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The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story

3.62 of 5 stars 3.62 · rating details · 12,879 ratings · 2,289 reviews

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 a...more

Paperback, Movie Tie-in Edition, 164 pages

Published January 3rd 2012 by Vintage (first published 1983)

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Nov 29, 2011 Jemidar rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ghosts-horror, culled

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 othe...more

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May 25, 2012 Gloria Mundi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: creeptastic, ghosties, gothika, down-the-memory-lane, snoozefest

I read this book mainly because I went to see the play at the Fortune Theatre in London a few weeks ago. The play was really good. It wasn't the scariest thing I have ever experienced, as some reviews claim, but it did make me jump and it was a fantastic performance carried entirely by two actors, with most of the fear factor delivered through good old fashioned darkness, sudden noises, closeness of the atmosphere (it was the smallest theatre I have ever been in) and the audience interaction (th...more I read this book mainly because I went to see the play at the Fortune Theatre in London a few weeks ago. The play was really good. It wasn't the scariest thing I have ever experienced, as some reviews claim, but it did make me jump and it was a fantastic performance carried entirely by two actors, with most of the fear factor delivered through good old fashioned darkness, sudden noises, closeness of the atmosphere (it was the smallest theatre I have ever been in) and the audience interaction (there were very frequent shrieks), rather than any advanced technology or complicated props. The play has been performed in London for the last 23 years and remains hugely popular, so I would thouroughly recommended it if you are ever in London and are theatrically inclined.

The Woman in Black is a short novella written by Susan Hill in the 1980s which tells the story of a young solicitor Arthur Kipps and his terrifying encounter with a ghost in a small market town on the East coast of England where he is sent to settle the affairs of Alice Drablow, an old lady recently deceased. The novella is a pastiche on the Victorian gothic literature and it certainly read very authentic with its languorous pace, isolated gloomy manorhouse setting and extensive descriptions of fog and other kinds of dreary weather. But therein also lies the main problem I had with this book. I can well understand the need to set the mood and the scene with some description of nature and the surroundings, but when I am faced with paragraph after paragraph describing the colour of mud and the dripping sky, my eyes soon start to glaze over. The intro and the build-up to the actual story were also far too long, given the overall length of the book (it is 30-odd pages before the hero even gets to the place in a book that's only 138 pages long) and the ending was too rushed and abrupt in comparison. Also, the comic relief, which was very well done in the play, was sadly missing from the book.

Overall, however, this was an interesting story and a quick read and I look forward to seeing what they have done with it in the film.(less)

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Feb 29, 2012 Tammy Walton Grant rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: calibre, kindle-or-ebook, ghost-stories, 2012-february

(shudders) Well, that gave me the chills, big time. A couple of really good skin-crawling, hair standing up on the back of my neck, heart-pounding moments. And the ending! Yowza. Damn, maybe I've ruined the movie for myself. Then again, maybe not.

Look at that fog. And this:

Ok -- I really liked this book, although the first chapter was bit confusing in all the back and forths setting up the narrator's history. I thought the writing was good, the mood was set very well, and it was just the kind o...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Belle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-vs-movie, oh-the-horror, meh, mysterious-mystery, ghosts-and-ghouls

You know those books, where you look at the book, then look at reviews, then back at the book and think, “Am I reading the right book?” The Woman in Black was one of those books for me. It seems like everyone loves it, my edition is even part of the Vintage Classics* range, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. It was a chore to get through. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for it… or maybe it’s just not the right book for me.

The premise is enticing: a young solicitor goes to stay in an old mansion...more
You know those books, where you look at the book, then look at reviews, then back at the book and think, “Am I reading the right book?” The Woman in Black was one of those books for me. It seems like everyone loves it, my edition is even part of the Vintage Classics* range, but I didn’t enjoy it at all. It was a chore to get through. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for it… or maybe it’s just not the right book for me.

The premise is enticing: a young solicitor goes to stay in an old mansion to sort out the paperwork of the recently deceased owner, only to discover it’s haunted by a mysterious woman in black. Doesn’t that sound thrilling? Alas, it is not. Not one bit. Of the 160 pages (yes, this book is tiny), it felt like only about five of them contained something actually interesting. The rest was filled with Arthur walking, Arthur eating, Arthur thinking about walking and eating, Arthur talking about walking and eating, Arthur looking around, Arthur riding a bike, Arthur talking about looking around and riding a bike and Arthur thinking and talking and walking a little bit more. The actual scares were few and far between, and when they came I was so close to falling asleep from the long, descriptive passages that I barely mustered a goosebump.

I like descriptive writing when the thing that is being described is interesting or beautiful, or the writing itself is interesting or beautiful. But Arthur describes everything and everyone he comes across, even if he only spends five minutes in a room or never meets that person again. It was all just so tedious. The writing itself was dull, and although it's in the style of a Victorian novel, it felt rather forced in several places, and jarred with the un-Victorian setting.

