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The Woman in Black
Alternate cover edition for 9780099288473
Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor in London, is summoned to Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, and to sort through her papers before returning to London. It is here that Kipps first sees the woman in black and begins to gain an impression of the mystery surrounding her. From the funeral he travels to Eel Marsh House and sees the woman again; he also hears the terrifying sounds on the marsh.
Despite Kipps’s experiences he resolves to spend the night at the house and fulfil his professional duty. It is this night at Eel Marsh House that contains the greatest horror for Kipps. Kipps later discovers the reasons behind the hauntings at Eel Marsh House. The book ends with the woman in black exacting a final, terrible revenge.
Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor in London, is summoned to Crythin Gifford to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, and to sort through her papers before returning to London. It is here that Kipps first sees the woman in black and begins to gain an impression of the mystery surrounding her. From the funeral he travels to Eel Marsh House and sees the woman again; he also hears the terrifying sounds on the marsh.
Despite Kipps’s experiences he resolves to spend the night at the house and fulfil his professional duty. It is this night at Eel Marsh House that contains the greatest horror for Kipps. Kipps later discovers the reasons behind the hauntings at Eel Marsh House. The book ends with the woman in black exacting a final, terrible revenge.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
About the author
Susan Hill
173 books2,119 followersSusan Hill was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire in 1942. Her hometown was later referred to in her novel A Change for the Better (1969) and some short stories especially "Cockles and Mussels".
She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr's Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King's College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a "schoolgirl".
Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I'm the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.
In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author by this name.
She attended Scarborough Convent School, where she became interested in theatre and literature. Her family left Scarborough in 1958 and moved to Coventry where her father worked in car and aircraft factories. Hill states that she attended a girls’ grammar school, Barr's Hill. Her fellow pupils included Jennifer Page, the first Chief Executive of the Millennium Dome. At Barrs Hill she took A levels in English, French, History and Latin, proceeding to an English degree at King's College London. By this time she had already written her first novel, The Enclosure which was published by Hutchinson in her first year at university. The novel was criticised by The Daily Mail for its sexual content, with the suggestion that writing in this style was unsuitable for a "schoolgirl".
Her next novel Gentleman and Ladies was published in 1968. This was followed in quick succession by A Change for the Better, I'm the King of the Castle, The Albatross and other stories, Strange Meeting, The Bird of Night, A Bit of Singing and Dancing and In the Springtime of Year, all written and published between 1968 and 1974.
In 1975 she married Shakespeare scholar Stanley Wells and they moved to Stratford upon Avon. Their first daughter, Jessica, was born in 1977 and their second daughter, Clemency, was born in 1985. Hill has recently founded her own publishing company, Long Barn Books, which has published one work of fiction per year.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author by this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,106 reviews
October 29, 2020
“A man may be accused of cowardice for fleeing away from all manner of physical dangers but when things supernatural, insubstantial and inexplicable threaten not only his safety and well-being but his sanity, his innermost soul, then retreat is not a sign of weakness but the most prudent course.”
The young solicitor sent to Crythin Gifford to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased Mrs. Alice Drablow is a man by the name of Arthur Kipps.The people of Crythin Gifford are like the people of most small towns, suspicious of strangers and unwilling to help or provide information to outsiders. Kipps attends the funeral of Mrs. Drablow and has his first encounter with a woman the locals call The Woman in Black.
”She was dressed in the deepest black, in the style of full mourning that had rather gone out of fashion…. A bonnet-style hat covered her head and shaded her face, but although I did not stare, even the swift glance I took of the woman showed me enough to recognize that she was suffering from some terrible wasting disease, for not only was she extremely pale, even more than a contrast with the blackness of her garments could account for, but the skin and, it seemed, only the thinnest layer of flesh was tautly stretched and strained across the bones, so that it gleamed with a curious, blue-white sheen, and her eyes seemed sunken back into her head.”
Not the typical mourner to show up to most funerals, although I have a few great-aunts that, especially when seen in partial shadows, give me the willies. Kipps is curious, but he has a job to do out at Eel Marsh House to sort through a lifetime of accumulated Drablow paperwork, so he shrugs off the apparition and focuses back on his task.
Eel Marsh House, once the tide comes in, is cut off from the rest of civilization, so Kipps has a choice to either stop early enough to leave before the tide comes in or decide to stay the night in the house. He tries it both ways, but decides that by staying over he will have more time to finish the job more efficiently. He is a junior associate, after all, and still trying to impress his bosses.
He hears noises, unexplainable noises that raise the hair on the back of his neck.
“Whatever was about, whoever I had seen, and heard rocking, and who had passed me by just now, whoever had opened the locked door was not 'real'. No. But what was 'real'? At that moment I began to doubt my own reality.”
I really liked the fact that Kipps reaches the conclusion that Eel Marsh House is haunted by a ghost. He doesn’t try to convince himself that he is imagining things or that it has to be something other than a ghost. He asks questions of the residents of the town, but receives few answers. He finds some letters at the house, among the disorder of invoices and scraps of correspondence. These letters start to fill in the gaps. He soon realizes who the ghost is and why she is still…here.
The Woman in Black, as it turns out, wants to share her pain. The implications of this will haunt Arthur Kipps for the rest of his life.
I loved Susan Hill’s writing style. While reading this book I felt some nostalgia for those Victorian ghost story writers such as Wilkie Collins and Sheridan Le Fanu. The interesting part of the book is that, even though it is of modest length, the actual plot takes a while to develop. While waiting to get to the juicy details, Hill shares some beautiful descriptions of scenery and lays the groundwork for the story. We are also introduced to a much older Kipps, seemingly irrationally irritated by the extortions of his family to tell them a scary story. He has only one scary story, but it isn’t a fabrication of a writer’s wild imagination, but a real event where tragedy begets more tragedy.
Stephen Mallatratt adapted the novel to the play which became the second longest running play in West End history. A movie adaptation starring Daniel Radcliffe came out in 2012. There are reasonably significant changes to the plot in the movie version, but I still enjoyed the experience. It was my first time watching Radcliffe in a grown-up role, and it turned out to be a good choice of script for him.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
The young solicitor sent to Crythin Gifford to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased Mrs. Alice Drablow is a man by the name of Arthur Kipps.The people of Crythin Gifford are like the people of most small towns, suspicious of strangers and unwilling to help or provide information to outsiders. Kipps attends the funeral of Mrs. Drablow and has his first encounter with a woman the locals call The Woman in Black.
”She was dressed in the deepest black, in the style of full mourning that had rather gone out of fashion…. A bonnet-style hat covered her head and shaded her face, but although I did not stare, even the swift glance I took of the woman showed me enough to recognize that she was suffering from some terrible wasting disease, for not only was she extremely pale, even more than a contrast with the blackness of her garments could account for, but the skin and, it seemed, only the thinnest layer of flesh was tautly stretched and strained across the bones, so that it gleamed with a curious, blue-white sheen, and her eyes seemed sunken back into her head.”
