Woman in Black by Susan Hill
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| The Woman in Black (Movie Tie-in Edition): A Ghost Story (Vintage)By: Susan Hill Published by: Vintage ISBN: 0307745317 Author’s Website: Author’s Social: Twitter | Facebook Format of Review Copy: paperback Recommendable for people who enjoy: |
Synopsis (from Amazon):
A classic ghost story: the chilling tale of a menacing specter haunting a small English town. Arthur Kipps is an up-and-coming London solicitor who is sent to Crythin Gifford–a faraway town in the windswept salt marshes beyond Nine Lives Causeway–to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client, Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Mrs. Drablow’s house stands at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images–a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black.
My Thoughts:
When I first started in on this book, I have to admit I was a little disappointed. I mean 40 some odd pages in and still NOTHING had “happened”. I’m glad I stuck with it, though. I enjoyed the characters, Arthur, especially. I just kept waiting for something scary to happen, and it never did. Nothing made me pull my covers up over my face or get up and turn some more lights on.
I told my friend that it was not a scary book, per say; but more an old time ghost story told by kids at summer camp about a scary house up the road from camp. The “scary” was more that you were on pins and needles WAITING for something scary. LOL
At first I was really surprised that the powers that be in Hollywood adapted this book to film. It’s a ghost story but with no big “BOO!” moments. But the more I think about it, this may be the one instance where the movie is better than the book. I can totally see where having some “visuals” would help intensify the story.
Good story, but not “horror”. I would classify this book as more “Paranormal” “Suspense”.
In Conclusion:
I liked this book well enough. It was just really slow getting going. I would recommend it to people who like “ghost stories”. I also have full intensions of watching the movie!
Mom Notes:
Not scary, just suspenseful. Deals with sadness and death. Would say ages “advanced” 10+