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carolsnotebook's review against another edition
2.0
Not as scary as I thought it could have been. The atmosphere was right, the characters were plausible, it must have been the writing style that just didn't pull through for me. Moments were pitch perfect, full of suspense, doubt, but then that tension got lost, and I was just reading, not biting my nails, not worrying or caring really. It was just a little uneven for me. Lots of potential, but it just didn't work overall for me.
I don't read many ghost stories, though, so I'm probably not the best person's opinion to listen to.
I don't read many ghost stories, though, so I'm probably not the best person's opinion to listen to.
heidimjoyce's review
3.0
3.75 Stars. There were things I like better in the film, and things I felt the book did much better with. Really creeped me out!
chewedgum's review
5.0
This was deliciously, delightfully creepy. I read all but the first couple of chapters in one sitting. I highly recommend this. Susan Hill built the tension beautifully throughout the story. I got my first inkling about the ending of the story just as I began the last chapter. I was appalled and desperately hoped that my realization about the inevitable would not, in fact, be the ending of the book. But of course it was. OF COURSE IT WAS.
I also kept imagining my dog, Greta (in her puppy days, not her ham days), as the adorable canine companion. She has the grizzled eyebrows and everything!
I also kept imagining my dog, Greta (in her puppy days, not her ham days), as the adorable canine companion. She has the grizzled eyebrows and everything!
juliebean1020's review against another edition
4.0
This is what a good ghost story used to be - no gore, no body parts - just every day sounds coming out of the fog that can freeze your blood in your veins. Hill shares a novella really about the woman in black, and the child she lost, twice. And those who have paid for that loss for 60 years.
juushika's review against another edition
4.0
Coming on business as a solicitor to a distant English moor, Arthur Kipps discovers the decaying estate of Alice Drablow and a gaunt, diseased woman in black who haunts the edges of his journey. The Woman in Black is one of the more realistic ghost stories that I've read, which is to say that it largely forgoes a vast paranormal event to concentrate on the limited, localized, personal experience of one man's brush with the supernatural. As this it's utterly convincing, and has one of the best uses of a framing narrative that I've seen; as a ghost story it's not quite terrifying, perhaps because it's too conceivable--an experience made lifelike but limited by the reader's ability to imagine themself exactly in the protagonist's place. The Woman in Black is delicate and evocative, and crafts a setting balanced between traditionally haunted and uniquely imagined; I only wish that I had read it in the late autumn/early winter when it's set, as it's intensely seasonal and would benefit from a sympathetic atmosphere. This is a unique, brief book: pure, clear, but in no way shallow; it serves a singular purpose and so has its limitations, but is none the worse for that. It's not a few favorite, but it was a pleasure and I recommend it.
shaayshaay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
bee_lawson's review against another edition
4.0
Not as crazy as the similarly named "The Woman in White," but still a captivating ghost story that I read pretty quickly.
lauracs6's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
persypie's review against another edition
4.0
”I did not believe in ghosts.”
A creeping, atmospheric dread is lurking in the darkness of this novella, only for light to shine on something more terrifying: the woman in black.
When Arthur takes a job from his law office to sort through the papers of the recently deceased Mrs. Drablow, he approaches his first run-in with the woman in black with a healthy amount of skepticism that is delightful to watch unravel. I found myself dreading the appearance of the woman just as much as Arthur every time she would draw near.
My highest compliments go to how tightly packed and to the point this novella is without meandering too much into over-description (which can often be the downfall of a good ghost story).
At times heart-pounding and sweat-inducing, The Woman in Black is sure to rank high on your list of ghost stories.
”They asked for my story. I have told it. Enough.”
A creeping, atmospheric dread is lurking in the darkness of this novella, only for light to shine on something more terrifying: the woman in black.
When Arthur takes a job from his law office to sort through the papers of the recently deceased Mrs. Drablow, he approaches his first run-in with the woman in black with a healthy amount of skepticism that is delightful to watch unravel. I found myself dreading the appearance of the woman just as much as Arthur every time she would draw near.
My highest compliments go to how tightly packed and to the point this novella is without meandering too much into over-description (which can often be the downfall of a good ghost story).
At times heart-pounding and sweat-inducing, The Woman in Black is sure to rank high on your list of ghost stories.
”They asked for my story. I have told it. Enough.”