Sarah Waters’ The Little Stranger
Virago, 2009
When I saw this one with Barbara Kingsolver’s The Lacuna on this year’s longlist, I was both tremendously excited and a bit sad, too, because I knew this was going to pluck them both off the Rainy Day Reader’s shelf. (The one which holds the books that equate to a Literary Sure Thing: you know the shelf, right?)
And with the completion of this one, Sarah Waters moves from my MRE list to my Have Read Everything list. (There’s no link there, because I don’t even have one of those: this is the first time this has happened, that I’ve completely caught up with a MRE writer who is still writing and publishing.)
It’s a sad state, that: having read everything that an author has written and having to wait for another.
But, if you’d asked me yesterday whether I was sad about it, I’d’ve said No Way.
And then I’d have asked you to Go Away and Stop Talking to Me Because I’m Reading The Little Stranger, ThankYouVeryMuch.
But here’s the part where I don’t say a damn thing about this novel because there’s no freakin’ way that I’m going to be the one who ruins it for you. But here’s what I will say about her writing in general, which is borne out by The Little Stranger.
W is for Wonder stories. Not as properly defined, which are folklore-y and fairy-tale-ish. But as in stories I have read With Wonder. Have read as I read when I was a child, turning the pages greedily, sometimes my eyes slipping across the lines even faster than I can read them, just hungry to find out what happens. Willing to go Wherever she takes me. (Well-Written. Wow. Wriggle-in-my-seat goodness.)
“Arriving at that crumbling red house, I’d have the sense, every time, that ordinary life had fractionally tilted, and that I had slipped into some other, odder, rather rarer realm.” (69)
A is for Atmosphere. You probably guessed this one, but I can’t not mention it. The novel of hers that stands out for me in this regard is Affinity, but they all, in their own way, ooze setting. Tipping the Velvet is also remarkable in this regard (even the briefest mention of an oyster in TLS and it all came back)…and it was really hard not to steal the R for Romp for that one: such fun! (Artistry. Awe. Addictive.)
T is for Trials. Which, of course, are not fun. But that’s what makes for the excellent pacing in her novels, particularly evident in Fingersmith, but present in each of her works to varying degrees. Whether it’s an unexpected dog attack leading to a kitchen surgery, bombs falling on London, starvation, abandonment, haunting, or exploitation: the characters in Sarah Waters’ novels suffer. But even if you don’t want to keep reading, you won’t be able to help yourself. (Twists. Turns. Terrifying bits.)
E is for Evermore. Because that makes me think of Poe and creepiness, with just right amounts of rapping and tapping and darkness and forboding, but also a sense of timelessness when it comes to what makes for an everlastingly good story. She knows a good story when she reads one (reading recommendations invariably come up in every interview with her I’ve read, and I’ve recently seen a series of classic crime novels in a bookshop that seem to have been inspired by her love for classic tales) and knows how to write one too. Like many of her readers, I was nervous when The Night Watch reached closer to modern times, but her ability to tell a good story seems to span the decades effortlessly. (Enchanting. Escapades. Eeeek.)
R is for Rogues. Not only because some of her characters are dishonest and/or unprincipled, and openly rogue-ish, but because sometimes one who is not dishonest or unprincipled behaves in an unpredictable way, in a more subtly rogue-ish way. (See T above for Twists and Turns.) But, oh, this makes for some awfully delicious moments. I’d like to tell you about them, but that would certainly Rob you of the fun. (Rich. Riveting. Ruthless.)
Borrowing from the passage I’ve quoted above, reading this writer’s work is like entering a Rather Rarer Realm for me. And, so…
S could be for Storytelling (hers is Superior). It could be for Shivers or Suspense. But in my list S is for Seriously, as in how long do I Seriously have to wait for another?!
Do you have any words to add to bookchat about Sarah W.A.T.E.R.S. ?
My OP 2010 reading stats: 11 bookchatted here, 4 still to cover for sure, 2 that might arrive in time,
3 definitely out-of-reach. I’ll fill in from previous longlists for Mondays and Thursdays until June 9th.
[…] for she doesn’t hold their hands but lets them find their own way. (Buried in Print says it all so much better in her review of The Little […]
Really loved this book and I see I’m going to have to get on with everything else she’s read as she’s very popular in the blogging world.
Thanks so much for all the comments! It’s so much fun to share enthusiasm for a much-admired writer.
Laura – My hunch is that her storytelling is consistently good, but that some readers respond more positively to the kind of story she’s chosen to tell than others (e.g. prefer a happy ending, or prefer historical settings).
Tea Lady – What great timing. I hope you enjoy Night Watch; I think Helen Humpreys’ Coventry or The Lost Garden would make a lovely companion read for it.
Kathleen – I envy you having so many of her works ahead of you to enjoy; I’d always kept “the next one” unread until now.
Raidergirl – I love the combo of good writing alongside good story: I never feel like I’m settling on either score with her books.
Lija – I’m not sure if The Little Stranger will be my favourite either (I have to let it sit awhile), but I do think there are others that really stand out for particular elements (the plotting in Fingersmith being the obvious example) and I think you’ll enjoy that.
Kerry – That would make an awesome bookblurb! ::grin::
Victoria – I had exactly the same experience myself once (with another artist) and still replay the scene in my mind with the perfectly articulated expression of my gratitude and admiration of her work. ::sigh::
Sakura – I think Fingersmith is best read in a burst (which is easily accomplished unless RL interferes, at least I could not put it down) because otherwise the intricacies of the plotting might be overlooked and you might not feel the twists and turns as keenly: I hope you enjoy it more the second time around.
I LOVE Sarah Waters too! I’ve got Tipping the Velvet and a re-read of Fingersmith left (I didn’t feel the love the first time round so want to see what I missed) until she publishes her next novel. She really is a genius, isn’t she?
Brilliant post! I loved The Little Stranger too, and couldn’t put it down. I think Waters is an absolute master writer – such a pitch-perfect ventriloquist of both historical periods and literary genres. I was in an elevator with her once (at a literary festival, not quite as random as it seems), and was so desperate to say something about how much I loved her work but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I thought she must have so many fans fawning over her all the time… So we just smiled at each other, and she said hi, I said hi back and that was it. I just wish I’d had something memorable and fascinating to say!
I thought The Little Stranger was so perfect. I was reading it in the bathtub, and it had me too terrified to get out…
I thoroughly enjoyed The Little Stranger, but I also had a weird feeling that it wasn’t her best work (even though I’ve yet to read her other stuff – shameful, I know!). I just felt like she set up what could have been a more explosive climax. In any case, I’m definitely eager to read some of her backlist.
wow, that’s impressive fangirl stuff! I’ve certainly enjoyed the Waters’ that I’ve read – Fingersmith, Night Watch and The Little Stranger. I’m looking forward to the rest.
TLS felt in some ways like she had all this research from the 1940s left over after Night Watch and so wrote another book.
It’s a sad state, that: having read everything that an author has written and having to wait for another. Ain’t that the truth.
I’ve only just finished Fingersmith a few months ago. I plan to read all of her books and your post makes me think I should work on doing that sooner, rather than later. Just based on Fingersmith alone I am a huge fan of her work!
I just came home from the library with Night Watch! I have never read any Sarah Waters but have heard so much about her and from her in various forewords and articles, so I’m looking forward to the read greatly.
Very clever! I’ve only just begun my journey through Waters’ works — I’ve only read Fingersmith and The Night Watch so far. But I have two more on my shelves, including The Little Stranger. I’m glad to see such positive comments — I’d heard from others that it was disappointing when compared to her previous work.