Gothic Book Review: The Woman in Black

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Publisher’s Summary

A classic ghost story about a menacing spectre 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 at the end of the causeway, wreathed in fog and mystery, but Kipps is unaware of the tragic secrets that lie hidden behind its sheltered windows. The routine business trip he anticipated quickly takes a horrifying turn when he finds himself haunted by a series of mysterious sounds and images—a rocking chair in a deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child’s scream in the fog, and, most terrifying of all, a ghostly woman dressed all in black. 

What I Loved

‘Tis the season for ghostly tales, and what better time to immerse yourself in the chilling world of The Woman in Black than during the Christmas holidays? It’s Christmas Eve and while his family tells Christmas ghost stories around the fire, our narrator reluctantly spills the details of his horrifying encounter with the titular Woman in Black—a perfect addition to your yuletide ghost story tradition.

This is a classic Gothic ghost story in language, tone, and structure. The narrative unfolds with a deliberate pace that keeps you on the edge of your seat, building tension with every turn of the page. Susan Hill’s storytelling technique is a nod to the great gothic novels of the 19th century, creating a timeless ambiance that pays homage to the genre’s rich traditions. You will feel like you slipped back in time to Eel Marsh House yourself.

I loved Hill’s mastery in crafting an atmosphere drenched in foreboding. The desolate setting of Eel Marsh House becomes a character in itself, enhancing the unease that permeates the story. The fog, the mysterious footsteps, and the eerie creaking of empty rocking chairs all contribute to a palpable sense of dread that lingers throughout. Arthur Kipps undergoes a profound transformation as he grapples with the supernatural forces that haunt him. The psychological toll of his encounters is so vividly portrayed that you can’t help but empathize with his descent into fear and paranoia.

Whether you’re a seasoned aficionado of gothic horror or someone new to the genre, The Woman in Black promises a gripping experience. And oh, brace yourself for a conclusion that will shock and haunt you. So, grab a cozy blanket, light a few candles, and prepare for a Christmas Eve journey into the eerie unknown with Susan Hill’s haunting masterpiece.

What I Didn’t

Honestly, I struggled to come up with aspects of this story that I didn’t love. I devoured this short and powerful ghost story and was only disappointed that it ended. It was my first read of Susan Hill, but certainly won’t be my last.

Favorite Line

She had a ghostly pallor and a dreadful expression, she wore clothes that were out of keeping with the styles of the present-day; she had kept her distance from me and she had not spoken. Something emanating from her still, silent presence, in each case by a grave, had communicated itself to me so strongly that I had felt indescribable repulsion and fear. And she had appeared and then vanished in a way that surely no real, living, fleshly human being could possibly manage to do.”

Susan Hill, The Woman in Black

Last Words

The Woman in Black is a must-read for fans of the genre. As you navigate the murky marshes of Eel Marsh House alongside Arthur Kipps, be prepared to be transported to a world where the boundary between the living and the dead is a thin veil, and the Woman in Black awaits you.