Name: Ryan Mateyk's review of The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
Item: The Little Stranger
Rating: 4
Author: Ryan Mateyk

Sarah Waters

When Dr. Faraday, a Warwickshire physician, pays a visit to the Ayres family at their Hundreds Hall estate, he unknowingly enters a wickedly haunted house. His life soon becomes entwined with a family plagued by a terrifying past.

The Little Stranger

Megan Cooper

After her award-winning trilogy of Victorian novels, Sarah Waters turned to the 1940s and wrote THE NIGHT WATCH, a tender and tragic novel set against the backdrop of wartime Britain. Shortlisted for both the Orange and the Man Booker, it went straight to number one in the bestseller chart. In a dusty post-war summer in rural Warwickshire, a doctor is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall. Home to the Ayres family for over two centuries, the Georgian house, once grand and handsome, is now in decline, its masonry crumbling, its gardens choked with weeds, the clock in its stable yard permanently fixed at twenty to nine. But are the Ayreses haunted by something more sinister than a dying way of life? Little does Dr Faraday know how closely, and how terrifyingly, their story is about to become entwined with his. Prepare yourself. From this wonderful writer who continues to astonish us, now comes a chilling ghost story.

Ryan Mateyk

As immersive as any other Waters' stories, this was a chilling haunted house tale rooted in decay, though at times it could be a bit mundane.

The little stranger

Sarah Sammis

I read The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters for the #TuesBooktalk book club on Twitter. It's the third of her books I've read, the other two being Affinity and Tipping the Velvet.

The Little Stranger returns to the paranormal of Affinity. It's set in 1940s, at a decaying manor haunted both by bad memories and a restless spirit. Dr. Faraday is called to the home when one of the servant girls feels poorly. Her story of strange happenings at the home begins the doctor's somewhat skeptical investigation of the possible haunting.

The book is Gothic horror rich in tension, emotions (guilt, regret and sadness) and ambiguity. It reminds me favorably of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and The Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Setterfield.

The book also shares a kinship with Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh when looking at the interaction of memory and physical spaces. Dr. Faraday has a history with the manor, having visited as a child. He recounts a time when he pried on of the decorations off the woodwork. Looking back at the decline of the family and their home, he feels his act of juvenile vandalism may have been the start of it all. For me, Faraday's misguided guilt was the reason behind his unhealthy and unhelpful obsession with the haunting.

In a dusty post-war summer in rural Warwickshire, a doctor is called to a patient at lonely Hundreds Hall. Home to the Ayres family for over two centuries, the Georgian house, once grand and handsome, is now in decline, its masonry crumbling, its gardens choked with weeds, its owners - mother, son and daughter - struggling to keep pace. But are the Ayreses haunted by something more sinister than a dying way of life? Little does Dr Faraday know how closely, and how terrifyingly, their story is about to become entwined with his.

edith w.

Nicely written - as one expects from Waters - but I couldn't stay engaged with the characters or story. Gave up on page 90. Waters normally blows me away so I'm not so annoyed about this disappointment.

Amy Thibodeau

Janice Hopper

I thought this was a good, engrossing ghost(?) story. I loved the writing style. I loved the glimpse of England just after the war, at a turning point where the old society of landed gentry were genteel-ly fading away.

I liked the ambiguity of what was going on. There was one character who made me very anxious though, because Reasons. But that's part of the story being told. 

Well done.

Toyah Blackburn

Loved this book. Lots of twists, and a creepy atmosphere all the way to the end.

Irene Alegre

This was a PAINFULLY BORING read. I finished this novel just for the sake of it, but boy, was it hard!!! I'm surprised so many people loved it. It's not scary, it's not thrilling, it's way too slow-paced and I hated the narrator. Like, really, really hated him. He was plain and boring. I didn't like any of the other characters that much, either. Duh. I'm sad I spent an entire month reading this. I guess I expected a fascinating ending, a turn of the screw that would change my perception. It didn't happen.

