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storiarty's review against another edition
4.0
Really liked it until about 3/4 in when our good doctor reallly did not get the message from Caroline. Would have also liked an explanation for the events at Hundreds.
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
Set in post-war Britain, this book examines what happens to a land rich (but cash poor) family after the end of WWII, when they fall on harder times.
The matriarch of the family has known life in the area since WWI, when they were the local "big-wig," who people looked to for leadership. In response, they bestowed the benevolence (and "empire medals") to the masses.
By the end of WWII and the election of a Labour Government, the family has fallen on hard times. They are having to sell parcels of land left and right to meet the bills, the son is recovering from "war induced stress" (which today might be viewed at PTSD), while the daughter is viewed as the village spinster at 28.
As their world falls apart in this post-war world, they start to hear noises round the house. The question is, are the stresses of the house getting to them or are they haunted?
This wasn't a bad book, but I found it slightly grating on occasions. It's set in a 1940s rural England where manners are "terribly important" and the lower classes were "seen but not heard." If you like this sort of this, you'll like this book. If you don't, you won't.
The matriarch of the family has known life in the area since WWI, when they were the local "big-wig," who people looked to for leadership. In response, they bestowed the benevolence (and "empire medals") to the masses.
By the end of WWII and the election of a Labour Government, the family has fallen on hard times. They are having to sell parcels of land left and right to meet the bills, the son is recovering from "war induced stress" (which today might be viewed at PTSD), while the daughter is viewed as the village spinster at 28.
As their world falls apart in this post-war world, they start to hear noises round the house. The question is, are the stresses of the house getting to them or are they haunted?
This wasn't a bad book, but I found it slightly grating on occasions. It's set in a 1940s rural England where manners are "terribly important" and the lower classes were "seen but not heard." If you like this sort of this, you'll like this book. If you don't, you won't.
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