That’s right, don’t let the movie posters fool you – this book is not set in Victorian times. It’s actually never exactly clear what time period it’s set in. I’m guessing the early 1900s. Arthur refers to the Victorian period as though it was a fair while in the past, and speaks of a “pony and trap” as though it’s a novelty over a car. There’s electricity everywhere and apparently a battery-operated torch. But there’s no mention of World War I, something which would have shaped Arthur’s life and personality had the book taken place during or after that period.

There’s not much of a secondary cast to speak of – in fact, my favourite character was the dog. She was adorable, and the scariest scene for me actually involved her. There were a few other parts which were mildly creepy, but my butt remained firmly far back from the edge of my seat. The central mystery around the woman in black was so predictable, and even though I was waiting for it, the climax felt rushed and ultimately unsatisfying.

I’m trying to find something positive about my reading experience but to be honest I can’t think of anything. I’m hoping the movie is better. It won't take much.

*Random note: How old does a book have to be to be dubbed “vintage”? This one was first published in 1983. Not what I’d call a “vintage classic”, even if it is written in ye olde language.

This review also appears on my blog.
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Dec 29, 2011 Nessa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review, fiction

The Woman in Black and its long-running play in London is apparently a common choice for English Literature at the secondary level in England. I had actually never heard of it until a friend of mine linked me to the US trailer of the film adaptation, set to be released in February 2012. It stars Daniel Radcliffe, and as a promotion, there was a chance to be able to attend the premiere and meet Daniel himself, so long as you wrote a bone-chilling ghost story and posted a video of yourself acting...more The Woman in Black and its long-running play in London is apparently a common choice for English Literature at the secondary level in England. I had actually never heard of it until a friend of mine linked me to the US trailer of the film adaptation, set to be released in February 2012. It stars Daniel Radcliffe, and as a promotion, there was a chance to be able to attend the premiere and meet Daniel himself, so long as you wrote a bone-chilling ghost story and posted a video of yourself acting it out or reading it on camera. Sadly, I didn't enter the competition, but that's probably because writing a ghost story is ridiculously difficult. Especially one of this calibre.

Anyway, this book gave me a few shivers. It's about a junior solicitor called Arthur Kipps, who refuses his step-children's request for a ghost story, too traumatised by what went on all those years ago, when he was summoned to Crythin Gifford, a small town far away in the English countryside. As a city-boy, when told an abridged version of the story of Eel Marsh House, he assumes that the country folk are just superstitious bumpkins and it would be a normal case of arranging his late client's affairs. However, he ends up very isolated in a large house that can only be accessed during low tide, and has its fair share of bumps in the night.

Oh goodness, this book was just fantastic. Finding out what had happened to Ms. Drablow really gave me the shivers, and that ending. Oh, that ending. Gave me the creeps, because it came completely out of nowhere. This is just a wonderful book, and a rare breed of ghost story: one that will have you reading deep into the night and biting your lip as you imagine the setting... then to be confronted with pretty terrifying images. I actually got through about 10% of the book in one night, and was a startled by a creak somewhere in the walls of the house.

However, the book does have its problems. While it is very immersive and does all the things a good ghost story should do, the parts where Arthur temporarily leaves Eel Marsh House are a little bit dull in comparison. The book also contains a slight overkill when it comes to the terrible things that happens to Arthur, but that was probably just me. I also found the other characters in the story somewhat bland. For example, Mr. Daily is just a local man who comes around every now and again to fill in local knowledge or tell Arthur that the house is haunted, and Keckwick is just a bumpkin who owns the pony and trap that ferries Arthur to Eel Marsh House, and brings him back to the village every once in a while.

It's a brilliant book, but with just a few hitches when it comes to any parts outside of Eel Marsh House, as well as side characters being a bit dull for my liking. 3.5/5(less)

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Feb 05, 2012 Anna (Pocketful of Books) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hmm. A pseudo-Victorian gothic ghost story that has a very un-Victorian length of 140 pages. To be honest, it's not very good. It reminds me of 14 year old me when I started reading things like Dracula, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and thinking 'there's not much to this writing a classic novel business- I should give it a try'. Cue the dull, rational protagonist (lawyer or doctor obviously) who is thrown into some spooky goings-on and slowly becomes undone in such default settings...more Hmm. A pseudo-Victorian gothic ghost story that has a very un-Victorian length of 140 pages. To be honest, it's not very good. It reminds me of 14 year old me when I started reading things like Dracula, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and thinking 'there's not much to this writing a classic novel business- I should give it a try'. Cue the dull, rational protagonist (lawyer or doctor obviously) who is thrown into some spooky goings-on and slowly becomes undone in such default settings as spooky misty moore or haunted house. What I didn't understand when I was 14, as Susan Hill doesn't seem to understand in the 1980's when this was written, is that imitation is not all that flattering when it comes to novel writing. Those Victorian/pre-Victorian novels, that everyone now knows, are classics, not for their content, but for how revolutionary they were in their own time and how different they were from what came before them. They were then a reaction against Romanticism, a way to make people's skin crawl in a time when the rational began to, unfavourably for some, overtake the irrational and mystical/religious. This story is displaced in time, adding nothing, and doing nothing.

