Monday, November 1, 2010

Book Review: The Little Stranger

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This book was engrossing and genuinely creepy and a perfect one to read over Halloween weekend. It's not quite like any other ghost/supernatural story/mystery/psychological thriller I've ever read. It's set in a big old estate house in England shortly after World War II. The characters are vividly drawn and the story is well-written, other than the fact that at times it goes on too long with details and scenes that don't really matter. Sometimes I found myself thinking, "Okay, let's get on to the good stuff!" Usually I like a nice tidy happy ending, but the inconclusive, rather stark ending of this one actually serves it well and is entirely appropriate to the overall story.