The Woman in Black ~ Susan Hill (1983)

I wanted to start this series of reviews with a very important book: The Woman in Black by Susan Hill. Why is this 1983 ghost story so important? It was the first ‘proper’ book that I read at 15 years old and has acted like a catalyst, throwing me into the wider world of literature. Arguably without this book, I would not have followed this subject, would be doing a different course at university (if I would even go in this parallel world) and would not be sitting on my bed writing my praise for Hill’s novel. The real mastery of this ghost story is its ability to create a genuine sense of seclusion and isolation and in my research over numerous ghost stories I have identified genuine, and specifically fearful, responses to be archetypal of the genre. The story ‘feels’ like a ghost story as nature has betrayed protagonist Arthur Kipps and the reader, trapping us at Eel Marsh House, divided from mainland civilisation and safety only to face the terror of the mysterious Woman in Black. Kipps and the reader become one in the novel as both seem to be trapped by the constricting intimidation of this supernatural force and approach the entity with the same conviction: “I did not believe in ghosts” only to have this dismantled piece by piece as the story progresses so that by the end of the novel, our denials are folly. The Woman’s fear factor seems to leap from the pages as she is also made more human: with great villains comes an equally great backstory and the exposition provided as the story unfolds creates an immensely tragic narrative in itself which would qualify as its own ghost story. The horror which The Woman faces in her own life makes her more human and unlike the mainstream monsters we are used to, Hill’s ghost uses humanity to become a real threat as the monstrosity of man is presented. The invasion of the reader’s security makes the story both gripping and memorable and through my further readings of Victorian texts, I have understood Hill’s intention to frame her novel alongside the great ghost stories including Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw through its Christmas settings and identifying the secret terror of children. The adoption of these genre conventions as well as other factors is a success as Hill not only places herself within the ghost story literary canon but stands proudly with a unique supernatural entity as her vehicle to terrify for generations to come.