It is a cliche from beginning to end. Seriously. Look up a list of all the features needed to create a Gothic novel and you can tick them off on a checklist whilst reading it. And if you're thinking, like me, that there is going to be a huge, redeeming twist at the end that throws everything that comes before it into a riotous question mark...you would be wrong. It really is trying to be a legitimate Gothic novel. It doesn't even have an interesting, dubious protagonist ala 'The Turn of the Screw'. It is really....nothing.

However, saying all this you are probably wondering why I have even given it two stars. Well. Embarrassingly enough, this silly ghost story gave me the creeps a little bit. So it partly did it's job I guess. Faces at the window, unlocked doors opening themselves, dogs howling, children screaming, rocking chairs inexplicably set a-rocking...these kinds of things never fail to make me uneasy. And the writing's not terrible. But then, nothing much happens for the first 100 pages and, while many people may call this build-up and making the reader feel tense and uneasy in anticipation of the climax, it was done quite poorly and I wasn't as scared as I should've been. It was quite boring really and my eyes glazed quite a bit during that section.

Anyway, disappointment aside, I am glad I read this ahead of the film as now I probably won't bother seeing it. Although as the ending is...upsetting to say the least (it is the ONLY harrowing bit of the book and is well-written enough to make you feel a jolt of...something) it is so obvious and so expected as to be almost a shock when it actually happens! I can already barely remember the name of the main character...I have a feeling I am not gonna remember this short story for very long at all.

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Feb 18, 2012 Bill Kerwin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gothic, weird-fiction, ghost-stories

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. Alas1 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...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Mickey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who is up for a scary story

Recommended to Mickey by: A few people as well as me liking the movie

Shelves: 4-star, books-i-own, books-read-2012, books-to-movies, horror, short-stories, adult-fiction, favourites

I originally watched the movie, starring Daniel Radcliffe, having not known it was a book. I really liked it and at the end credits it said it was based on a book by Susan Hill. I decided that it would be a good idea to read, especially since the book is usually better than the movie. I was originally going to borrow it from my local library but saw it for a low price at Big W. So I bought it. It was a really, really good book.

Chapter 1
The book is written in first person by the main character Ar...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Josh rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In a word: adequate. It's very hard to frighten a reader with words. Hill doesn't. But interesting a reader with words is kind of her job and she didn't earn any gold stars for that more mundane task either. The story begins to go cool, evocative places, but just as quickly drops the thread. There is a scene where the protagonist finds the heretofore perpetually locked door to a mysterious room suddenly open. He goes in and finds a warm, lived-in nursery, which stands in contrast to the gray qua...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Simran rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

'The Woman in Black' terrifies the townspeople of Crythin Gifford, so much so, that as soon as poor Arthur Kipps has revealed his purpose for being there, they clam up and only disperse with subtle hints and not so subtle avoidances to his questions. As he carries out his business at the remote 'Eel Marsh House' he's left in turn, utterly distressed & even more determined to confront 'The Woman in Black'.

This was an incredible read. The descriptive language in itself m...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Monique rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, fiction, horror, tv-film-adaptation

Over the four-day Halloween/All Saints' Day/All Souls' Day long weekend, I took a respite from reading the classic novel, Gone With The Wind , to ~~get spooked~~ read something that's thematically apt for the holiday. I had been provided with a PDF copy of this book for a couple of months now (thanks to Kwesi), and I was particularly saving reading it for Halloween.

The Woman In Black: A Ghost Story is about a young Brit lawyer, Arthur Kipps, who was tasked to tie up the loose ends in the estate o...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Daniel Kaine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've always loved a good ghost film, so after seeing 'The Woman in Black' advertised at a bus stop, I decided I absolutely had to go see this film. Imagine my surprise when I found out it had originally been a book! Well, that changes everything, I thought. I have to read the book first! And so I did.

'The Woman in Black' tells the tale of Arthur Kipp, a solicitor acting on behalf of the late Mrs. Drablow, attempting to sort out her affairs. Mrs. Drablow was an old recluse, living in a small hous...more I've always loved a good ghost film, so after seeing 'The Woman in Black' advertised at a bus stop, I decided I absolutely had to go see this film. Imagine my surprise when I found out it had originally been a book! Well, that changes everything, I thought. I have to read the book first! And so I did.

'The Woman in Black' tells the tale of Arthur Kipp, a solicitor acting on behalf of the late Mrs. Drablow, attempting to sort out her affairs. Mrs. Drablow was an old recluse, living in a small house away from the rest of the village, set apart by the Nine Lives Causeway, the tide cutting off the house from the mainland twice a day. But as Arthur comes to find out, the house is shrouded in more than just fog, as it holds the secret to the inexplicable sighting of the woman in black.

