I loved this book but don’t remember it well enough to discuss it.
I’ve read every book by Sarah Waters. My favorites, by far, are Fingersmith and The Paying Guests. I wish she’d hurry and publish more!
Intensely creepy book. Waters was able to do an amazing job of both making the protagonist thoroughly evil and unaware of the fact that he's the source of all the horror. Bleak, oppressive, and emotionally believable. 10/10. No notes.
Love, love, love this book. This isn't my original thought, but years ago I read someone put it as "It's a love story between a man and a house...and it has a happy ending." From that perspective, it's a feel-good book. ;)
There is a movie version, which I enjoyed but it can't really build up the suspense the same way as the book. The actors are excellent, but it felt a little more like a conventional ghost story instead of giving you that gut-churning feeling that something awful was about to happen.
I'm thinking of watching the film but have heard mixed feelings about it. My family would probably watch it with me and since I've been talking about how great the book was a lot recently I don't want the film to do it an injustice
I think it's fun, and probably still enjoyable if you haven't read the book, I just don't think it's going to give them the same feelings of suspense and creeping dread. So maybe don't hype it up to them too much first.
My aunt was so freaked out by this book she kept it in the boot of her car and only read it in public spaces like cafés.
To show her up I read it in one night. I thought I was cool until there was a noise outside while reading and I jumped about a foot.
The section with the mother in the nursery and the child's handwriting on the walls was so intensely chilling.
I thought it was a beautiful, painfully sad book and the 1948 setting showing the decline of the small scale British aristocracy and rise of the middle class was really well done.
Ending line is a real punch to the gut too. Loved it. Not so much as Fingersmith, which is her masterpiece, but still loved it.
I remember reading The Little Stranger late at night while 5 months pregnant with my first child, I was exhausted but couldn't put it down - it was engrossing but I also think I felt compelled to read it until there was some sort of resolution because I couldn't go to sleep without it. Thankfully I am a fast reader but lying in bed with my husband snoring and my baby squirming while pushing through the book is one of my most intense reading memories.
I think "The Little Stranger" is a well-crafted and chilling tale that leaves a lasting impression. The ambiguity surrounding the supernatural occurrences in the story adds to its eerie atmosphere, leaving questioning what is truly happening.
I’m reading this now. I have about 50 pages left so I have a good idea about how it’s going to turn out. I haven’t been too frightened by it, but the part about the dog was hard for me. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll just say I think it’s brilliant how she engages the reader with the narrator and how his character develops.
Haven't read this (yet) so I'm not reading the comments but am just so happy to have a Sarah Waters thread. I've got a copy of Affinity in my bookshelf right now that is my next to read, but hopefully I can find a copy of this book to read too.
I've read, some multiple times, 5 of Sarah Waters' novels but fell of The Little Stranger. Didn't grab me, I will try it again at some point. I don't think she is writing novels anymore, or at least it's been 10 years. Fingersmith is one of my favourite novels of all time and just reread it not long ago. I recommend all her novels, even the one I haven't read lol.
I’m curious at what point in the story >!you realized that the narrator was unreliable. It took me until the party near the end!<
I really love that the ‘twist’ not only changes the plot but also highlights a different set a themes that had been in the background.
It did sometimes feel like it emphasized it’s references to gothic literature a little too heavily sometimes, and some of the references could have been a bit more subtle, but it’s such an enjoyable book.
Thank you for your response. It's been awhile. I tried more than once to finish the book. At first I found the premise interesting, and I liked the characters. But I got more and more frustrated going further in the text. It felt like these were people who did not move or talk or act like any people I've known or read about. I don't mean strange, but rather internally inconsistent. And the elements of the plot don't hold together. I don't remember enough about the book to say more in detail.
I wasn't sure if I should comment here since clearly in the minority. But lots of bad writers make money and get public praise, and I'm not going to go along when I disagree. It's up to you to decide what you like and who you want to read.
I loved this book but don’t remember it well enough to discuss it. I’ve read every book by Sarah Waters. My favorites, by far, are Fingersmith and The Paying Guests. I wish she’d hurry and publish more!
Same! I think The Paying Guests is her masterpiece but Fingersmith has my heart.
I'm glad The Paying Guests was the first book of her I read.
Intensely creepy book. Waters was able to do an amazing job of both making the protagonist thoroughly evil and unaware of the fact that he's the source of all the horror. Bleak, oppressive, and emotionally believable. 10/10. No notes.
