Book Review: The Woman In Black by Susan Hill
Share
About The Book
Arthur Kipps, a junior solicitor, is summoned to attend the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow, the sole inhabitant of Eel Marsh House.
The house stands at the end of a causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but it is not until he glimpses a wasted young woman, dressed all in black, at the funeral, that a creeping sense of unease begins to take hold, a feeling deepened by the reluctance of the locals to talk of the woman in black - and her terrible purpose.
Why We Love It
From A Christmas Carol to The Turn of the Screw, ghost stories have long been a Christmas tradition.Â
There's something about the dark, cold nights and the warmth of glowing fires that seems to make this time of year perfect for chilling tales. Published in 1983, Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black continues in that gothic tradition.
The story follows solicitor Arthur Kipps, who encounters the mysterious Woman in Black while handling the affairs of a deceased client in a remote English village. Set against the backdrop of the desolate Eel Marsh House, the isolation of the eerie setting mirrors Arthur’s growing sense of fear and unease within the village.
Exploring themes of grief and loss, the book's claustrophobic atmosphere and mounting tension builds a memorable and gripping story that stays with you long after you've finished.