When I first began to read this book, a sense of horror washed over me. No, not because it was instantly that scary, but because, at a first glance, I thought I had picked up what some might call 'a classic'. Scary, I know. I've never liked classics for the sheer amount of unnecessary description and inane ramblings from the main character. Fortunately, while 'The Woman in Black' does lean towards an older style of writing, it's still quite light on the descriptions compared to some. I was able to fly through this book without ever feeling bogged down by prose.

The beginning chapter was an incredibly slow start, and felt like a lot of pointless background about the main character as he talks about his past and sets the stage for telling the story of his haunting memories. It felt much more like a prologue – something a reader could choose to skip over – as it added masses of information that added nothing to the plot whatsoever.

Having read some of the reviews for this, I was expecting something vaguely scary. On this point, the book fails to deliver. In fact, it misses the mark by quite some margin and instead hits the bullseye for 'same-old-ghost-story'. A locked door that's found inexplicably open. A rocking chair moving of its own accord. Yawn. Completely predictable, and therefore, lacking in suspense and mystery, and certainly not scary when you can see it coming a mile off. Possibly my biggest gripe about this book though... everyone seems to know the whole story concerning the old house and the ghostly woman, but simply refuse to speak about it with Mr Kipp.

Overall, this was a quick, vaguely entertaining read, if a tad predictable. There were some surprises, but not enough to rescue it from the tired ghost story clichés that littered the book. Not bad for its age, but could have been so much better. Will I still go see the film? Damn right. Hopefully it can capture that essence the book seemed to lack. My only worry is how they'll turn what was essentially a very small book into a full-length film.

I'd recommend it to those who are into classics and are looking for a quick, light read.(less)

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May 14, 2013 Perry Whitford rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As his step-children sit around a warm fire telling ghost stories one Christmas Eve, retired lawyer Arthur Kipps has to decline his turn to tell a tale and leave the room in an anxious state. He certainly knows a ghost story, a real life ghost story which happened to him when he was a young man and which has still left him, years later, "prone to occasional nervous illnesses".
When in his early twenties he was sent on a somewhat vague errand to the distant village of Nine Lives Causeway where he...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Beatrix rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Después de un tiempo en stand-by, reanudamos nuestro club de lectura, y elegimos por unanimidad esta historia para recomenzar. La razón? La mercadotecnia alrededor de ella, ya que la tuvimos en la ciudad como puesta en escena, y posteriormente sale a la pantalla grande, anunciando con bombo y platillo al protagonista de Harry Potter como gran estrella principal. Y para colmar nuestras expectativas, el ser una historia no muy extensa nos decidió definitivamente.

Arthur Kipps es un joven empleado e...more Después de un tiempo en stand-by, reanudamos nuestro club de lectura, y elegimos por unanimidad esta historia para recomenzar. La razón? La mercadotecnia alrededor de ella, ya que la tuvimos en la ciudad como puesta en escena, y posteriormente sale a la pantalla grande, anunciando con bombo y platillo al protagonista de Harry Potter como gran estrella principal. Y para colmar nuestras expectativas, el ser una historia no muy extensa nos decidió definitivamente.

Arthur Kipps es un joven empleado en una firma de abogados londinense, a quien asignan el trabajo de ordenar la situación legal de la Sra. Alice Drablow, recientemente fallecida y con aparentemente ningún familiar para heredar, en el remoto poblado de Crythin Gifford. Aún no llegaba a su destino cuando empieza a tener advertencias sobre una oscura fuerza que rodea la mansión Eel Marsh, propiedad de la difunta y en la cual pasó los últimos años de su vida. Escéptico en principio, va cediendo poco a poco al miedo a medida que más habitantes del pueblo se muestran renuentes a hablar sobre los Drablow o su propiedad, y después de él mismo experimentar situaciones sobrenaturales y aterradoras en la mansión y sus alrededores. Siendo joven e impetuoso, se niega a dejarse vencer por un fantasma, y se sobrepone momentáneamente para cumplir con su trabajo, pero este desafío desencadena la ira de La Mujer de Negro, con trágicas y horribles consecuencias para el joven abogado.

La historia está contada en primera persona por su protagonista, en forma de flashback con narrador omnisciente, por lo que más parece un cuento largo que una novela corta. Su versión cinematográfica está cambiada para hacerla un poco más dramática; agrega un par de personajes y de situaciones que no ocurren o no son contadas directamente para recrear el ambiente que el autor tan eficientemente logra en el libro. Para quien no haya visto la película o la obra de teatro, el suspenso se mantiene de principio a fin, y su final es menos "rosa", aunque no menos trágico.

Para quienes gustan del género, es una excelente obra que no debe faltar en su colección. Para lectores más discretos, sigue siendo una buena opción para pasar un entretenido fin de semana.

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May 10, 2012 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Where I got the book: purchased on Amazon.

As this is the movie tie-in edition I feel justified in talking about the movie as well. I was a big fan of Susan Hill's ghost stories way back when, so it's fun to revisit them - inspired, of course, by watching one of the hands-down creepiest movies I've seen in a long time. Brrrrrrr.