Not the typical mourner to show up to most funerals, although I have a few great-aunts that, especially when seen in partial shadows, give me the willies. Kipps is curious, but he has a job to do out at Eel Marsh House to sort through a lifetime of accumulated Drablow paperwork, so he shrugs off the apparition and focuses back on his task.
Eel Marsh House, once the tide comes in, is cut off from the rest of civilization, so Kipps has a choice to either stop early enough to leave before the tide comes in or decide to stay the night in the house. He tries it both ways, but decides that by staying over he will have more time to finish the job more efficiently. He is a junior associate, after all, and still trying to impress his bosses.
He hears noises, unexplainable noises that raise the hair on the back of his neck.
“Whatever was about, whoever I had seen, and heard rocking, and who had passed me by just now, whoever had opened the locked door was not 'real'. No. But what was 'real'? At that moment I began to doubt my own reality.”
I really liked the fact that Kipps reaches the conclusion that Eel Marsh House is haunted by a ghost. He doesn’t try to convince himself that he is imagining things or that it has to be something other than a ghost. He asks questions of the residents of the town, but receives few answers. He finds some letters at the house, among the disorder of invoices and scraps of correspondence. These letters start to fill in the gaps. He soon realizes who the ghost is and why she is still…here.
The Woman in Black, as it turns out, wants to share her pain. The implications of this will haunt Arthur Kipps for the rest of his life.
I loved Susan Hill’s writing style. While reading this book I felt some nostalgia for those Victorian ghost story writers such as Wilkie Collins and Sheridan Le Fanu. The interesting part of the book is that, even though it is of modest length, the actual plot takes a while to develop. While waiting to get to the juicy details, Hill shares some beautiful descriptions of scenery and lays the groundwork for the story. We are also introduced to a much older Kipps, seemingly irrationally irritated by the extortions of his family to tell them a scary story. He has only one scary story, but it isn’t a fabrication of a writer’s wild imagination, but a real event where tragedy begets more tragedy.
Stephen Mallatratt adapted the novel to the play which became the second longest running play in West End history. A movie adaptation starring Daniel Radcliffe came out in 2012. There are reasonably significant changes to the plot in the movie version, but I still enjoyed the experience. It was my first time watching Radcliffe in a grown-up role, and it turned out to be a good choice of script for him.
If you wish to see more of my most recent book and movie reviews, visit http://www.jeffreykeeten.com
I also have a Facebook blogger page at:https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyKeeten
March 2, 2024
A disappointment. I kept hearing about how this was a real honest-to-god, old-fashioned ghost story steeped in the tradition of James and James (Henry and Montague Rhodes) that delivered a frisson of genuine terror and some very fine writing as well. Alas! I didn't find any of this to be true.
For starters, I didn't believe the narrator. He is a man in his forties--self-described as "unimaginative"--who years before suffered a scarring supernatural experience, yet he sounds for all the world like a timid watered-down version of a young Bronte heroine (or should I just say "du Maurier heroine"?), sensitive to nature and hell-bent on describing everything that comes along, relevant or not.
The book is a pastiche of 19th century stylistic cliches, starting with a half-hearted Pickwickian Christmas, moving quickly to a Bleak House inspired description of fog, and soon settling into page upon page of lengthy sentences resembling those of middle-period Henry James, yet which--unlike those of the master--contain no fine distinctions of intellect or sensibility to justify their continual qualifying clauses.
The story itself, although not remarkable, could have been interesting. The first sight of the spectre in the graveyard is chilling, and the subsequent scenes where the hero wanders alone in the fog, hearing horrors rather than seeing them, are undoubtedly effective. But there is only enough material here for a 4,000-6,000 word short story, and this is a 40,000 word novella. It is short as horror books go, but far too long for what it has to say.
March 12, 2018
I said in another review that I'm near impossible to scare because my parents were relaxed with horror movie censorship when I was a young kid. I was oversaturated with horror from a young age and tend to find it more laughable than spine-tingling.
However, this book may be the only exception I have found so far. In recent years I have flat-out avoided horror stories because they do nothing for me... I can stomach Stephen King but only because his books tend to be about more than the basic horror element. For me to find this book, a book that is entirely a horror story, to be so enjoyable and so frightening is quite incredible.
I don't need to tell you what it's about, you can read that in countless descriptions, but I do need to say just how much this scared me and had me sleeping with the light on all night and jumping up at every single creak and sigh. The image of the woman stood in the marshes with her face wasting away is so vividly described that it was all I could picture for days, I kept looking over my shoulder when I was by myself expecting to see her stood there in her long black cloak. This lady does very little and is still probably the most frightening character I've ever come across in a novel. I would not recommend you read this while alone in the house... especially if it can scare someone so immune to horror like me.
However, this book may be the only exception I have found so far. In recent years I have flat-out avoided horror stories because they do nothing for me... I can stomach Stephen King but only because his books tend to be about more than the basic horror element. For me to find this book, a book that is entirely a horror story, to be so enjoyable and so frightening is quite incredible.
I don't need to tell you what it's about, you can read that in countless descriptions, but I do need to say just how much this scared me and had me sleeping with the light on all night and jumping up at every single creak and sigh. The image of the woman stood in the marshes with her face wasting away is so vividly described that it was all I could picture for days, I kept looking over my shoulder when I was by myself expecting to see her stood there in her long black cloak. This lady does very little and is still probably the most frightening character I've ever come across in a novel. I would not recommend you read this while alone in the house... especially if it can scare someone so immune to horror like me.
November 2, 2016
A chilling, traditional ghost story, with a strong Victorian feel: a lone lawyer goes to a spooky house on the marshes, plagued by stories of madness and death. No great surprises, but shocking none-the-less. It is skilfully written, so that most of the scary stuff happens in your head, rather than being explicit on the page.
NARRATOR
Arthur Kipps, the main character and the narrator is very pragmatic and always tries to dismiss his fears and find a rational explanation, which serves to make his story more believable – and thus more alarming. All the way through, his greatest need is to uncover the truth, however unpalatable it may be. However, it’s not what he sees or hears that really scares him, but what he FEELS, and the power of the Woman in Black’s emotion. His feelings towards her change from concern through fear to anger.
However, despite his pragmatism, right at the beginning Kipps does have a strong conviction that a particular house is part of his destiny (which implies some openness to the supernatural), and when he first arrives at the town he says he felt like “a spectre at some cheerful feast”.
WEATHER IMAGERY
The weather (mist, rain, wind and sun) is a major character in the book; sometimes it parallels the situation and mood of the characters (mists and disappearances) and sometimes it is in total contrast (sun at a funeral). It could be clichéd, but, perhaps because it doesn't always match the plot, it has more dramatic weight.
