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joanwolf's review against another edition
4.0
I couldn't stop reading this book once I started, it drew me in immediately. It has its creepy moments (I'm easily startled so they were probably more frightening to me than they will be to other people), but I did really like this book. I have a lot of thoughts about the ending, I will definitely be mulling over this book for a while. I thought the writing was spectacular and beautiful, and while it did have its occasional slow moments I did really enjoy this book. Again, still thinking about the ending, but definitely worth the read.
annadixon76's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
threegoodrats's review against another edition
4.0
Review: http://blog.threegoodrats.com/2010/04/little-stranger-review.html
katykat_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
maryserea's review against another edition
4.0
loved it! 500 pages but felt like 300. also at one point got so creeped out I was looking behind my back on my way to the bathroom in the dark. those are the fun times.
justinkhchen's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars
A classic ghost story in epic proportion—which can be either good or bad depending on expectation, The Little Stranger is atmosphere over drama, telling an uncomplicated plot featuring a small roster of characters, and their relationship with a decaying family manor. The supernatural element is pretty tepid, rarely goes above sighting of relocated object and unidentifiable mark. The characters are not particularly likable, routinely making poor choices, digging themselves further into despair; but Sarah Waters paints a vivid picture with her prose, and I quite enjoy the metaphorical parallel of people being haunted by heritage, bygone class structure and expired societal norm. Also, I love the ending (it does not spoon-feed the reader all the answers)—depending on one's interpretation, it can be extremely chilling and malicious.
If you're seeking shocking horror, and a narrative that gets your heart pumping, The Little Stranger is not that book; even I (as someone who had a good time with it) find the 500+ page count a bit obnoxious for what it has to offer. A case of right book at the right time; I was in the mood for something mellow, something I can simply 'soak' my mind in instead of untangling plot threads or making predictions — in this case the melancholic tale of a family's demise (whether with ghost or without) fits the bill perfectly.
A classic ghost story in epic proportion—which can be either good or bad depending on expectation, The Little Stranger is atmosphere over drama, telling an uncomplicated plot featuring a small roster of characters, and their relationship with a decaying family manor. The supernatural element is pretty tepid, rarely goes above sighting of relocated object and unidentifiable mark. The characters are not particularly likable, routinely making poor choices, digging themselves further into despair; but Sarah Waters paints a vivid picture with her prose, and I quite enjoy the metaphorical parallel of people being haunted by heritage, bygone class structure and expired societal norm. Also, I love the ending (it does not spoon-feed the reader all the answers)—depending on one's interpretation, it can be extremely chilling and malicious.
If you're seeking shocking horror, and a narrative that gets your heart pumping, The Little Stranger is not that book; even I (as someone who had a good time with it) find the 500+ page count a bit obnoxious for what it has to offer. A case of right book at the right time; I was in the mood for something mellow, something I can simply 'soak' my mind in instead of untangling plot threads or making predictions — in this case the melancholic tale of a family's demise (whether with ghost or without) fits the bill perfectly.
laurenmulvi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
5.0
lizawood's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
nwordsmith's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
4.0
For the majority of the book, it seems like the theme was: the true horror is the mental illnesses we found along the way!
However, somewhat predictably, Faraday proved to be an unreliable narrator. The constant doubt and complete unwillingness to even entertain the possibility of a supernatural cause grew stale. The gaslighting and over involvement in matters that didn’t concern him were quite telling but he really revealed his hand when he went to the family solicitor and attempted to imply insanity on the part of Caroline when she broke off the engagement.
My conclusion, if any can be drawn, is that the so called little stranger or manifestation was in fact, his own fragile masculinity, feeling of inferiority in the face of Caroline and sexual frustration. He felt entitled to an estate and life and woman who ultimately spurned him. It was made all the more ridiculous since he earlier believed Caroline to be the possible cause of the supernatural force. Classic man blaming the woman and gaslighting her all the while.
However, somewhat predictably, Faraday proved to be an unreliable narrator. The constant doubt and complete unwillingness to even entertain the possibility of a supernatural cause grew stale. The gaslighting and over involvement in matters that didn’t concern him were quite telling but he really revealed his hand when he went to the family solicitor and attempted to imply insanity on the part of Caroline when she broke off the engagement.
My conclusion, if any can be drawn, is that the so called little stranger or manifestation was in fact, his own fragile masculinity, feeling of inferiority in the face of Caroline and sexual frustration. He felt entitled to an estate and life and woman who ultimately spurned him. It was made all the more ridiculous since he earlier believed Caroline to be the possible cause of the supernatural force. Classic man blaming the woman and gaslighting her all the while.
jbridges99's review against another edition
3.0
Took me a while to get into the story and when I did, it was just okay. I disliked the narrator and was frustrated by his attitudes and behavior, but perhaps that was the point. Overall it was a good read.