The novella follows the old-fashioned ghost story format: leisurely set-up with a story-within-a-story structure, the "now I must tell my tale but I really don't want to"...more Where I got the book: purchased on Amazon.

As this is the movie tie-in edition I feel justified in talking about the movie as well. I was a big fan of Susan Hill's ghost stories way back when, so it's fun to revisit them - inspired, of course, by watching one of the hands-down creepiest movies I've seen in a long time. Brrrrrrr.

The novella follows the old-fashioned ghost story format: leisurely set-up with a story-within-a-story structure, the "now I must tell my tale but I really don't want to" method. The narrator takes his time bringing the reader into the story, with some superb atmospheric location shots (so to speak) - I could really see the flat water of the estuary with sea blending into sky, or was I remembering the scene from the movie? (The location you see in the movie, by the way, is apparently a composite - not really an island.)

Then you get to the really creepy stuff - and it was, although not nearly as much as the film version. But still, I wouldn't recommend reading this one alone in a dark house at midnight with the wind howling. And we finish up with a kicker, or Carrie moment as I like to term them - again, in a style consistent with older ghost literature. I would have preferred some more foreshadowing of the ending, for the atmosphere of the earlier chapters to be sustained right up to the finish; I felt that Hill was reaching to finish with a bang.

What was interesting, though, was that a plot point that was made much of in the movie is not brought into the book until the end. The movie, in fact, imposed a structure on the story that the author didn't give it, and I think it was an improvement. I ended up feeling as if the novella was a first-draft sort of affair that provided plenty of atmosphere and all the important elements but needed work, and the movie was the finished version. Would I have thought that if I'd read the book first (and maybe I did, but it would have been 25+ years ago and my memory's not that good)?

Recommended, anyway. Susan Hill's always good value.(less)

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Apr 05, 2012 Sue CCCP rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-written, not-your-ordinary-book-group-picks

3.5 Stars

My full review: http://coffeecookiesandchilipeppers.b...

Unlike many modern horror stories, this title is mercifully lacking in blood-splat-gore-horror. This is the more psychological horror of Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker: it relies upon the terror produced by the unknown and the inexplicable, rather than simply exposing vast quantities of internal body organs. We share Arthur’s increasing terror as the unusual events move gradually from the merely peculiar to the absolutely murderou...more 3.5 Stars

My full review: http://coffeecookiesandchilipeppers.b...

Unlike many modern horror stories, this title is mercifully lacking in blood-splat-gore-horror. This is the more psychological horror of Edgar Allen Poe and Bram Stoker: it relies upon the terror produced by the unknown and the inexplicable, rather than simply exposing vast quantities of internal body organs. We share Arthur’s increasing terror as the unusual events move gradually from the merely peculiar to the absolutely murderous. However, we do not share his reaction to these events at the beginning: whilst we KNOW that there is something very wrong with his first meetings with the Woman, he ignores all the signs and continues to deny an otherworld explanation for events. Even when he has had some really terrifying experiences, he recovers and then hides behind his blind faith in his own indestructability and tries to ignore what his instincts, and we, are shouting: “DON”T BE STUPID! RUN AWAY!” I find this kind of horror far more disturbing than the simple ‘jump out of your seat’ shocks that are the usual fare in most modern horror films.

Other significant aspects of Gothic horror take minor roles in this book. As the story of the Woman is revealed, we find that her life was destroyed by society’s ideas of acceptable behavior. This was a great influence on Dickens, who is himself an influence upon this novel, as he is credited with introducing fog / smog into literature as a way of creating mood. Ms Hill uses the smog in London to create a feeling of foreboding at the beginning of the story, when Arthur is being given his task. Then the sea mist / fog is an important part of the setting out in the marsh, where the loss of vision adds to the claustrophobic, gloomy mood. This morbid fascination with death was also a common motif in Gothic novels, no doubt due to the increased prevalence of death in the increasingly crowded and poverty-stricken cities of the time. Indeed, Eel Marsh House itself and the surrounding landscape is almost another character, oppressively spreading an air of malevolence and despair.

I enjoyed the writing in this book very much, but I do have a criticism with the pacing: once the haunting began, the pace picked up and began to feel a little rushed. There was such a great set up to the horror that when it actually arrived I would have liked a more prolonged and gradual increase in tension. Also, the way in which Arthur uncovered the story about the Woman seemed far too easy: there really needed to be more subtle and varied ways to drop hints and give us pieces of the picture, which he could then mold into a whole. I felt this was a real weakness, as it made me feel that I was being fobbed off with a hurried way to give him the answers he needed. I also have a nit-pick about the lights, which kept annoying me. The book seems to be set in the early 1900s, at which time there is absolutely no chance that such an isolated house would have had electricity, unless there was a generator, and yet Arthur blithely wanders in and switches on light bulbs. This is only a very minor point, but it really stood out as a sloppy mistake in an otherwise well written and enjoyable read, and so it broke me out of the book, which is never a good thing.

