Reviews

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

luisaanne86's review against another edition

1.0

How this book could be considered a "Vintage Classic" boggles the mind. There is no depth in the characters, the writing is stilted and forced Ye Olde English and there was nothing to the story.

The trouble with Susan Hills writing is that she tells you what to feel and think, instead of crafting her words into 3 dimensional situations.

And seriously? Deathly Pallor, Ghostly Pallor, Sickly Pallor, Pony Trap, Causeway, Misty, Grave, Bewildered and ill are all words/phrases I am happy not to read again for a while.

orangejulias's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25

For someone who watched the movie first, the book comes across very anti-climactic. The movie had me on the edge of my seat. There were many more spooky interactions among the marshes. The book had two somewhat big supernatural occurrences. The backstory of the two sisters and young boy dying had a much stronger potential to be scarier and I wish we could’ve actually read some of the letters like how some authors are adding into novels lately. It would’ve been more interactive and easier to understand for the reader. Instead, I was left confused as to why he couldn’t just take the papers and sort through them in the safety of the town. If the author had opened up the mystery more, the audience would find it easier to be emerged into the story.  I’m happy that I watched the movie first because it allowed me to see an image of Mr. Arthur Kipps as Daniel Radcliffe. The author uses simple language, which allowed me to read the book quicker and struggle less but it also was of a less quality for the overall image and depth of the story. 

hkt's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

folkvangr's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

2.25

aljansundance's review against another edition

4.0

A new book with a very old feel. Surprisingly good!

fluffysarcasm's review against another edition

4.0

I wanted to read this since seeing the recent movie adaptation. I quiet enjoyed it, it managed to keep more to the sensibilities of the Victorian style rather than having the on screen deaths that are present in the movie. I can see why some would not like this one as much for these same reasons, though.

snukes's review against another edition

4.0

I tried to write a ghost story last year for NaNoWriMo, and it got fiendishly complex fiendishly quickly. This story is exactly not that. As a modern invention (1983) I expected the story to be somehow more complex than many of its actually-Victorian era inspirations, but the premise, haunting, and resolution were straightforward and very effective.

As usual, here I come poo-pooing the things that made all the horror possible (not really a spoiler this time): WHY wouldn't he pack up all the documents and bring them back to his hotel to review there?? Even if he had to go back a few times??

In this case, it wouldn't even have ruined the horrifying finale, though it would have deprived us of some of the spookier middle moments.

cntorres84's review against another edition

1.0

Pretty disappointed.

I never usually say this:

THE MOVIE WAS BETTER.

I was expecting so much more and I was very let down. It does bother me that Radcliffe was cast in the role though, but he did a fine job anyway.

abbeyroad89's review against another edition

3.0

I liked this book, but I felt like it was lacking and too short.

lauramclain's review against another edition

5.0

Classic nineteenth-century style ghost story.