BIRDS
One feature I didn’t notice on first reading was the birds. Kipps himself is a bit of a birdwatcher, and different birds make fleeting appearances: a menacing “snake-necked bird”, the woman in black looking like a carrion bird, a nice happy robin later on.
PROBLEMS WITH TIME
The first chapter jumps around in a confusing way, which doesn’t really matter plot-wise, but is disconcerting.
The bigger mystery is when it is set. Everything about it feels Victorian (foggy London, pony and trap, steam trains), but she mentions telephones, electric lights (even in a remote house on the marshes), cars, cycling as a (not particularly wealthy) boy, a grave stone from “years back” is inscribed “190...”, and Kipps makes reference to Dickens and the treatment of Victorian servants 60 years earlier. Each time I’ve read this book, I’ve been more puzzled and irritated by this, though it's still a very good book.
If you like it, The Turn of the Screw is in a similar vein.
And don’t believe those who say it is like a ghost story written by Jane Austen!
NARRATOR
Arthur Kipps, the main character and the narrator is very pragmatic and always tries to dismiss his fears and find a rational explanation, which serves to make his story more believable – and thus more alarming. All the way through, his greatest need is to uncover the truth, however unpalatable it may be. However, it’s not what he sees or hears that really scares him, but what he FEELS, and the power of the Woman in Black’s emotion. His feelings towards her change from concern through fear to anger.
However, despite his pragmatism, right at the beginning Kipps does have a strong conviction that a particular house is part of his destiny (which implies some openness to the supernatural), and when he first arrives at the town he says he felt like “a spectre at some cheerful feast”.
WEATHER IMAGERY
The weather (mist, rain, wind and sun) is a major character in the book; sometimes it parallels the situation and mood of the characters (mists and disappearances) and sometimes it is in total contrast (sun at a funeral). It could be clichéd, but, perhaps because it doesn't always match the plot, it has more dramatic weight.
BIRDS
One feature I didn’t notice on first reading was the birds. Kipps himself is a bit of a birdwatcher, and different birds make fleeting appearances: a menacing “snake-necked bird”, the woman in black looking like a carrion bird, a nice happy robin later on.
PROBLEMS WITH TIME
The first chapter jumps around in a confusing way, which doesn’t really matter plot-wise, but is disconcerting.
The bigger mystery is when it is set. Everything about it feels Victorian (foggy London, pony and trap, steam trains), but she mentions telephones, electric lights (even in a remote house on the marshes), cars, cycling as a (not particularly wealthy) boy, a grave stone from “years back” is inscribed “190...”, and Kipps makes reference to Dickens and the treatment of Victorian servants 60 years earlier. Each time I’ve read this book, I’ve been more puzzled and irritated by this, though it's still a very good book.
If you like it, The Turn of the Screw is in a similar vein.
And don’t believe those who say it is like a ghost story written by Jane Austen!
October 7, 2019
Arthur Kipps (an up-and-coming solicitor) is sent by his employer to Crythin Gifford (a remote village) to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of a client (the late Mrs. Alice Drablow) of Eel Marsh House. When he gets there he is haunted by the ghost of a woman in black...
This was a very eerie, spooky read. I had a hard time putting this book down, I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. The book had a terrific gothic atmosphere, especially the creepy, very isolated Eel Marsh House with its salt marshes, fog, and dreariness of the place. The ghostly woman in black was totally creepy and it was scary because Arthur was all alone with her in the house. The author really built up a tense, spooky feeling as Arthur tried to figure out the mystery of the woman in black and why she was haunting the house.
A fine, chilling ghost story, good to read around Halloween.
This was a very eerie, spooky read. I had a hard time putting this book down, I wanted to find out what was going to happen next. The book had a terrific gothic atmosphere, especially the creepy, very isolated Eel Marsh House with its salt marshes, fog, and dreariness of the place. The ghostly woman in black was totally creepy and it was scary because Arthur was all alone with her in the house. The author really built up a tense, spooky feeling as Arthur tried to figure out the mystery of the woman in black and why she was haunting the house.
A fine, chilling ghost story, good to read around Halloween.
July 12, 2022
Kobieta w czerni 3/5
Rączka (wielkie zaskoczenie, świetne opowiadanie!) 4/5
Rączka (wielkie zaskoczenie, świetne opowiadanie!) 4/5
October 16, 2021
Finally got round to reading this Susan Hill classic and thoroughly enjoyed it!
November 2, 2023
Phenomenal! Love Love Love!!
A chilling ghost story that follows a junior solicitor Arthur Kipps from London to the village of Crythin Gifford to attend a funeral and sort out the affairs of the deceased, Mrs. Alice Drablow.
At the funeral, Arthur sees a woman dressed in the deepest black and a bonnet shielding her pale wasting face. Who is she and what does she want? The villagers knew more than they were letting on.
As damp sea mist rolled from the sea and chilling rain on the marshland, Arthur stayed at the Eel Marsh Mansion to handle the estate. The mansion is isolated from the village. It can only be reached during low tide and where the cries from the marsh can be heard.... The Woman in Black is spectacular, atmospheric, eerie, and definitely a spooky gothic tale.
There are many audio editions and the one I listened to was done with 3D sound and was outstanding. There are sound effects throughout so it feels like hearing a movie but noise also creeps from your left or right or even behind you. I was blowing leaves in my yard and as noisy as it was (thank you Noise Cancellation), I don't know how many times I had to turn around when I heard footsteps coming towards me. Creepy but I'll definitely listen to this one again!
A chilling ghost story that follows a junior solicitor Arthur Kipps from London to the village of Crythin Gifford to attend a funeral and sort out the affairs of the deceased, Mrs. Alice Drablow.
At the funeral, Arthur sees a woman dressed in the deepest black and a bonnet shielding her pale wasting face. Who is she and what does she want? The villagers knew more than they were letting on.
As damp sea mist rolled from the sea and chilling rain on the marshland, Arthur stayed at the Eel Marsh Mansion to handle the estate. The mansion is isolated from the village. It can only be reached during low tide and where the cries from the marsh can be heard.... The Woman in Black is spectacular, atmospheric, eerie, and definitely a spooky gothic tale.
There are many audio editions and the one I listened to was done with 3D sound and was outstanding. There are sound effects throughout so it feels like hearing a movie but noise also creeps from your left or right or even behind you. I was blowing leaves in my yard and as noisy as it was (thank you Noise Cancellation), I don't know how many times I had to turn around when I heard footsteps coming towards me. Creepy but I'll definitely listen to this one again!
November 6, 2023
“The Woman in Black” by Susan Hill is a literary ghost story. It is atmospheric with sinister undertones throughout the novel. It’s a perfect October story.
I chose to listen to the audible production, narrated by Paapa Essidu. I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing his work until now. He is excellent. Audible Studios added surround sound and music which enhanced the creepy feel. The horses clopping through cobble-stone lanes; the whinny of the horse; crows cawing in the background combine to create a menacing ambiance.
