask for outrageous things. Why? Because God loves each of us and wants what is best for us. Things WILL NOT always work out the way you want because God may have plans to use what seems like a tragedy for ultimate good. And as long as you accept whatever God's answer is, you should never be afraid to go to Him and ask.

~~~I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads Giveaway~~~