In honor of Daniel Radcliff’s upcoming film The Woman in
Black, I took the opportunity to read the novel on my Kindle. The Woman in
Black by Susan Hill costs $9.99 in the Amazon store and I have to be honest
when I say that I’ve read better books that were free. The Woman in Black is
certainly a good story, but if you’re a voracious reader, it may run a little
boring for you.
Susan Hill first published The Woman in Black in 1983, but
it reads as a much older novel. You’ll be transported to a different time,
although it’s difficult to get a grasp on exactly what time period that is. The
story follows Arthur Kipps, a London lawyer who is sent to the small town of
Crythin Gifford to settle the estate of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. Crythin
Gifford is surrounded by salt marshes and Eel Marsh House is impossible to get
to, except for at certain times of the day and night. The use of foggy marshes
really sets an ominous tone and the position Kipps is put in is a frightening
one, as a causeway keeps him from being able to leave Eel Marsh House whenever
a haunting sets in.
I enjoyed this read, certainly. But there was something
about the set-up and ultimate outcome that really disappointed me. Not only did
the book read as a chilling thriller, but a mystery seemed to be unfolding.
Inevitably, this mystery wasn’t as mysterious as I initially thought, and this
was a big letdown. Also, many reviewers have written that this novel, “chilled
them to the bone,” and “was terrifying,” but I have to disagree. I may be
desensitized from Stephen King novels and other horror writers, but this novel
didn’t leave me afraid. It left me wanting a mystery, something I couldn’t
figure out. Unfortunately, I figured out the whole novel halfway through. I
didn’t trust myself, thought maybe there was something I was missing and
ultimately it ended just the way I assumed it was.
Is The Woman in Black a good book? It certainly is. It’s a
short read. It took me away for an afternoon and evening and I appreciated the
writing style. If you’re a fan of novels like Turn of the Screw and Rebecca,
this novel will suit you. Although, it is a hundred years dated from Turn of
the Screw and so the plot is nothing new and highly predictable. I’m going to
wait to watch the film until I can rent it, but I must admit I’m excited to see
what modern film is going to do with a highly dated and predictable storyline.
I have a strong inclination that the film is going to be much more frightening
than the book was.
You can purchase a copy of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black
here: Amazon Kindle Hardcover
I agree, the writing was well done, however, as you said, the plot was quite predictable and hardly 'chilling'. The author wrote a story set in the earlier part of the century, but forgot that modern day people would be reading it. This novel felt stale to me, especially having read stories written in that time frame which still feel relevant and fresh today.
ReplyDeleteHi Jackie,
ReplyDeleteStale is definitely the word to describe this novel. Still, it had its moments. We'll pick something better for our next book club. We'll read that new author who found me on Twitter. It will help me to get to know him better and hopefully network me a bit. He suggested we begin his collection with Dust Devils. His name is Roger Smith. It's only $3.99 on Kindle and highly rated. It should be good. I think it's an action/adventure type book.