As an aside, it appears that the recent film has taken great liberties with the original story, which is unfortunately all too common.(less)

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Jun 11, 2012 Tina (Martina ♥ Bookaholic) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, adult, also-for-men, book-ebook, mystery-thriller, read-in-english

English Review:
I don’t know exactly where I should start. I’ve read it in the English original and although I never had problems with the English language in other books, here in this book it has been difficult for me. The writing style wasn’t liquid at all, but had many nested sentences with which I couldn’t make friends, although it has become better after some time.

Moreover it was particularly at the beginning that a lot of the story was told from the past, so things which had happened to th...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 17, 2012 Adela Cacovean rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

Relatarea începe în ajunul Crăciunului, când Arthur Kipps, avocat, își petrece sărbătorile alături de cea de-a doua soție a lui și copiii acesteia. În întunericul încăperii luminate doar de focul din cămin, se spun povești de groază, tradiție a noii lui familii. Copii încearcă să-l convingă și pe Arthur să intre în joc, subliniind faptul că toată lumea știe cel puțin o poveste de groază, însă insistențele acestora nu fac decât să-i trezească amintiri sumbre bărbatului. Într-adevăr, el știe o pov...more Relatarea începe în ajunul Crăciunului, când Arthur Kipps, avocat, își petrece sărbătorile alături de cea de-a doua soție a lui și copiii acesteia. În întunericul încăperii luminate doar de focul din cămin, se spun povești de groază, tradiție a noii lui familii. Copii încearcă să-l convingă și pe Arthur să intre în joc, subliniind faptul că toată lumea știe cel puțin o poveste de groază, însă insistențele acestora nu fac decât să-i trezească amintiri sumbre bărbatului. Într-adevăr, el știe o poveste de groază, însă una adevărată, mult prea reală pentru a fi spusă ca amuzament. Arthur hotărăște astfel să-și aștearnă povestea pe hârtie,numai pentru ochii lui, sperând să scape de povara amintirilor.

***

Doamna Drablow, bătrâna ce locuia izolată în Casa din Mlaștina Țiparului moare, iar Arthur este trimis să participe la înmormântare și să sorteze documentele femeii. Încă de la sosirea lui în Crythin Gifford, aude tot felul de povești stranii legate de doamna Drablow și este privit ciudat la menționarea oricărui lucru legat de ea.

Cine e misterioasa femeie în negru și cum dispare și apare pe neobservate? Ce e sunetul ciudat care vine din camera mereu încuiată? Ce s-a întâmplat în Casa de la Mlaștina Țiparului? Arthur nu crede în superstițiile localnicilor și este hotărât să dezlege misterul.

Susan Hill reușește să descrie excelent emoțiile ce-l încearcă pe tânărul avocat la fiecare pas și să creeze o perfectă atmosferă învăluită în mister. Evenimentele iau o întorsătură total neașteptată spre sfârșit, astfel că fiecare capitol e din ce în ce mai captivant. A fost o carte pe care de-abia o lăsam din mână și cu siguranță merită citită. Iată și un fragment:

"Într-adevăr, niciodată în viața mea nu am fost așa de copleșit de spaimă, niciodată nu mi-au tremurat atât de tare genunchii și carnea de pe mine, ca apoi să devin rece ca stânca, niciodată inima nu mi-a zvâcnit așa de puternic, gata să-mi sară în gura uscată, apoi să înceapă să-mi bubuie în piept cum bate un ciocan în nicovală, niciodată nu m-am simțit cuprins atât de strâns de o groază, o spaimă și o presimțire a răului așa de mari. (…) Femeia a fost cea care s-a mișcat. (…) De jur împrejurul meu, mlaștinile și dunele de sare se întindeau în depărtare până se contopeau cu apele fluxului. Puteam să văd kilometri distanță. Nu era nici urmă de femeie îmbrăcată în negru sau de vreun loc unde s-ar fi putut ascunde."
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Jul 11, 2012 Melissa Darnold rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: authors-h-o, genre-horror

07/10/12: Okay, so I, probably like many others, picked up this book after seeing the movie starring Daniel Radcliffe. I'd heard from a friend that the book was much different from the movie. After finishing it, I can completely agree with her. Both the book and movie, I think, hold their own in this respective story, however the small nuances in their differences make them seem like two completely different tales. However, I am rating and reviewing the book, so I shall try and judge them separa...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, mystery-thriller, ghosties, gothic, adult

Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

’Yes, I had a story, a true story, a story of haunting and evil, fear and confusion, horror and tragedy.

Storyline

Arthur Kipps is a junior solicitor from London who has been asked by his employer to attend the funeral of Mrs. Alice Drablow in Crythin Gifford. He must also visit her residence in order to collect any important paperwork that she may have been left behind. Arthur sees the woman in black at Mrs. Drablow’s funeral and again at her reside...more Interested in more of my reviews? Visit my blog!

’Yes, I had a story, a true story, a story of haunting and evil, fear and confusion, horror and tragedy.

