Our book group choice for November 2019 is The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters. One postwar summer in his home of rural Warwickshire, Dr. Faraday, the son of a maid who has built a life of quiet respectability as a country physician, is called to a patient at lonely Hundreds Hall.
In the summer of 1948, Dr. Faraday is called to Hundreds Hall, a grand but crumbling Georgian mansion in rural Warwickshire. The Ayres family, who have lived in the house for generations, are struggling to keep up with the changing times. Mrs. Ayres is a fading beauty, her son Roderick is a reclusive invalid, and her daughter Caroline is a bright but restless young woman.
Dr. Faraday is immediately drawn to the Ayres family and to Hundreds Hall. He feels a sense of familiarity with the house, even though he has never been there before. He soon realizes that the Ayres family is haunted by more than just the house’s crumbling walls. There is a dark and malevolent presence at Hundreds Hall, and it seems to be growing stronger.
As Dr. Faraday gets to know the Ayres family, he begins to suspect that they are not all who they seem. Roderick is not as sick as he appears to be, and Caroline is hiding a secret that could destroy her family. Dr. Faraday is also drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the house’s unseen inhabitant.
As the story progresses, the lines between reality and illusion begin to blur. Dr. Faraday is no longer sure what is real and what is not. He is haunted by visions of the house’s past, and he begins to fear that he is losing his grip on sanity.
In the end, Dr. Faraday must confront the house’s dark secret and the truth about the Ayres family. He must also face his own demons and come to terms with his own past.
The Little Stranger is a classic ghost story with a modern twist. It is a tale of family secrets, class conflict, and the power of the past. Sarah Waters’s writing is atmospheric and suspenseful, and she creates a truly terrifying villain in the house’s unseen inhabitant. The novel is also a thoughtful exploration of the nature of evil and the power of the human imagination.
The Little Stranger was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2009. It has been praised by critics for its suspense, its atmosphere, and its exploration of complex themes. The novel has also been adapted into a film directed by Lenny Abrahamson.
Here are some additional details about the novel:
- The title of the novel refers to Hundreds Hall, which is described as a “little stranger” to Dr. Faraday. The house is both familiar and unfamiliar to him, and it seems to have a life of its own.
- The novel is set in the aftermath of World War II, a time of great social and economic change in Britain. The Ayres family is a microcosm of this change, as they struggle to maintain their status and way of life in a rapidly changing world.
- The novel explores the themes of family secrets, class conflict, and the power of the past. The Ayres family is hiding a dark secret that threatens to destroy them, and Dr. Faraday must confront his own past in order to save them.
- The novel is a suspenseful and atmospheric ghost story, but it is also a thoughtful exploration of complex themes. Sarah Waters’s writing is evocative and powerful, and she creates a truly terrifying villain in the house’s unseen inhabitant.
Discussion Questions for The Little Stranger
- What did you think of the book?
- What did you think the author was trying to say about the post-war class system?
- How reliable is the narrator?
- Considering Sarah Waters’ previous works, how much do you think this is a book about feminism?
- How effective is the novel as a ghost story?
- How satisfying is the ending?
- Would you recommend the book?