Book Review, Halloween Edition: The Little Stranger (2009)

'Tis the season to be...spooked!, so I heartily recommend The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. The novel is set in postwar England and the bulk of the action takes place in Hundreds Hall, a deteriorating mansion owned by the Ayres family. Waters' writing here is incredible, as she deftly intertwines themes of loss, family, societal shifts, and also, ghosts. It's a riveting read, and makes me want to see all the works of this author.

The protagonist in The Little Stranger is Dr. Faraday, a rural doctor who has a history with Hundreds Hall, having visited as a child. Thirty years later, he is called there for a medical check-up, and soon his visits become more regular. Through Faraday, readers realize just how far Hundreds has fallen from its glory days. The author vividly describes the estate's decline, which coincides with the deterioration of the family that owns it.

The Little Stranger is a slow burn, and a lot of space is given to illustrating the connection between Hundreds and the Ayres family members. All of them are burdened with their home, to some degree or other. The "master" of the hall, Roderick, is buried in the desperate work of keeping their finances afloat in the midst of a recession and postwar austerity measures. His older sister Caroline is a spinster who is reduced to household work because they can only afford one maid. And their mother, Mrs. Ayres, is in a perpetual (but hidden) state of grief over Susan, her first daughter, who died at Hundreds as a young girl.

Now, the trailer for the movie adaptation starring Domnhall Gleeson makes it seem like Susan is the ghost, but it's more complex than that. In Dr. Faraday's narration, the main characters perceive Hundreds Hall in starkly different ways: Faraday, the outsider, a man from a working-class background, sees a chance at healing and a return to glory; while the Ayres family gloomily foretell its demise, along with the end of the aristocratic class.

These opposing views come into relief once eerie events begin happening. As the Ayres fortunes become even worse, Roderick and Caroline--both sensible, stiff-upper-lip types--blame something in the house. By contrast, Faraday has reasoned explanations for everything. His skepticism and the bizarre nature of the Ayres' misfortunes create a tension and keep readers guessing about what's really going on. The cause, the "little stranger" of the title, is actually explained much later on, and it adds another layer to the mystery of what is ailing the mansion and its inhabitants. Are Faraday's rational conclusions correct? Or is something else at work at Hundreds Hall?

Whatever the case may be, the excellent writing is indisputable. Waters makes Hundreds Hall into another character, at turns pitiful, malevolent, and inviting. Her descriptions of the interiors of the estate are so clear that at one point, I put the book down and half-expected to see dilapidated wallpaper and antique furniture. The "hauntings" are also deliciously spooky, with the standout being a series of occurrences involving the nursery. Finally, kudos to Waters for writing a gothic horror/romance novel where the heroine is repeatedly described as looking like a real person, with big ol' thighs and whatnot, instead of a delicate beauty with slender fingers and suchlike.

In conclusion, The Little Stranger is a well written piece of historical horror fiction, and might I suggest reading it before watching its movie version, which came out in August and will hopefully be on cable sometime soon!

TL;DR: A haunting, disturbing read, perfect for Halloween!

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This post brought to you by Swedish chocolate!