Storyline

Arthur Kipps is a junior solicitor from London who has been asked by his employer to attend the funeral of Mrs. Alice Drablow in Crythin Gifford. He must also visit her residence in order to collect any important paperwork that she may have been left behind. Arthur sees the woman in black at Mrs. Drablow’s funeral and again at her residence at Eel Marsh House. She doesn’t appear to be a malevolent spirit so Arthur doesn’t worry too much and decides to spend the night at the house so that he can quickly finish his work and return to London. But that night, Arthur begins to hear unexplainable sounds and worries that he may have underestimated the woman in black.

'...piercing through the surface of my dreams, came the terrified whinnying of the pony and the crying and calling of that child over and over, while I stood, helpless in the mist, my feet held fast, my body pulled back, and while behind me, though I could not see, only sense her dark presence, hovered the woman.'

Thoughts
I quite enjoyed this quick little read and am glad I finally got around to reading it. I love ghost stories even though I tend to scare quite easily… and this book was no exception. The writing was beautiful and vividly creepy and definitely manages to get under your skin even though the real scary parts don’t even start till the latter half of the book. The descriptions were spot on and the whole book is simply eerie even though, in thinking back to it, nothing real huge actually happens. The ghost doesn’t come alive and smother him in his sleep or glue the windows shut or anything absurd like that. Nevertheless I was frightened enough to have to ask my boyfriend to walk upstairs with me to our darkened bedroom after I was finished. He still makes fun of me for that. Lol

Enjoying it as much as I did, I still didn’t give it 5 stars and the only reason for that was because of the ending. It left a bit to be desired for me and was a bit too abrupt for my liking. (less)

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Aug 27, 2011 Alexandra rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Until happening across the movie trailer for The Woman in Black, I had never heard of it. I guess that's largely because it was written in the early eighties and wasn't extremely popular. Having read it, I'm not sure why it's made a comeback. But, Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the movie and the trailer does look creepy as hell so I'll probably end up seeing it.

I had read some reviews of this book before opening it up, and due to the nature of the reviews, I expected to be terrified. People adv...more Until happening across the movie trailer for The Woman in Black, I had never heard of it. I guess that's largely because it was written in the early eighties and wasn't extremely popular. Having read it, I'm not sure why it's made a comeback. But, Daniel Radcliffe is the star of the movie and the trailer does look creepy as hell so I'll probably end up seeing it.

I had read some reviews of this book before opening it up, and due to the nature of the reviews, I expected to be terrified. People advised me not to read the book at night if I was home alone. They said I'd be looking around corners and sleeping with the lights on and all manner of nonsense. Well I did read the book at night, alone, and while I did enjoy the writing style very much and appreciated the "old timey" feel of the ghost story, I was by no means scared. After closing the book, I shut out the lights and got into bed. No woman in black appeared in my room, at least not to my knowledge ;)

The story is very short. Less than 200 pages, which made for a very fast read. It's easy to believe, while reading this, that it was, in fact, written in the late 1800's/early 1900's so that is a definite plus. The way Susan Hill describes everything is superb, imo. I especially loved the first chapter entitled Christmas Eve. There were a few passages in that chapter that made me feel the crisp winter air and smell the woodsmoke outside and see the twinkling stars above. Mrs. Hill is definitely a talented author and this book was an entertaining ghost story. Just..not scary. More quaint and again, "old timey." Kind of like ghost stories you'd tell around a fire. The story is very predictable and Are You Afraid of the Dark -esque. (Although infinitely more grim). But it just had the feel of a tale told to frighten young children.

I did enjoy it very much though and I'm sure the movie will be immensely scarier. Judging from the trailer alone, there is at least one scene that definitely did not happen in the book and was quite unnerving. So I look forward to that.

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Apr 19, 2011 Karen Heart rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am honestly concerned that some are going to be misled by the descriptions floating around about this book and possibly miss out on enjoying a great, true to the classic style, ghost story.

I almost didn't pick this book up because I kept hearing that it is "The scariest ghost story of our time" and "Beware, it will keep you awake at night". It wasn't until I heard it was written in the style of the classic ghost story that I thought I would give it a shot.

Maybe, for some, it is truly a blood-c...more

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 12, 2011 Emily May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, mystery-thriller-horror

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...more

33 likes · like · see review

Nov 11, 2010 kari rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, 5-star, goodreads-giveaways

This is a ghost story in the very classic style. This isn't Stephen King style, more Edgar Allen Poe or a Victorian tale. The writing style adds to the story, pulling you back into a different time.
I liked the beginning which frames the story and sets the mood for the tale. A story so frightening that the teller, Arthur Kipps, cannot even share it with his family.
The story is very descriptive and atmospheric. You can feel the mist, the chill, see the views out across the marsh and the land.
The...more

6 likes · like · see review

Sep 22, 2011 Book Chick City rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-list-2010, horror, all-hallows-eve-2010

I first read 'The Woman in Black' back in 1990 - I loved it then and I still love it now. I re-read it especially for my 'All Hallows Eve' event and I'm so pleased I revisited this amazing book.