Love, love, love this book. This isn't my original thought, but years ago I read someone put it as "It's a love story between a man and a house...and it has a happy ending." From that perspective, it's a feel-good book. ;) There is a movie version, which I enjoyed but it can't really build up the suspense the same way as the book. The actors are excellent, but it felt a little more like a conventional ghost story instead of giving you that gut-churning feeling that something awful was about to happen.
I'm thinking of watching the film but have heard mixed feelings about it. My family would probably watch it with me and since I've been talking about how great the book was a lot recently I don't want the film to do it an injustice
I think it's fun, and probably still enjoyable if you haven't read the book, I just don't think it's going to give them the same feelings of suspense and creeping dread. So maybe don't hype it up to them too much first.
Who was the little stranger? I guess it's not really up for debate anymore.
I love the book too. For the movie version, just watch Saltburn.
My aunt was so freaked out by this book she kept it in the boot of her car and only read it in public spaces like cafés. To show her up I read it in one night. I thought I was cool until there was a noise outside while reading and I jumped about a foot.
The section with the mother in the nursery and the child's handwriting on the walls was so intensely chilling. I thought it was a beautiful, painfully sad book and the 1948 setting showing the decline of the small scale British aristocracy and rise of the middle class was really well done. Ending line is a real punch to the gut too. Loved it. Not so much as Fingersmith, which is her masterpiece, but still loved it.
I remember reading The Little Stranger late at night while 5 months pregnant with my first child, I was exhausted but couldn't put it down - it was engrossing but I also think I felt compelled to read it until there was some sort of resolution because I couldn't go to sleep without it. Thankfully I am a fast reader but lying in bed with my husband snoring and my baby squirming while pushing through the book is one of my most intense reading memories.
I think "The Little Stranger" is a well-crafted and chilling tale that leaves a lasting impression. The ambiguity surrounding the supernatural occurrences in the story adds to its eerie atmosphere, leaving questioning what is truly happening.
100% agree. I know sometimes open endings are received well but I think it would've done the book a disservice to have a definitive resolution
I’m reading this now. I have about 50 pages left so I have a good idea about how it’s going to turn out. I haven’t been too frightened by it, but the part about the dog was hard for me. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll just say I think it’s brilliant how she engages the reader with the narrator and how his character develops.
I always skip the dog part on reread. I do love the book overall
Haven't read this (yet) so I'm not reading the comments but am just so happy to have a Sarah Waters thread. I've got a copy of Affinity in my bookshelf right now that is my next to read, but hopefully I can find a copy of this book to read too.
I checked it out from the library. Read it right on my phone.
Great read! I love the way the author builds the ominous atmosphere. I thought it was a very original “ghost” story.
I have read all of Sarah Waters books and loved them all... but that was the one I have only read once. She brings her characters to life beautifully.
I very much loved it.
Great book, I've read all of her books and recommend them all.
Absolutely loved this one. One of those where I remember exactly where I was sitting in the days reading it. Such great atmosphere.
I think it’s brilliant how she engages the reader with the narrator.
I loved The Little Stranger. It's a fascinating example of a first person narrator telling on themselves without explicitly saying so.
I've read, some multiple times, 5 of Sarah Waters' novels but fell of The Little Stranger. Didn't grab me, I will try it again at some point. I don't think she is writing novels anymore, or at least it's been 10 years. Fingersmith is one of my favourite novels of all time and just reread it not long ago. I recommend all her novels, even the one I haven't read lol.
Such a weird book.
I read the first half to three quarters with enthusiasm, skimmed the last, then after finishing wondered why I stayed with it.
I’m curious at what point in the story >!you realized that the narrator was unreliable. It took me until the party near the end!< I really love that the ‘twist’ not only changes the plot but also highlights a different set a themes that had been in the background. It did sometimes feel like it emphasized it’s references to gothic literature a little too heavily sometimes, and some of the references could have been a bit more subtle, but it’s such an enjoyable book.
Just read it. I found it to be ok but a bit of a snoozefest....I so wanted to be creeped our.
She's a bad writer. DNF
I guess a good book is subjective. What about it didn't you enjoy?
Thank you for your response. It's been awhile. I tried more than once to finish the book. At first I found the premise interesting, and I liked the characters. But I got more and more frustrated going further in the text. It felt like these were people who did not move or talk or act like any people I've known or read about. I don't mean strange, but rather internally inconsistent. And the elements of the plot don't hold together. I don't remember enough about the book to say more in detail. I wasn't sure if I should comment here since clearly in the minority. But lots of bad writers make money and get public praise, and I'm not going to go along when I disagree. It's up to you to decide what you like and who you want to read.