2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.

Pages: 512 pages

Length: 1 month (July)

Participants: oshizu, Lorraine, Sunny, Rebecca

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Hello everyone. Happy to join you for this book. When do you expect to start?

I would like to join this discussion. I just borrowed the book from the library so ready to start soon.

I'm still waiting on my copy.
I'll probably not get to it 'til mid-month.

Karen wrote: "I would like to join this discussion. I just borrowed the book from the library so ready to start soon."

Hi Karen. Welcome!

You can start any time you'd like on the book. We don't always manage starting at the same time on books -- everyone starts whenever they can and finishes up when they choose. You can comment on the book as you like.

Karen wrote: "I would like to join this discussion. I just borrowed the book from the library so ready to start soon."

I also have my book, so ready to start.

I have started reading this book. The ambiance is very classic gothic. (view spoiler)[ The house, Hundreds Hall, feels like another character of the story but the rythm of the story is quite slow, so not sure about this. We’ll see. I am also not sure if Dr Faraday is a good guy or a bad guy… (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to sharing thoughts on this book with you all.
I probably will not be able to start reading this book until the weekend.

Oh my god! I look forward discussing the ending of this book with you all!

Lorraine wrote: "Oh my god! I look forward discussing the ending of this book with you all!"

LOL

I look forward to getting my copy so I can read and take a look at your spoilers.

I finished this book this morning. It's my second book by Sarah Waters and not quite what I'd expected but I did enjoy the read quite a bit.
Some thoughts after finishing the book (view spoiler)[
Characters: They were seen mainly through the eyes of Dr Faraday an omnisicient narrator, a quite unlikable bunch including the doctor.
Roderick: I actually like this character the most for some reason I can't explain, perhaps i feel sympathy for the chaos of his post-war life due to his injuries and guilt? Among the Ayres, I felt we got to know him the least.
Dr Faraday, part I: I hated the way he used his status as "a man of science" to bully the Ayres into doing whatever he thought was right and proper. There was some class envy going on, too, and I felt he rather enjoyed ordering the Ayres around.
Caroline: Odd how the doctor went on and on about how plain she looked but then later felt desperately passionate about Caroline.
Betty: After all she did for the Ayres, I'm glad she finally got the life she wanted.
Dr Faraday, part ii; Well, let's talk about the ending. Does it seem to you that "the good doctor" had been The Little Stranger all along? Thinking back, it seems there was a combination of paranormal phenomena, some of which might have been caused by the doctor and others by some spiritual thingie.
But Caroline's death? That was definitely the doctor at work.
(hide spoiler)]

My copy is due in this afternoon. I'll probably read some in it before turning in.

I started this one last night; and I'm almost finished with Ch 2. Such long chapters! "Old fashioned," is the word that came to mind as I started reading. (view spoiler)[And I'm not sure I trust our narrator. I'm expecting something to come crawling out of the closet. He comes across as a bit strange. And I wonder why there were no photos of his parents. And he doesn't remember what his mother looked like? I wonder if there is more to tht day he went into the house with her. (hide spoiler)]

I'm enjoying myself and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.

I read until close to 11 last night on this thing; and hated to stop, but I have to get up early on Saturdays to get to work on time. So I put my marker in place and went to bed.

Good grief! What a ride this thing has been! (view spoiler)[Gyp put down bringing tears to my eyes. He was such a sweet thing. And then, of course, the family moves away AFTER the deed is done. BAH! I did not like this part of the book =D

I read to the point where the brother was sent to the hospital. He feels like he isn't safe for them to be around them. I was really moved when he made sure his bedroom door was locked. I wonder if he'll end up dying.

I can't decide if the house is haunted or if everyone is nuts -- including our narrator! I keep expecting a dead body to show-up.

This book brought to mind the made for TV movie from 1981 This House Possessed (hide spoiler)]

@Oshizu I agree with your thoughts ... (view spoiler)[ None of these folks were really likeable. Like you, I felt for Roderick and I did like him more than the others. I felt like he didn't stand a chance against all the females he was surrounded by.

The doctor's behavior at the house when he was a child was a glimpse, to me, into his darker side. He simply doesn't not come across as nice nor matter what he does. He is manipulative. Not to mention creepy weird.

He made fun of Caroline over her poltergeist theory and then seemed to embrace it later on when he was talking to that other doctor. I felt like he was trying to make her look crazy. I agree that he went to the house and killed Caroline. I'm willing to bet he wasn't no poltergeist, either!

He was really fixated on the house wasn't he? I think that was the only reason he got involved with the family to begin with.

Thinking back, it seems there was a combination of paranormal phenomena, some of which might have been caused by the doctor and others by some spiritual thingie.

I agree. I think, like you, that he was the Little Stranger.

I was a little let down that things were left a bit open regarding the poltergeist and other things. Of course, it was because we only have Dr. Faraday's view of things and he's certainly not going to admit to anything! (hide spoiler)]

I enjoyed the read and will see about reading some more of Sarah Water's things in the future.

Like many of you (view spoiler)[ I was surprised by the ending and a bit disappointed not to learn more about the ghost/poltergeist. I also think that Dr. Faraday was the Little Stranger and could be the murderer. He was so in love with that house and so much wanted to live there, that it would not surprise me that he was ready to do anything it takes to get the house. Would it be marriage (I agree with Oshizu that Dr. Faraday’s love for Caroline seems to appear when no one suspected it) and maybe killing. One thing for sure, listening to the good Doctor, not one, not two but 3 peoples got a diagnostic of being ‘crazy’ in a short time period! To bad no other doctor questioned that…but hey that would have changed the story! 😊 (hide spoiler)]