The eeriness of the story is combined with delicious descriptive prose. This is what I love about Hills' writing. She's able to describe the world surrounding her characters with such detail I could actually be there, smelling the morning dew, feeling the biting wind on my skin, sensing the fear that grip...more I first read 'The Woman in Black' back in 1990 - I loved it then and I still love it now. I re-read it especially for my 'All Hallows Eve' event and I'm so pleased I revisited this amazing book.

The eeriness of the story is combined with delicious descriptive prose. This is what I love about Hills' writing. She's able to describe the world surrounding her characters with such detail I could actually be there, smelling the morning dew, feeling the biting wind on my skin, sensing the fear that grips Arthur Kipps that fateful day...

Her writing mesmerises me and I cannot bare to put her books down, and I've read many, all with their own uniqueness, but none, for me, come close to the darkly atmospheric 'The Woman in Black'.

The reader is pulled into the story with teasing snippets as we learn about Kipps' ghostly past. We first meet him in old age as he sits around a roaring fire on Christmas Eve with his beloved family. But the experiences of his past still haunt him so he decides to exorcise them by writing about them in detail and this is where we, the reader, learn what those experiences were which have caused him so much anxiety and many sleepless nights.

Kipps takes us back to when he was a young junior solicitor working his way up the ladder, when one day his boss gives him the responsibility of attending the funeral of a client. Little did Kipps know that this assignment would change his life forever. He takes the trip to Crythin Gifford, a small place in the country, sparten and desolate surrounded by marches and cold November fog.

The village folk greet him well until they hear he has arrived for Mrs Drablow's funeral and tend to her estate and he's baffled by their reaction. But after one night in Eel Marsh House, Kipps begins to understand as he's scared beyond all imagination. Although I knew how it ended, as this is my second reading, it's still shocking and sad.

VERDICT:

This is one of my favourite books - it's a brilliant old-fashioned ghost story packed with bone-chilling suspense. Everything is written in wonderful detail and you're pulled into the story from the very first page. A fabulous read - I can't recommend it enough!
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Feb 12, 2008 Leanna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was perusing the Amazon bestseller list when I first stumbled on Susan Hill’s mystery The Woman in Black: A Ghost Story. Why the book, originally published in 1983, was on the list at all is likely the greatest mystery of all.

Lawyer Arthur Kipps is sorting through a deceased client’s paperwork at Eel House when he first encounters the titular woman in black. The house and the woman are shrouded in mystery, and the local villagers refuse to reveal their history to Kipps. Instead, to his detrime...more

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May 06, 2012 Victoria Young rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, gothic

I scared myself silly reading this at 3am. Susan Hill does an excellent job of allowing her physical settings to build tension and a sense of the eerie. Though the ghostly incidents are indeed scary, they wouldn't be half as effective were it not for the potent unease created by the bleak, unfriendly marshes and the isolated house on its wind-blown island right in the middle of them.

3 likes · like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Zaczytanie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, fantasy

Zapraszamy do przeczytania recenzji tej książki na blogu Zaczytanie
Możecie ją znaleźć: >>>>>TU!<<<<<

I z góry dzięki za odwiedziny :)

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Feb 27, 2012 Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club

While it started off relatively slow and it took some getting used to the writing style this is a great ghost story. No blood, or gore just a good old fashioned eerie tale. Connie - Thanks for loaning me the correct Woman in Black :).

1 like · like · see review

Nov 14, 2010 Linda K K rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chilling story with great attention to capturing the bleakness and emotional darkness of good versus evil. I could almost feel the atmosphere of heavy fog, dampness, dreariness and unexplained appearances in a very small English town where a lawyer travels to finalize the estate of an elderly client. Not my usual reading topic, but I can greatly appreciate the skill of this writer.

3 likes · like · see review

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topics	posts	views	last activity
A new mystery gen...: The Woman in Black...Dark, old house mystery or modern ghost story?	1	9	May 01, 2013 02:12pm
Horror Aficionados : The Woman in Black by Susan Hill/April 2013 SPOILERS	99	81	Apr 21, 2013 10:40am
Question about the ending???	18	139	Mar 30, 2013 05:32am
Read the Movie: The Woman In Black	6	53	Feb 17, 2013 03:24pm
She-Geeks: The Woman in Black: Discussion (Read of October)	8	36	Nov 24, 2012 09:22am
Excited for the movie!	30	124	Nov 18, 2012 08:08am

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About Susan Hill

Susan 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 factor...more

More about Susan Hill...

Books by Susan Hill

The Various Haunts of Men (Simon Serrailler, #1)

The Pure in Heart (Simon Serrailler, #2)

The Risk of Darkness (Simon Serrailler, #3)

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Quotes from The Woman in Black

“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.” — 10 people liked it

“For I see that then I was still all in a state of innocence, but that innocence, once lost, is lost forever.” — 10 people liked it

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