A young lawyer is assigned the estate of Alice Drablow. Ms. Drablow was a recluse and fodder for speculations and rumors. When the lawyer sees a gaunt woman in black at the funeral, the locals inform him of a dark folklore.
The story is great. It’s the production that makes this a must-listen. Thank you GR friend Margaret for reviewing and recommending this story!
I chose to listen to the audible production, narrated by Paapa Essidu. I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing his work until now. He is excellent. Audible Studios added surround sound and music which enhanced the creepy feel. The horses clopping through cobble-stone lanes; the whinny of the horse; crows cawing in the background combine to create a menacing ambiance.
A young lawyer is assigned the estate of Alice Drablow. Ms. Drablow was a recluse and fodder for speculations and rumors. When the lawyer sees a gaunt woman in black at the funeral, the locals inform him of a dark folklore.
The story is great. It’s the production that makes this a must-listen. Thank you GR friend Margaret for reviewing and recommending this story!
November 30, 2011
Rating Clarification: 2.5 stars.
Disappointing and predictable, this Gothic ghost story isn't a patch on the classics of the genre such as Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. The writing is uneven and the author fails to keep the suspense building often interspersing awkward/boring moments between the tense scenes, which unfortunately were all too few. Part of the problem with the tension was that it was all so predictable I didn't even feel the need to check the ending like I usually do. In other words the suspense wasn't killing me. Not that the actual story was at fault as such, it was more that the author seemed to give away too much too soon and didn't manage to drip feed bits of the story to the reader in such a way to make it a compelling page turner.
I was also left with various questions at the end, some silly some not. For instance, when was it set? The writer appeared to be trying for a classic Victorian tone, but there were mentions of motor cars and electric lights. My guess was Edwardian, but I can't be sure. Also, I was left wondering how on earth there was electricity at all out at the isolated Eel Marsh House. No mention was ever made of a generator, the narrator just flicked switches even though the house was unoccupied when he arrived. While these questions and some others (which involve spoilers so I won't mention them here) may not amount to major plot holes, they did niggle and distract which is never a good thing, especially in this type of book.
Despite my disappointment in the book, I still hold out hope for the movie. From what I've seen in the trailers, it looks like the film embraces the full horror of the classic Victorian ghost story which is something the book failed to do. The potential was there but it was just never realized by the author.
February 3, 2018
You know, what I love about British ghost stories are that they are so understated, like everything else in the country. They don't come bellowing and and dripping gory entrails - they creep upon you, and whisper "boo" almost apologetically in your ear. I think M. R. James started this trend, and all others seem to be following it.
Susan Hill starts her novel, "The Woman in Black", showing Arthur Kipps, an elderly lawyer and the first person narrator, having a quiet Christmas Eve with his family. However, we are given a hint of the tragedy in Kipps' life, when he casually mentions his status as a widower in his early twenties. When his stepchildren ask him to narrate a ghost story, the normally sedate lawyer becomes extremely agitated and walks out - because the children have touched a raw nerve. For there is a very real ghost in Arthur Kipps' past.
As a young man, Arthur is sent to the market town of Crythin Gifford by his boss; to attend the funeral of their client Mrs. Alice Drablow and to sort out her papers, as she has no heirs. Mrs. Drablow lived at Eel Marsh, connected to the mainland by the Nine Lives Causeway and approachable only at low tide: both sides of the causeway are bordered by the treacherous marsh. Kipps thinks nothing of it until he finds that the locals at Crythin Gifford gives the house a long berth and refuse to discuss anything regarding its owner. Things take a turn for the worse when Arthur sights a woman dressed all in black, with a wasted and ravaged face - apparently a ghost.
Ignoring his misgivings, the young lawyer takes up residence at the house on Eel Marsh, but is unable to complete his work as the haunting grows stronger and scarier. Apart from the woman in black, there is a ghostly horse and trap (not seen but only heard) which keeps on plunging into the marsh, accompanied by a child's wail: also, a nursery within the house eerily suspended in time where a rocking chair rocks by itself... as the terrors mount, Arthur discovers the tragedy which is the root cause - and terrifying consequences of sighting the woman in black. He escapes-but the horror follows him...
***
This is a good, old-fashioned ghost story with absolutely no gore and shocks - the one that is best narrated around a campfire on a chill December evening. Susan Hill does a masterly job with the voice of the narrator, which is very much Victorian (hard to believe that the novel was written in 1983). This is absolutely essential, as the horror is very much period and a modern voice would have totally spoilt it.
It is not the ghostly visitations itself that scares one in the novel (though they are sufficiently creepy) but the tone of quiet despair and the starkness of the tragedy. This story, like Stephen King's Cujo, doesn't let the reader escape even after the book is put away - though the author leavens the horror by starting from a point in the protagonist's future when the tragedy has been put behind. However, the ending is sufficiently devastating for it to stay with one for days.
An excellent read to start the year!
Susan Hill starts her novel, "The Woman in Black", showing Arthur Kipps, an elderly lawyer and the first person narrator, having a quiet Christmas Eve with his family. However, we are given a hint of the tragedy in Kipps' life, when he casually mentions his status as a widower in his early twenties. When his stepchildren ask him to narrate a ghost story, the normally sedate lawyer becomes extremely agitated and walks out - because the children have touched a raw nerve. For there is a very real ghost in Arthur Kipps' past.
As a young man, Arthur is sent to the market town of Crythin Gifford by his boss; to attend the funeral of their client Mrs. Alice Drablow and to sort out her papers, as she has no heirs. Mrs. Drablow lived at Eel Marsh, connected to the mainland by the Nine Lives Causeway and approachable only at low tide: both sides of the causeway are bordered by the treacherous marsh. Kipps thinks nothing of it until he finds that the locals at Crythin Gifford gives the house a long berth and refuse to discuss anything regarding its owner. Things take a turn for the worse when Arthur sights a woman dressed all in black, with a wasted and ravaged face - apparently a ghost.
Ignoring his misgivings, the young lawyer takes up residence at the house on Eel Marsh, but is unable to complete his work as the haunting grows stronger and scarier. Apart from the woman in black, there is a ghostly horse and trap (not seen but only heard) which keeps on plunging into the marsh, accompanied by a child's wail: also, a nursery within the house eerily suspended in time where a rocking chair rocks by itself... as the terrors mount, Arthur discovers the tragedy which is the root cause - and terrifying consequences of sighting the woman in black. He escapes-but the horror follows him...
***
This is a good, old-fashioned ghost story with absolutely no gore and shocks - the one that is best narrated around a campfire on a chill December evening. Susan Hill does a masterly job with the voice of the narrator, which is very much Victorian (hard to believe that the novel was written in 1983). This is absolutely essential, as the horror is very much period and a modern voice would have totally spoilt it.