Now a major motion picture starring Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, Will Poulter and Charlotte Rampling, and directed by Lenny Abrahamson. Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize 'Sarah Waters's masterly novel is . . . gripping, confident, unnerving and supremely entertaining' Hilary Mantel In a dusty post-war summer in rural Warwickshire, a doctor is called to a patient at lonely Hundreds Hall. Home to the Ayres family for over two centuries, the Georgian house, once grand and handsome, is now in decline, its masonry crumbling, its gardens choked with weeds, its owners - mother, son and daughter - struggling to keep pace. But are the Ayreses haunted by something more sinister than a dying way of life? Little does Dr Faraday know how closely, and how terrifyingly, their story is about to become entwined with his.

Jordan Card

Sarah Waters writes books about how being a lady back in the day would drive you insane. I got really wrapped up in this one because i was so ravenously angry with the narrator the entire time. 

Angie Ellis

First of all, this is my first Sarah Waters book and I just LOVED her prose. Flawless, clean, precise and incredibly evocative. She allows us to linger in a room, a conversation, the changing expression on someone's face. In fact, I docked a star because sometimes I found myself feeling like we were re-hashing a conversation that had been had elsewhere, or running through thoughts I already understood the character had. It was a pleasure to read because of that flawless writing, mind you, but perhaps the book is longer than it needs to be.

This story is not what I would describe as horror, necessarily, but it is extremely creepy and unsettling. It's quietly told, the eeriness is felt as you move through the house and sit with Faraday and Ayreses. Sublime :-)

(possible tiny spoiler...) I feel like I see a lot of confusion about what it all means, specifically the ending. I won't spoil too much here, but I felt this story ran along smoothly. I was not at all disappointed in the end, but quite satisfied that all the little hints added up so nicely. That final look in the window--perfect! Says it all. I'm so glad I read this book--now to try the movie (if I dare!)

Amy Maddess

I can't believe I stayed until the very end - this book has literally no plot. This is especially disappointing in comparison to Waters' other novels. 3

I honestly love Sarah Waters' writing so much. A lot of reviews complain about this book being boring, and it is true that the pacing is a bit off at times, but honestly her writing just sucks me in no matter the content.

The book isn't outright scary, but it is a bit spooky. Haunted house books ((view spoiler)[if, indeed, you think it was haunted (hide spoiler)]) are my jam, and there are some really great scenes in this one.

I was disappointed, after previously reading Tipping the Velvet that there was no f/f romance! I suspected Caroline might be gay, especially (view spoiler)[when the romance between her and Dr. Faraday started but she seemed to constantly be uncomfortable and unsure, (hide spoiler)] but alas it never materialized.

Speaking of, I now need to rant about the main character. (view spoiler)[WHAT AN ASSHOLE OMG. I was pretty neutral on him for most of the book, chalking up some of his behavior to a sign of the times or whatnot, but his relationship with Caroline honestly angered me. As soon as he met her, he made it clear that she was not attractive, and this was a fact that was constantly harped on during the book. Then surprise! He randomly falls in love with her, and is constantly trying to push a relationship with her even with her obvious hesitations. She even agrees tentatively to marry him, so he immediately books the wedding date, has a dress made for her, and buys her a ring more expensive than his first car, WHILE SHE'S GRIEVING FOR HER MOTHER. Then acts like she's being ungrateful to him when she calls the wedding off, when it's clear she was never that into it in the first place. (hide spoiler)] Honestly, I expected the ending to be more damning of his character, because even though he was the narrating character, it was clear that he was a dick, but I suppose Waters didn't feel it necessary?

