Reviews

L'indésirable by Sarah Waters

sylveondreams's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

evanf's review against another edition

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3.0

Quite disappointing. I felt like I was waiting for something big and climatic to happen with the 'haunting', and it never did. The end got very interesting (particularly with "You!") but left unanswered the questions it arose. Good overall with good characters, but plot/mystery-wise: lacking

brightspring's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

4.0

storiarty's review against another edition

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4.0

Really liked it until about 3/4 in when our good doctor reallly did not get the message from Caroline. Would have also liked an explanation for the events at Hundreds.

jimbowen0306's review against another edition

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3.0

Set in post-war Britain, this book examines what happens to a land rich (but cash poor) family after the end of WWII, when they fall on harder times.

The matriarch of the family has known life in the area since WWI, when they were the local "big-wig," who people looked to for leadership. In response, they bestowed the benevolence (and "empire medals") to the masses.

By the end of WWII and the election of a Labour Government, the family has fallen on hard times. They are having to sell parcels of land left and right to meet the bills, the son is recovering from "war induced stress" (which today might be viewed at PTSD), while the daughter is viewed as the village spinster at 28.

As their world falls apart in this post-war world, they start to hear noises round the house. The question is, are the stresses of the house getting to them or are they haunted?

This wasn't a bad book, but I found it slightly grating on occasions. It's set in a 1940s rural England where manners are "terribly important" and the lower classes were "seen but not heard." If you like this sort of this, you'll like this book. If you don't, you won't.

joanwolf's review against another edition

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4.0

I couldn't stop reading this book once I started, it drew me in immediately. It has its creepy moments (I'm easily startled so they were probably more frightening to me than they will be to other people), but I did really like this book. I have a lot of thoughts about the ending, I will definitely be mulling over this book for a while. I thought the writing was spectacular and beautiful, and while it did have its occasional slow moments I did really enjoy this book. Again, still thinking about the ending, but definitely worth the read.

annadixon76's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

threegoodrats's review against another edition

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4.0

Review: http://blog.threegoodrats.com/2010/04/little-stranger-review.html

katykat_reads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

maryserea's review against another edition

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4.0

loved it! 500 pages but felt like 300. also at one point got so creeped out I was looking behind my back on my way to the bathroom in the dark. those are the fun times.