It is not the ghostly visitations itself that scares one in the novel (though they are sufficiently creepy) but the tone of quiet despair and the starkness of the tragedy. This story, like Stephen King's Cujo, doesn't let the reader escape even after the book is put away - though the author leavens the horror by starting from a point in the protagonist's future when the tragedy has been put behind. However, the ending is sufficiently devastating for it to stay with one for days.
An excellent read to start the year!
June 25, 2017
A very good ghost story with creepy sounds, a marsh with lots of fog and danger, and a haunting revengeful spirit. I was all set to give this book a strong 3 stars until the last chapter's chilling, horrid surprise ending. Now I can't wait to see the movie with Daniel Radcliffe. This is a GREAT October read!
April 7, 2022
4.5 Stars
The ending was different from the movie but nonetheless devastating. 🥺
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
In the grayness of the fading light, it had the sheen and pallor not of flesh so much as of bone itself. Earlier, when I had looked at her, although admittedly it had been scarcely more than a swift glance each time, I had not noticed any particular expression on her ravaged face, but then I had, after all, been entirely taken with the look of extreme illness. Now, however, as I stared at her, stared until my eyes ached in their sockets, stared in surprise and bewilderment at her presence, now I saw that face did wear an expression. It was one of what I can only describe—and the words seem hopelessly inadequate to express what I saw—as a desperate, yearning malevolence; it was as though she were searching for something she wanted, needed—must have, more than life itself, and which had been taken from her.
For the combination of the peculiar, isolated place and the sudden appearance of the woman and the dreadfulness of her expression began to fill me with fear. Indeed, I had never in my life been so possessed by it, never known my knees to tremble and my flesh to creep, and then to turn cold as stone, never known my heart to give a great lurch, as if it would almost leap up into my dry mouth and then begin pounding in my chest like a hammer on an anvil, never known myself gripped and held fast by such dread and horror and apprehension of evil.
I had seen the ghost of (blank) and she had her revenge.
They asked me for my story. I have told it. Enough.
The ending was different from the movie but nonetheless devastating. 🥺
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
November 19, 2022
"Indeed, all the horrors and apparitions of my first visit to the house and the marshes had quite evaporated, along with the mists that had for that short time engulfed me".
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
How eager I was to start this book. As some of you are aware, I'd been seeking an eerie and beguiling book to read. Something that would scare without gore. This was recommended by two people and looked, at first glance to be my type of book.
And I disliked it. Deeply. Sorry but..I wasn't scared. I was bored. Let me explain why.
The book was short..under 200 pages..but felt like 800 pages. Nothing happens for a good deal of time. The writing is very dry and it feels like the book was written much earlier than it was.
It was also very wordy. Details were given to the smallest thing. When stuff DID start to happen, I was mildly interested but not really scared and not beguiled.
Also, the format was disjointed. Something would happen but then it would revert back to those detailed descriptions of every day stuff and again nothing would happen for awhile.
I read a short story right before I read this. That short story, "They", which I am about to review scared me more than anything in this book. In fact, "They" is one I would highly recommended.
As for the lady i n Black herself, yes she was creepy and I could see where she would be frightening but for much of the book she is not even in it. It is a very slow read which I lost patience with and started to skim. It's a shame but I just didn't take to this one.
The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
How eager I was to start this book. As some of you are aware, I'd been seeking an eerie and beguiling book to read. Something that would scare without gore. This was recommended by two people and looked, at first glance to be my type of book.
And I disliked it. Deeply. Sorry but..I wasn't scared. I was bored. Let me explain why.
The book was short..under 200 pages..but felt like 800 pages. Nothing happens for a good deal of time. The writing is very dry and it feels like the book was written much earlier than it was.
It was also very wordy. Details were given to the smallest thing. When stuff DID start to happen, I was mildly interested but not really scared and not beguiled.
Also, the format was disjointed. Something would happen but then it would revert back to those detailed descriptions of every day stuff and again nothing would happen for awhile.
I read a short story right before I read this. That short story, "They", which I am about to review scared me more than anything in this book. In fact, "They" is one I would highly recommended.
As for the lady i n Black herself, yes she was creepy and I could see where she would be frightening but for much of the book she is not even in it. It is a very slow read which I lost patience with and started to skim. It's a shame but I just didn't take to this one.
September 19, 2022
I enjoyed this simple yet effective Victorian-era ghost story. I liked the gothic elements: the imagery and descriptive setting the author used to set the stage for a cold autumn, dreary, and moonlit English countryside. It started out with a family telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve. It then went to the to Arthur Kipps, our narrator, to tell the final tale to his stepchildren and wife. His tale was based on his personal account that he encountered many years before.
Mr. Kipps was a lawyer sent by his employer to settle an estate issue following the death of an old woman. As he attends the funeral, starts invesigating, and making discoveries strange things began to happen. Along the way there were apparitions and appearances of the Woman in Black. The story had some creepy moments mixed with mystery. The story tragically ended by Mr. Kipps as he stated "They asked for my story. I have told it." The story ended on a somber and haunting note that provided closure to the story.
Overall this was a fun and quick read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys gothic and ghost stories. Thanks!
April 9, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, It was atmospheric, spooky, creepy and it was a horror that actually manager to make me a little scared which few manage. Miss Havisham being mentioned brought me back to my English lessons.
This book feels like a classic, it feels like it would have been written in the early 1900's which gives it a much scarier feel.
Horror books often have isolation to make the reader uncomfortable but this book took it to a whole new level. It gets going quickly as it is a short read, the main character tries to trick themselves that it's all in their head or that there is a reasonable explanation which I liked as it makes the story more realistic.
I thought the writing was fairly basic, it wasn't flowery or lyrical but it didn't need to be. The weather is used a lot in this book to create a bleak atmosphere too, and it is done so well. Our main character being from the London and going to somewhere so lonely and remote is a nice touch too.
What an ending too, I was kind of expecting it but still it was so good.
This book feels like a classic, it feels like it would have been written in the early 1900's which gives it a much scarier feel.
Horror books often have isolation to make the reader uncomfortable but this book took it to a whole new level. It gets going quickly as it is a short read, the main character tries to trick themselves that it's all in their head or that there is a reasonable explanation which I liked as it makes the story more realistic.
I thought the writing was fairly basic, it wasn't flowery or lyrical but it didn't need to be. The weather is used a lot in this book to create a bleak atmosphere too, and it is done so well. Our main character being from the London and going to somewhere so lonely and remote is a nice touch too.
What an ending too, I was kind of expecting it but still it was so good.