I was also a bit disappointed that (view spoiler)[the disturbances were never really explained. If it was the ghost of Susan, why did they all of a sudden start when Dr. Faraday started visiting? They'd lived in that house for years after Susan's death. If it were another type of spirit, same question: why then? I honestly thought maybe Dr. Faraday was the cause, but this wasn't really explored properly enough to be a working theory. So, I guess we'll never know. (hide spoiler)]

If this book were written by anyone else, it would've probably been 3 stars. However, I love Waters' writing so much that it really elevates the story no matter my issues with the plot, so I enjoyed it enough to give it 4 stars.

Eugenia Andino

Una mezcla excelente de intriga paranormal, un poco de terror a páginas sueltas y retrato social. Muy recomendable.

Jade Flynn

I read Affinity last October for Halloween so I thought it fitting to pick up another Waters this year. The Little Stranger definitely isn't horror, it's much more gothic/eerie than straight up sleep with the lights on. With that being said there is a few peep under your bed moments which were perfectly placed. For me it was the perfect blend between literary fiction and page turner, an echo of Daphne du Maurier.

Cheryl Hedlund

This is not a horror novel, although it might have been sold or hyped as a great ghost story. If that is what you are craving, find something else. This is a very well done historical fiction in gothic style with a paranormal element. It is about the disintegration of a formerly glamorous old estate manor house and the traditional landed aristocracy in Britain after WW2. It has complicated characters and deals with a lot of themes (trauma, mental health, family, class hierarchy, grief).

Soon to be a major motion picture--releasing August 31 in the US--the nationally bestselling and chillingly rendered ghost story--"several sleepless nights are guaranteed" (Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly). One postwar summer, in his home in rural Warwickshire, Dr. Faraday is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall. Home to the Ayres family for more than two centuries, the Georgian house, once impressive and handsome, is now in decline. Its owners--mother, son, and daughter--are struggling to keep pace with a changing society. But are the Ayreses haunted by something more sinister than a dying way of life? Little does Dr. Faraday know how closely, and how terrifyingly, their story is about to become entwined with his.

It's like a 16 hour or something audiobook. I made it to 6 hours left. Not only have j completely forgotten what this book is suppose to be about, but I just got a curveball relationship thrown at me, which frankly doesn't make sense, and it was coupled with just awkward scenes and more long, drawn out stuff.

It stinks, because the creepy stuff is creepy and interesting. There is just too much of everythjng else. I'm tapping out! I can't take it!

Chris

This is a review of the audiobook.

The Little Stranger is my ideal book: eerie house, eccentric characters, and strange happenings. It's creepy. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. 

The story starts a little slow, but I feel this adds to the ambiance. The book is from the point of view of local Dr. Faraday as he meets the inhabitants of Hundreds Hall after World War II. A limited number of characters allow us to experience them as people, each with their strengths and foibles. No one is spared from Dr. Faraday's frank assessments, and the doctor has some foibles himself.

A large dose of historical fiction provides details on the English countryside, Dr. Faraday's work as a country doctor, and the minute of life in Hundreds. These are all shown very naturally. The descriptions of day-to-day worries ground the novel and made it come alive. The book has a lot to say on the social changes in England after the war, both among the classes and for women, and these themes are seamlessly integrated into the story.

On top of this grounded reality are the strange happenings. Mysterious sounds, curious markings, and unexpected shadows seem to plague the hall. Is it the settling of an old house? A nasty prank? Are the inhabitants delusional? I'm sure I missed most of the clues during my first listen. That's why I have to listen again.

When I'm looking for a new audio book, whatever Simon Vance has read recently is always an excellent choice. His smooth British accent gives me chills even when the story isn't scary. His skilled readings draw me into any novel and make me want to stay.

Final thoughts: An evocative gothic tale with themes of class distinction, suspicion and paranoia, this complex and subtle book sends slow chills that build to the end.

Halsted Mencotti Bernard

I picked this up on a whim after my mom mentioned the slow pace, because I wanted a calm and quiet read. The setting is extremely well-researched and well-written, especially the fate of grand estates in post-war Britain, but I wasn't much interested in the plot or characters.

Megan Cooper &
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

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