At the time I began to read this book I was sitting in a small holiday cottage in the middle of nowhere, the hour was late, the Mrs had gone to bed. Outside the wind was howling, driving the pouring rain against the walls and windows of the cottage. Conditions could scarcely be more appropriate for reading a good ghostly yarn.
Perhaps the spooky atmosphere of the cottage contributed something to the feelings of fear I encountered whilst reading this book but I can say for certain that The Woman in Black is the most terrifying book I have ever picked up.
The story is straightforward enough; a young solicitor named Arthur Kipps is sent by his firm to a small community living in the English countryside. Here he attends the funeral of a reclusive client named Mrs Drablow. Kipps is also tasked with searching her home for any important documents that need to be retrieved. Upon his arrival Kipps quickly discovers that whenever the name Drablow or her former home is mentioned the townsfolk clam up and won’t discuss it with him. After he sees a mysterious woman at the funeral Kipps begins to suspect there is something odd going on. Mrs Drablow’s home is located deep in the marshes at the end of a causeway which is impassable most of the time because of the tide. Once Kipps arrives at the house he is forced to remain alone until the tide is low enough for him to leave. It is then that the ghostly happenings begin...
The book is very well written in general, the characters are few but well developed and the story moves at a brilliant pace, slowly building up the tension but not falling into the trap of spending too long setting the scene. The horror is mostly suggested and the ghost only makes a handful of appearances but that is more than enough. A combination of the terrible fog, the unseen force, the feeling of being trapped and bumps in the night all combine to move to reader to the edge of their seat. I can honestly say I was scared by what I read and I finished the book in one sitting.
I highly recommend reading it late at night, preferably by yourself during a rainstorm, it won't be an experience you'll soon forget!
Final verdict 5/5
Chris
I've heard a lot about this author lately and I think I"m going to have to give her a try come next fall! I like to keep my spooky reads to around Halloween time.
ReplyDeleteRead this on a flight from London to NYC a couple years ago. It sure kept me on the edge of my seat... loved it!
ReplyDeleteYay, another convert! This is one of my all time favourite reads, you simply must see the theatrical adaptation - has everyone on the edge of their seats en masse. :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you read this book under optimal atmospheric conditions. That can make all the difference! As a previous commenter mentioned, I also tend to save ghostly reads for October. Last October I read The Woman in White, though it doesn't sound like there's any correlation and this one definitely appears to be more eerie.
ReplyDeleteHoorah, I am so pleased Chris! This is one of my all tme favourite tales so whenever someone reads it and loves it (not on my say so - just in general) and they love it I do a small cheer inside.
ReplyDelete@ Amanda: Glad to hear you like the sound of it :o)
ReplyDelete@ JoAnn: I starting to think I should have read it in an enviroment where my imagination wouldn't have run away with me, like a plane or just somwhere in broad daylight! lol
@ lovely Treez: Jess wants to go and see the theatrical version of the book this year at some point, I'll probably post a review of it here afterwards
@ Everybookandcranny: I've been interested to note a few Americans saying they will save scary books for Halloween, do you always do this with scary books or do you just save a few for Halloween?
@ Savidgereads: I really enjoyed it. I plan to read 'The Small Hand' soon
Chris
Wow, this sounds terrific!
ReplyDeleteI don't tend to read much scary stuff as I am very easily unsettled, but this one sounds really intriguing. I'm another American who tends to save the spooky stuff for Halloweed -- this year I read The Turn of the Screw and Frankenstein (which was not at all what I expected -- not scary, but so hauntingly sad).
ReplyDeleteI also don't tend to read too many scary novels so perhaps that is why I confine them to one month out of the year.
ReplyDeleteHow have I not heard of this book before? It's gone straight on my to read list, can't wait to get my hands on it!
ReplyDelete@ Bibliophile By the Sea: I was pretty impressed with it, best scary story I've ever read!
ReplyDelete@ Thebookgirl: I guess sometimes it's fun to be scared, I plan on reading Frankenstein next year. Let me know what you think of it after next Halloween! :o)
@ everybookandcranny: I read horror books but I must admit none of them frighten me anywhere near as much as this book!
@ Sam: I hadn't heard of it until Jess suggested it, I'm so glad I was recommended it, its turned into one of the best books i've read this year
Chris
I reviewed this book myself recently and I thoroughly agree with your thoughts on it. Very creepy and atmospheric - exactly my kind of book. Sounds like you had the perfect setting in which to read this one too!
ReplyDeleteMost excellent! I love things that go bump in the night in the Fall.
ReplyDelete@ Rebecca: I think the setting really helped my imagination, I doubt I would have been quite as spooked if I had read it in broad daylight surrounded by people. I can't read books like that too often or my nerves would be shot!
ReplyDelete@ Kim: Hi Kim, keep an eye out for this one, it's very impressive
Chris