April 30, 2018
there's never final tears, sadness can last forever, some people we just can never bury even when we're dead
the whole hole in our chest will still remain, when the ocean pours in, it still leaks...
reminiscing can kill, love loves blood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
irene, when i remembered you in the mid of some night, i coughed like a dud grenade exploding, i just felt the hole in my chest that wud never be filled. it was not like emptiness which cud be somehow filled, no, it's not like an abyss, it's a barathrum. we die and rot and fade away when we're falling inside of it...
cuz we're living ghosts, maybe we always are and always will...i have a hole in my chest, one day you came and filled into it, you'd fixed me, but now you're gone and wandering somewhere else, but never again haunt any other's dreams...
the whole hole in our chest will still remain, when the ocean pours in, it still leaks...
reminiscing can kill, love loves blood
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
irene, when i remembered you in the mid of some night, i coughed like a dud grenade exploding, i just felt the hole in my chest that wud never be filled. it was not like emptiness which cud be somehow filled, no, it's not like an abyss, it's a barathrum. we die and rot and fade away when we're falling inside of it...
cuz we're living ghosts, maybe we always are and always will...i have a hole in my chest, one day you came and filled into it, you'd fixed me, but now you're gone and wandering somewhere else, but never again haunt any other's dreams...
February 7, 2023
Me ha gustado mucho la ambientación, típica historia de fantasmas, con un toque gótico muy logrado.
El final me ha sorprendido un poco, pero es que no podía acabar de aquella manera un tanto light.
Valoración: 6.5/10
Sinopsis: Cuando el joven abogado Arthur Kipps recibe el encargo de viajar a un pueblo remoto del interior rodeado de marismas brumosas para asistir al entierro de una anciana no puede ni imaginar lo que le espera, y sólo ve en ello la posibilidad de progresar profesionalmente, lo que quizá le permita finalmente casarse. Mientras intenta poner orden en el legado de la difunta, empieza a ver una extraña aparición y se introduce en una historia que los lugareños intentan olvidar: la de una madre soltera que tuvo que dejar a su hijo al cuidado de su hermana, pero el niño se hundió en las marismas mientras su madre biológica lo miraba todo impotente desde su ventana. Según dice la tradición, siempre que alguien ve al espectro de la madre, muere un niño, y a la larga Arthur Kipps comprobará en su propia familia hasta qué punto esa tradición es cierta.
El final me ha sorprendido un poco, pero es que no podía acabar de aquella manera un tanto light.
Valoración: 6.5/10
Sinopsis: Cuando el joven abogado Arthur Kipps recibe el encargo de viajar a un pueblo remoto del interior rodeado de marismas brumosas para asistir al entierro de una anciana no puede ni imaginar lo que le espera, y sólo ve en ello la posibilidad de progresar profesionalmente, lo que quizá le permita finalmente casarse. Mientras intenta poner orden en el legado de la difunta, empieza a ver una extraña aparición y se introduce en una historia que los lugareños intentan olvidar: la de una madre soltera que tuvo que dejar a su hijo al cuidado de su hermana, pero el niño se hundió en las marismas mientras su madre biológica lo miraba todo impotente desde su ventana. Según dice la tradición, siempre que alguien ve al espectro de la madre, muere un niño, y a la larga Arthur Kipps comprobará en su propia familia hasta qué punto esa tradición es cierta.
October 19, 2023
But gradually I discovered for myself the truth of the axiom that a man cannot remain indefinitely in a state of active terror. Either the emotion will increase until, at the prompting of more and more dreadful events and apprehensions, he is so overcome by it that he runs away or goes mad; or he will become by slow degrees less agitated and more in possession of himself.
What is with the authors of horror stories and the ending of their books! It’s as if their quills turn to broomsticks for the last 50 pages or so.
Just when I thought that ‘this book underwhelmed me, but perhaps I shouldn’t judge it too harshly since it’s a children’s classic, so I can’t except bone chilling horror’, the author turned the tables at me and I felt shocked and creeped out by the end.
The best part is that this is a horror story with a (mostly) pragmatic protagonist! Because a horror novel with me as a protagonist would have two main lines. “Then I saw her, the woman in black; Having decided it was scary and pointless to try, I ran on my way back!”
Edit: bumped my rating from 3.5 to 4, as the story lingered in my mind
What is with the authors of horror stories and the ending of their books! It’s as if their quills turn to broomsticks for the last 50 pages or so.
Just when I thought that ‘this book underwhelmed me, but perhaps I shouldn’t judge it too harshly since it’s a children’s classic, so I can’t except bone chilling horror’, the author turned the tables at me and I felt shocked and creeped out by the end.
The best part is that this is a horror story with a (mostly) pragmatic protagonist! Because a horror novel with me as a protagonist would have two main lines. “Then I saw her, the woman in black; Having decided it was scary and pointless to try, I ran on my way back!”
Edit: bumped my rating from 3.5 to 4, as the story lingered in my mind
April 1, 2013
2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.
I was very disappointed with this book. It's much shorter than I thought it was going to be, for one. That's my fault for not checking to see how many pages it was.
I found the prose to be overly descriptive. I get it, the house is located in a marsh by the sea. I get it that there is fog. I get it that the only road to the house is underwater during high tide. Enough already, where is the woman?
Even when the woman shows up, the story continues to be boring.
I did not find this book to be even remotely scary. There were a couple of chilling scenes and that was about it. If you are looking for a good scare, look somewhere else.
I was very disappointed with this book. It's much shorter than I thought it was going to be, for one. That's my fault for not checking to see how many pages it was.
I found the prose to be overly descriptive. I get it, the house is located in a marsh by the sea. I get it that there is fog. I get it that the only road to the house is underwater during high tide. Enough already, where is the woman?
Even when the woman shows up, the story continues to be boring.
I did not find this book to be even remotely scary. There were a couple of chilling scenes and that was about it. If you are looking for a good scare, look somewhere else.
October 20, 2020
A quickly read, old-fashioned ghost story that I enjoyed but that also left me wanting...
The setting is a little hard to place, because phones and cars are mentionned, but people travel mostly by train, smoke pipes and live in country estates... Between the two World Wars, perhaps? In this not-quite-modern time, Arthur Kipp, a young sollicitor, is sent to a small country village to represent his firm, who are the estate executor of a Mrs. Drablow, who just passed away. Mr. Kipp attends the funeral and means to visit the lady's isolated house on the march, to gather the important paperwork to settle her affairs. But he finds a lot more than old receipts and correspondance...
I had seen the movie when it came out a few years back, and I will admit it creeped me out: I loved the old school, Hammer Horror effects (empty, rocking furniture, faces that appear in the mist, lamps that go out and all that nonesense), which I've always found infinitely more spooky than slasher films. While it deviated from the book in some ways, the core of the story remains the same: the angry, vengeful ghost of a woman who tragically lost her son seeks revenge on other people's children.
Susan Hill didn't reinvent the wheel with this book, and while the story is intriguing and the narrative well-paced, I felt it lacked a little... something I can't quite put my finger on. I do find it interesting that Mr. Kipp is not a believer in the supernatural, so his reactions to events that cannot be explained rationally are grounded, and devoid of superstition or panic. Perhaps if the book had been longer, the setting more fleshed out, I would have found it more engaging, but as it is, it was simply a nice little change of pace: my Spooktober pile this year has been mostly very modern, cosmic horror, and it was refreshing to get back to the basics with this Gothic haunting tale. Good but unremarkable.
