The Little Stranger-Sarah Waters, thank you very much, now I can't sleep...

[DarrellRivers]

I am 37 years old
I am a sensible adult
I am getting a little third trimester pregnancy insomnia BUT I am currently having to sleep with the bathroom light on, as I am so scared when I go to the toilet in the night.
I finished it SAturday night, and at night, I hear all the creaky noises in the house and imagine the worse.
I enjoyed the book, but I keep thinking of all the different ways the Little STranger could have existed
Did the house take control of Faraday (as an instrument) the way it had already taken control of Rod and Mrs Ayres?
Was Faraday the conduit for the supernatural energy or was it Betty?
And more importantly will I ever sleep again?

My sleep was disturbed a little after reading it too.

Fab book though!

Faraday for me.

A few days after I finished it my towel fell of the hook on the back of the bathroom door and I couldn't push the door open. I had to call DH at work because I was scared to go to bed .

LOL at your towel
I thought I heard the front door open last night and DH going to the toilet (he's in the spare room as my snoring is so loud) was another hairy moment when I thought my last minutes were upon me.
I'm shattered
Faraday was there when Caroline was pushed wasn't he?

ooh love sarah waters

it's not sci-fi is it? I hate sci-fi

Oh Dear! I bought this book because it's by Sarah Waters, but I read the blurb and now I'm too scared to start it. Seems like my fears have been confirmed.

This is a fantastic book. I read it in one sitting as I simply could not put it down.

Brilliantly written, and so ambiguous.

Erm yes. It scared me too.

And I am a rufty-tufty black belt.

Good book though.

Agreed GOML, I did't read it in one sitting as DD was on holiday and needed entertaining. I did read part of it on my own when we had a power cut.

I tried to read it slowly but eventually on Saturday night, after getting in late after a party I finished it all in one go.
Stupid thing to do
It was dark and creepy

But a great story and I loved the fact that because there were a few ways you could interpret the ending, means I am still thinking about it, and wanting to talk about it.
Lots of different layers about change as well
The change to the upper classes with the new Labour government and the lower classes no longer having to work in service
Post war Britain etc
The changes to medicine with the new NHS, and how suspicious most family doctors were of the change, but how the majority were much better off in the new system
BUT, I am still shattered, and want to know if I will ever sleep with the bathroom light off again
I keep seeing shadows going past the bottom of my bedroom door
(although I read this book after watching Wind Chill Film which was stupid
I haven't watched a scary film for years or read a ghost story for a while and then I do both in the same week
Read it, it is more, umm, thought provoking and tends to play with your mind rather than scary, honest

I finished this on saturday and loved it.

I am a complete wuss, but felt there was enough other stuff going on in the story that it wasn't a 'ghost' story, just a very good story with strange happenings.

I don't think it was Faraday physically, but that it was his 'energy' iyswim? In the way that Seeley explained it to him. I found Faraday very unlikeable from about half way too.

There is a discussion about the ending here

Have you read the book club discussion about this book. Sarah Waters did a web chat about it which was fascinating. Here

Alice had read your link, but not Bran's
Settle happily back to savour more opinions

I was most disappointed. I didn't find it in the least frightening and I didn't understand it.I really enjoyed Affinity and Fingersmith.

I am just going to make lunch and settle down to read it all

I do tend to find things which aren't spelled out more scary, so that your imagination is doing a lot of the frightening
I have never managed to listen to more of about 5 minutes of radio ghost story.
The silence just destroys me
So films, are generally scary for the first 3/4 and then tend to lose it with the 'unmasking' unless it is a terrifying idea, like Freddy and the idea that he can harm you in your dream (feels 13 again)
TLS was well written and had other threads woven throughout it to make it interesting at other levels as well

I find myself not scared at the time, but later on i start thinking and scare the crap out of myself. The Sixth Sense film was the worse for me

I've had this book for a few months now and haven't dared to even peek at the first page. When I bought it I didn't realise it was as scary as people are saying, I'm a complete and utter wimp.

I didn't see it as scary-but I can see that a film could create a lot of tension.

Well.
You will all be glad to know that I slept a little better last night and less tortured

Hehe

I have started re-reading Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood. The little stranger just reminded me of it a bit, so had to dig it out again. There is a Dr as one of the main characters, and there is lots to do with the subconcious/madness. Not spooky though.

I enjoyed this book but I didn't find it scary when I was reading it but when I fell asleep I would have the most awful nightmares about old houses and creaky noises.I fell asleep in the day when dd was at school and woke from a very scary dream cos I heard a glass smash right next to my head. I was sweaty and panting from the dream but could find no broken glass anywhere.Then I was too scared to leave my bedroom for ages!! I thought it was the doctor causing the problems rather than the house? Don't really understand it still!