One summer shortly after the end of the war, Dr. Faraday is called to Hundreds, the Ayres family mansion, to tend the family’s maid. Hundreds has faded drastically from when he knew it as a boy. Land is being sold off to pay debts, the house is falling apart, and the family have become largely recluses. Dr. Faraday somehow finds himself entwined with this peculiar family despite their differences in status, and shortly realizes that something more is going on than what he had imagined.
I love Sarah Waters, and went into this book with a great deal of expectations. It proved to be very different from her previous books but no less fascinating. Even without the jacket cover telling me so, I could tell this was a post-war Britain. It feels very much like a society in flux, and there’s always the mention of the forthcoming National Health Service to give a hint. Dr. Faraday is a product of this changing culture, having fairly low origins in Warwickshire but having attended some of the best colleges to attain his profession. Yet he still hides his Warwickshire accent because it’s low class. (Yes, this still happens, my own husband consciously changed his accent because it was “low class” and he was attending schools where he was looked down on for it. In some respects Britain hasn’t changed at all.) The Ayres family is completely unable to keep up their house and their land, and they even sell some of it to the county council for housing nearly on their doorstep. This is a period of change, and that change resonates throughout the book.
Beyond that, this book is absolutely creepy. I know we’re meant to wonder if the family is actually insane or if it’s a ghost story, but it totally felt like a ghost story to me. It creeped me out like one, and as I was reading it and it got dark I almost had to stop because I was sure something was going to start tapping in the wall. I was convinced that Dr. Faraday was just being rational because he had to be as a doctor, not because the family were actually insane, but it’s certainly notable that most of the ghost incidents are told through the Ayres family, and the narrator doesn’t witness them himself. Waters completely pulls off the atmosphere of suspense and even though I was getting steadily more freaked out by the book, I didn’t want to put it down. I read it in just one day.
The Little Stranger has definitely not marred my love for Sarah Waters’ work and now I am more determined than ever to get to the last two books of hers that I have to read. Highly recommended.
I am an Amazon Associate. I borrowed this book from my local library.
Oohh….I have read reviews of this one before, but yours has truly convinced me that I need to check this book out. Ghost vs Insane — sounds like a great thriller to me.
.-= Molly´s last blog ..Review: Christ, the Light of the World =-.
This sounds fascinating. I love books like this. Sort of reminds me of Shirley Jackson – nice and creepy but you’re not sure if you should be scared of the possible ghost or the insane inhabitants. I’m adding this to the TBR.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Vagabond =-.
Terrific review. I’ve enjoyed Fingersmith and Tipping the Velvet –looking forward to Affinity and this book as well; thanks
.-= diane´s last blog ..Waiting on Wednesday – The Language of Secrets =-.
Oh my goodness, I’m not much for creepy books, so I’m not sure this one’s for me.
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Wondrous Words Wednesday =-.
I am so glad you liked this one! I feel like the reviews haven’t been as stellar as I would have imagined, but I can’t wait to read it nonetheless.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..Library Loot =-.
I’m a huge fan of Sarah Waters too, and I’m really looking forward to reading this one soon. I’m glad to hear you loved it!
.-= nomadreader´s last blog ..dinner and a movie: Invictus =-.
The audio version of this is waiting at my library for me – I’m really looking forward to discussing it on That’s How I Blog show on Jan. 9. I just finished listening to another of her books, AFFINITY, and really enjoyed it so I’m excited for this one!
.-= Heather J.´s last blog ..Cleopatra’s Daughter =-.
I am a new Waters fan, too! Just recently read Affinity and Fingersmith, so really want to get to her others now.
.-= Aarti´s last blog ..Review: Fun Home =-.
This book sounds teh awesome! I haven’t even heard of this author before, I have to admit.
Don’t Americans have biases against certain accents too? I know several people from the South who deliberately lost their accents (which is a shame, since I do love me a Southern drawl ~_^).
.-= heidenkind´s last blog ..The Mixology Challenge! =-.
Yeah, they do, but there seems to be far more discrimination here. According to Keith, the difference is that no one thinks a Black Country accent is sexy, whereas a lot of people think a Southern accent is. I am with you on that. =)
One day I will read Waters. I always like the sound of her books but just haven’t read one yet.
.-= Marg´s last blog ..Library Loot =-.
I can’t wait to read this one. Thank you for your great review, Meghan!
.-= Literary Feline´s last blog ..The Search for the Perfect Gift – Virtual Advent Tour =-.
Ugh the Black Country hatred is so annoying. Birmingham (where I so do not come from, depsite it’s wonderful shops) got named the ‘worst/least trustworthy accent’ or something last year and a Birmingham guy on the local news had the nerve to say he thought people who voted were confusing them with the Black Country! Booo.
Ahem anyway thanks for your recommendation of this book. I have it in my house somewhere and all of Sarah Waters fiction sounds wonderful, but somehow I never seem to get round to it (I think it’s because the over exposure amkes me wary, so nice to hear from reader people instead of publicistes).
“The Little Stranger has definitely not marred my love for Sarah Waters’ work and now I am more determined than ever to get to the last two books of hers that I have to read.”
I’m very glad to hear this, as some of the reviews I’ve read made me worry it would!
.-= Nymeth´s last blog ..The Sunday Salon – A Guessing Game =-.
I have never read any of Waters work, but have heard so much about her. This one also sounds great. I’ll be checking my library for this one.
.-= jennygirl´s last blog ..Sunday Reflections (Dec. 20) =-.
I’m listening to this right now. I haven’t really gotten to the creepy parts yet, but I’m excited to do so!
.-= Jen – Devourer of Books´s last blog ..Saffron Dreams – Mini Book Review =-.
Ooh, I wonder if this would be too scary for me. Hummm.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: Sweeping up Glass by Carolyn Wall =-.
This was the first Sarah Waters book I read, and I loved it. I’ve read Fingersmith since and enjoyed it too!
.-= S. Krishna´s last blog ..The Girl Next Door – Elizabeth Noble =-.