(I love the cover art of my edition: that water color painting is so creepy!)
The setting is a little hard to place, because phones and cars are mentionned, but people travel mostly by train, smoke pipes and live in country estates... Between the two World Wars, perhaps? In this not-quite-modern time, Arthur Kipp, a young sollicitor, is sent to a small country village to represent his firm, who are the estate executor of a Mrs. Drablow, who just passed away. Mr. Kipp attends the funeral and means to visit the lady's isolated house on the march, to gather the important paperwork to settle her affairs. But he finds a lot more than old receipts and correspondance...
I had seen the movie when it came out a few years back, and I will admit it creeped me out: I loved the old school, Hammer Horror effects (empty, rocking furniture, faces that appear in the mist, lamps that go out and all that nonesense), which I've always found infinitely more spooky than slasher films. While it deviated from the book in some ways, the core of the story remains the same: the angry, vengeful ghost of a woman who tragically lost her son seeks revenge on other people's children.
Susan Hill didn't reinvent the wheel with this book, and while the story is intriguing and the narrative well-paced, I felt it lacked a little... something I can't quite put my finger on. I do find it interesting that Mr. Kipp is not a believer in the supernatural, so his reactions to events that cannot be explained rationally are grounded, and devoid of superstition or panic. Perhaps if the book had been longer, the setting more fleshed out, I would have found it more engaging, but as it is, it was simply a nice little change of pace: my Spooktober pile this year has been mostly very modern, cosmic horror, and it was refreshing to get back to the basics with this Gothic haunting tale. Good but unremarkable.
(I love the cover art of my edition: that water color painting is so creepy!)
July 20, 2022
It's a little difficult to describe how brilliant this book is. Hill utilizes techniques that in lesser hands would have caused the story to fail. The Woman in Black starts out, for example, hundreds of miles from where the action takes place, and decades after. With more than a suggestion -- a threat -- of a terrifying story to come if they linger too long, Hill lures the reader into the story.
This prolonged first act can be a risky choice, I'm sure, if it were not rendered as brilliantly as what we find in this book -- the disrupted family episode, the repeated warnings from people the main character meets in the course of his normal professional duties, the persistently haunting settings. Well before the first sighting of the Drablow ghost a third of the way through the book, the reader is already quite frightened.
The structure and form of this book is original and beautiful, the narrative is haunting and scary, the use of time stunning, the descriptions eerie and lush. I enjoyed something about every element in Hill's execution here. Enjoy this one, horror fans and just plain fans of great literature!
Stay safe out there, fellow readers; remember your masks and your hands. Stay bookish, stay resilient!
This prolonged first act can be a risky choice, I'm sure, if it were not rendered as brilliantly as what we find in this book -- the disrupted family episode, the repeated warnings from people the main character meets in the course of his normal professional duties, the persistently haunting settings. Well before the first sighting of the Drablow ghost a third of the way through the book, the reader is already quite frightened.
The structure and form of this book is original and beautiful, the narrative is haunting and scary, the use of time stunning, the descriptions eerie and lush. I enjoyed something about every element in Hill's execution here. Enjoy this one, horror fans and just plain fans of great literature!
Stay safe out there, fellow readers; remember your masks and your hands. Stay bookish, stay resilient!
December 24, 2014
Sublime, creo que esta es una de las mejores novelas de fantasmas que he leído. Cuando comencé a leerla luego simplemente no podía dejar de hacerlo, Susan Hill tiene una manera muy mágica y especial de atrapar al lector e introducirlo en un pueblo neblinoso, tétrico y victoriano que se encuentra acechado por la presencia de una espectral y hórrida dama de negro. La forma en la que se narra la historia del protagonista denota que logra dominar el arte de la descripción a la perfección.
Ahora bien, hay cosas que simplemente no recuerdo haber visto en la película, o al menos las cosas no toman lugar en el mismo momento, lo cual es interesante para tener una variación -aunque leve- en cuanto a la obra literaria y la adaptación de cine. Si hay algo que no me llegó a gustar demasiado es el final, pero no entraré en detalles con el fin de evitarles un spoiler indeseado. Pero sí, debo confesar que el final me dejó una sensación extraña, no muy agradable. Pero no creo que tenga que condenar la obra de Hill de forma íntegra porque eso sería injusto, y juzgar enteramente una obra por su desenlace, por lo que en general afirmo que me pareció un gran libro, ideal para los que disfrutan de historias de fantasmas, almas en pena y situaciones escabrosas y trágicas.
Ahora bien, hay cosas que simplemente no recuerdo haber visto en la película, o al menos las cosas no toman lugar en el mismo momento, lo cual es interesante para tener una variación -aunque leve- en cuanto a la obra literaria y la adaptación de cine. Si hay algo que no me llegó a gustar demasiado es el final, pero no entraré en detalles con el fin de evitarles un spoiler indeseado. Pero sí, debo confesar que el final me dejó una sensación extraña, no muy agradable. Pero no creo que tenga que condenar la obra de Hill de forma íntegra porque eso sería injusto, y juzgar enteramente una obra por su desenlace, por lo que en general afirmo que me pareció un gran libro, ideal para los que disfrutan de historias de fantasmas, almas en pena y situaciones escabrosas y trágicas.
August 7, 2016
2.5 stars
The story starts with our main protagonist- Arthur Kipps narrating his paranormal experience to his close family and friends.
The start of the book reminded me of The Turn of the Screw as this also starts with a similar narration pattern and both these stories revolve around an isolated house.
But that is where the similarity ends.
The setting of 'Eel Marsh House' is spooky, it is foggy surrounded by marshes and the accessibility to the house is blocked during high tide....
Arthur see's The Woman in Black and then start's experiencing unusual things. The paranormal angle of this is interesting but not as creepy even though it involves The Woman in Black
This was a quick read and the ending took me by surprise
The story starts with our main protagonist- Arthur Kipps narrating his paranormal experience to his close family and friends.
The start of the book reminded me of The Turn of the Screw as this also starts with a similar narration pattern and both these stories revolve around an isolated house.
But that is where the similarity ends.
The setting of 'Eel Marsh House' is spooky, it is foggy surrounded by marshes and the accessibility to the house is blocked during high tide....
Arthur see's The Woman in Black and then start's experiencing unusual things. The paranormal angle of this is interesting but not as creepy even though it involves The Woman in Black
This was a quick read and the ending took me by surprise
February 10, 2023
I liked the way this was written and read it quite quickly. It wasn't as scary as I had anticipated - having seen the film adaptation starring Daniel Radcliffe (which I enjoyed) I suppose I couldn't help but compare the two. I actually think I preferred the film just a bit more, but the book was strong. I loved the dog, Spider a lot. She really added something to the story.
