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The Haunting of Hill House
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Plot Summary of The Haunting of Hill House
"Four people spend creepy nights in Hill House, believed to be haunted by it's deceased owners. Shy inhabitant finds herself strangely attracted to house's past. Story develops nicely, surprisingly suspenseful, believable events and characters. "
David L., Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Haunting of Hill House
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%




Tone of story - Dry-cynical
How difficult to spot villain? - Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story: - 1930's-1950's
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Horror Story? Yes
Horror plotlets - Why do they stay in the haunted house/boat?

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - unemployed
Age: - 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - natural phenomena
Has special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - is very quick - can change shapes - mind reading - super strength - invisibility
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
Motive of antagonist - insanity

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Northeast
Small town? Yes
Small town people: - sinister, like an X-Files Gomer Pyle
Misc setting - fancy mansion

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - moderately detailed references to deaths
How many deaths? - 1
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to The Haunting of Hill House
March Violets by Philip Kerr
Maigret's First Case by Georges Simenon
Cold Streets by P.N. Elrod
The Big Kill by Mickey Spillane
The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy


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