The ending was great, though I won't be specific as to why. It hit me quite hard, even though it came with a strong sense of the inevitable.
The ending was great, though I won't be specific as to why. It hit me quite hard, even though it came with a strong sense of the inevitable.
June 20, 2024
A solid example of the gothic ghost story; dreary, atmospheric, and dark, this novel explores the themes of grief and revenge beyond the grave. The woman in black is an interesting tragic villain, and our narrator is a compelling and emotional voice as he uncovers secrets with devastating consequences. A classic horror tale to read with the lights out.
October 8, 2020
This was a major atmospheric horror/ghost story. Don’t skip over any of the parts.
When I was reading this, the 1980’s filmed version was playing back in my head. Especially that one scene.
Don’t rush through this one. It needs to be savoured.
When I was reading this, the 1980’s filmed version was playing back in my head. Especially that one scene.
Don’t rush through this one. It needs to be savoured.
Read
February 6, 2022"For I see that then I was still all in a state of innocence, but that innocence, once lost, is lost forever.”
So What’s It About? (from Goodreads)
“Set on the obligatory English moor, on an isolated causeway, the story has as its hero Arthur Kipps, an up-and-coming young solicitor who has come north from London to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. The routine formalities he anticipates give way to a tumble of events and secrets more sinister and terrifying than any nightmare: the rocking chair in the deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and most dreadfully–and for Kipps most tragically–The Woman In Black.”
What I Thought
I’m nearly entirely certain that this is the perfect ghost story. Quite simply, it strikes such a delicious balance of coziness and utter terror, with a malevolent spirit hell bent on causing suffering and a bleak, isolated setting that’s so vividly realized you can almost feel the drizzle and fog. It’s entirely possible that the manor on the moors hiding a terrible secret, one that is jealously guarded by the close-lipped locals, is an overdone trope at this point in time, but I think that it’s one I’ll never tire of, and it’s one that is done incomparably well here. The dread builds and builds to an utterly chilling finish, and I’m still shivering while writing this review a month later.
One of the things that I think sets The Woman In Black apart is the way that Arthur’s experiences are clearly coded as traumatic events that scar him for the rest of his life. When it comes down to it, I think a lot of ghost stories have trauma and PTSD at the heart of them – after all, aren’t they about beings who are stuck at one moment in time forever, unable to let go of the deepest pains of their lives, reliving them again and again even after death? What could be more terrifying than the thought that nothing, not even death, can stop you from being stuck in the worst events of your life?
The woman in black, Jannet Humphreys, suffered in life because of the punishment and stigma that unwed mothers faced during her time period after being abandoned by the men who impregnated them. Still, I’m not exactly sure that I can say her story is a feminist one, when the result of it is her going insane from her loss and suffering and ultimately becoming so vindictive that she destroys lives for generations to come.
So What’s It About? (from Goodreads)
“Set on the obligatory English moor, on an isolated causeway, the story has as its hero Arthur Kipps, an up-and-coming young solicitor who has come north from London to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. The routine formalities he anticipates give way to a tumble of events and secrets more sinister and terrifying than any nightmare: the rocking chair in the deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and most dreadfully–and for Kipps most tragically–The Woman In Black.”
What I Thought
I’m nearly entirely certain that this is the perfect ghost story. Quite simply, it strikes such a delicious balance of coziness and utter terror, with a malevolent spirit hell bent on causing suffering and a bleak, isolated setting that’s so vividly realized you can almost feel the drizzle and fog. It’s entirely possible that the manor on the moors hiding a terrible secret, one that is jealously guarded by the close-lipped locals, is an overdone trope at this point in time, but I think that it’s one I’ll never tire of, and it’s one that is done incomparably well here. The dread builds and builds to an utterly chilling finish, and I’m still shivering while writing this review a month later.
One of the things that I think sets The Woman In Black apart is the way that Arthur’s experiences are clearly coded as traumatic events that scar him for the rest of his life. When it comes down to it, I think a lot of ghost stories have trauma and PTSD at the heart of them – after all, aren’t they about beings who are stuck at one moment in time forever, unable to let go of the deepest pains of their lives, reliving them again and again even after death? What could be more terrifying than the thought that nothing, not even death, can stop you from being stuck in the worst events of your life?
The woman in black, Jannet Humphreys, suffered in life because of the punishment and stigma that unwed mothers faced during her time period after being abandoned by the men who impregnated them. Still, I’m not exactly sure that I can say her story is a feminist one, when the result of it is her going insane from her loss and suffering and ultimately becoming so vindictive that she destroys lives for generations to come.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2020
I've seen the movie a few years ago and quite liked it so of course I had to read the novel it was based on. This is a classic gothic novel (though much younger than the original ones).
We start with a now settled lawyer named Arthur Kipps who lives at a nice house with his (second) wife and four stepchildren. One Christmas, they ask him to tell a ghost story. He's quite shaken by their request, shuts himself away and writes down what happened to him many years ago in the hope that this will finally bring him peace.
The actual story takes place some years before when he was a junior solicitor. He is sent to the funeral of a Mrs. Alice Drablow to settle her estate. While he is at Eel Marsh House (a house completely cut off from the mainland, surrounded only by marshes and sea frets during high tide), he has more and more supernatural encounters in the form of strange noises and sightings.
Naturally, it doesn't end (too) well even after he finally gets to the bottom of what/who the titular Woman in Black actually is and why she is haunting the place.
I have to say that this book, while short, was very atmospheric and did the genre proud. It was therefore creepy and I had a lot of fun trying to puzzle out the who/what/why (yes, it was a little bit different from what I remembered of the movie).
Great addition to this Spooktober's list.
We start with a now settled lawyer named Arthur Kipps who lives at a nice house with his (second) wife and four stepchildren. One Christmas, they ask him to tell a ghost story. He's quite shaken by their request, shuts himself away and writes down what happened to him many years ago in the hope that this will finally bring him peace.
The actual story takes place some years before when he was a junior solicitor. He is sent to the funeral of a Mrs. Alice Drablow to settle her estate. While he is at Eel Marsh House (a house completely cut off from the mainland, surrounded only by marshes and sea frets during high tide), he has more and more supernatural encounters in the form of strange noises and sightings.
Naturally, it doesn't end (too) well even after he finally gets to the bottom of what/who the titular Woman in Black actually is and why she is haunting the place.
I have to say that this book, while short, was very atmospheric and did the genre proud. It was therefore creepy and I had a lot of fun trying to puzzle out the who/what/why (yes, it was a little bit different from what I remembered of the movie).
Great addition to this Spooktober's list.
Want to read
October 30, 2018This hardcover book is copy 40 of 300 (Plus 20 copies for contributors) printed and signed by:
Susan Hill
Reggie Oliver - (interior art)
Simon Prades - (cover art)
Susan Hill
Reggie Oliver - (interior art)
Simon Prades - (cover art)
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