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    The Night Guest
    The Night Guest
    The Night Guest
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Night Guest

    Written by Fiona McFarlane

    Narrated by Lisbeth Kennelly

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Ruth is widowed, her sons are grown, and she lives in an isolated beach house outside town. Her routines are few and small. One day a stranger arrives at her door, looking as if she has been blown in from the sea. This woman—Frida—claims to be a care worker sent by the government. Ruth lets her in.

    Now that Frida is in the house, is Ruth right to fear the tiger she hears on the prowl at night, far from its jungle habitat? Why do memories of her childhood in Fiji press upon her with increasing urgency? How far can she trust this mysterious woman, Frida, who seems to carry her own troubled past? And how far can Ruth trust herself?

    The Night Guest, Fiona McFarlane’s hypnotic first novel, is no simple tale of a crime committed and a mystery solved. This is a story that soars above its own suspense and tells us, with exceptional grace and beauty, about aging, love, trust, dependence, and fear; about processes of colonization; and about things (and people) in places they shouldn’t be. Here is a new writer who comes to us fully formed, creating wonders with language, renewing our faith in the power of fiction to describe the mysterious workings of our minds.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateOct 1, 2013
    ISBN9781480565005
    The Night Guest
    Author

    Fiona McFarlane

    Fiona McFarlane is the author of The Night Guest; The High Places, which won the International Dylan Thomas Prize; and The Sun Walks Down. Her short fiction has been published in The New Yorker and Zoetrope: All-Story. She teaches at the University of California, Berkeley.

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    Reviews for The Night Guest

    3.5/5

    153 ratings22 reviews

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    • 4/5
      A sad and low key suspense that takes on vulnerability, frailty, loneliness stemming from the loss of of someone you have loved all your life and the decent into dementia of an aging woman.
    • 5/5
      This is among the best of the books from Stella Prize longlist that I've read so far - it's at times a haunting meditation on aging and loneliness, at times an unbearably tense mystery and at times a depiction of a complicated friendship between two women. I knew nothing about the plot going in and felt the unease develop in the pit of my stomach as the relationship between the two main characters developed - it's really beautifully done, with Ruth's fading memory and Frida's domineering helpfulness weaved into what at first seems like a straightforward character study. I won't say too much more, there's joy in watching the plot gradually unspool that I'll ruin by elaborating further.
    • 4/5
      Oh this was weird and delightful and totally creepy. I love Ruth - I'm not usually a big fan of elderly protagonists but Fiona McFarlane writes Ruth and Richard beautifully. Frida is also brilliant. Y'all, I had sort of a clue but not a clue about the strangeness Frida embodied and it was wonderful. I wanted this book to keep going and going...

      My only reservation was the role of the tiger. I sort of understood its purpose but I also felt like it was a little disconnected. Other than that, this was a great read.
    • 1/5
      Widowed pensioner Ruth has been doing okay on her own, even if sometimes she seems to forget a little bit here and there. Nevertheless, she is thrilled when Frida shows up at her doorstep claiming to be "from the government" to act as a part-time carer. Slowly, Frida begins ingratiating herself deeper into Ruth's life, just as Ruth decides to reach out to an old flame to try to reconnect. But are all of Frida's attentions as innocent as they seem? This book got some great critical reviews, and the descriptions I read of it made it sound interesting. It's not. At least not for me. This type of book about an unscrupulous person gaslighting a susceptible older person should simmer until it comes to a boil; instead this book was like a pot of water sitting on unlit burner. It is clear from the outset that Frida is up to no good, but seeing things from Ruth's eyes, we never quite get to see how she does so. Many questions are raised that are never answered, and that was frustrating. Ruth's meandering memories were okay in the beginning and made her a sympathetic character, but after a while it felt like there needed to be some semblance of a plot to make this worthwhile. There never was.Others may enjoy this book (the ratings here would seem to indicate that), but it was not at all my cup of tea. On the plus side, the audiobook narrator was quite good.
    • 3/5
      This was a strange little book. Not quite sure how I feel about it. I waited so long to read it, it almost felt like a letdown when I actually did. But at the same time, I really wasn't disappointed. So ...
    • 4/5
      A very slow-burning novel which requires patience. I was not expecting much from it fearing that the author had jumped on to the mini bandwagon of novels with narrators suffering from some kind of mental illness, autism, alzheimers etc. In this case, Ruth, the narrator, is a 75 year old widow with a bad back and early stage alzheimers living on her own in a house on a beach in Australia. Frida, a mysterious, unannounced carer turns up and begins by working for Ruth for a few hours a day but insidiously moves in and takes over her life. It's not hard to see where the story is going or how it's going to end and it does sag a bit in the middle for me when I became a bit bored with the repetitious nature of Ruth's meandering confused thoughts. However, the strength of the novel is the subtlety with which the characters are portrayed and the mix of, at times,a touching and at other times a manipulative relationship between Frida and Ruth. It reminded me of a superior novel I read 40 years ago, The Servant by Robin Maugham, turned into a very successful film by Joseph Losey and Harold Pinter.
    • 2/5
      Ruth is a widow in her 70s, living in a relatively remote house by the sea. One day, out of the blue, Frida, a government carer, turns up to look after Ruth. Ruth is quite pleased by this and gets on well with Frida but it does become clear that Ruth is getting increasingly confused and the reader becomes less sure of what they think they know of both of the women.I felt this book got off to quite a good start but I'm sorry to say that I got quite bored by it as the story went along. There's nothing wrong with the story as such, I think it was more the writing style was a bit dry and it all came across as quite uninteresting. I did quite like Ruth as a character but it was pretty obvious what was going to happen and it all was just a little disappointing.
    • 4/5
      First book read of 2014! Very different book. Engrossing and beautifully written. Not what I was expecting. Recommend it.
    • 4/5
      Ruth, a widow in her seventies, lives in an isolated house within sight and sound of the sea. Alone with her memories of an early love and then her late husband, she thinks that she can hear a tiger prowling around her house. Then Frida arrives one day, claiming to have been sent by the government to be Ruth's carer.This is a beautifully written, moving story. Ruth's present day struggle to retain control of her life is juxtaposed with memories - as a girl, her parents assumed the right to make decisions, later her husband decided where they would live. The Night Guest can be read as a novel about dementia, but I found her view of what was happening scarily convincing, including the tiger bits and a complicated relationship between two very different women.
    • 5/5
      OMG, everyone needs to read this one! So fantastically good.Widowed Rita lives alone in the home by the sea which she and her husband bought upon retirement. One day, Frida, who tells Rita is a carer provided by the government, appears. But, things are never as they seem.While this was a wonderful read, and one I recommend to everyone, it was far too easy for me to figure out what was going on. So the twist wasn't really a surprise to me.
    • 4/5
      Quite a debut. McFarlane juggles a complex situation beautifully so that, even after completing it, I continue to question my understanding of the crucial situations. The protagonist, Ruth, may be dealing with dementia, but she may be more in touch with reality than anyone around her, especially members of her family. And Frida swaps masks so seamlessly that it is difficult to know how to comprehend her: is she a calculating monster, someone coping with her own day-to-day needs, or a godsend. And the tiger--my favorite character--is at once more real and imaginary than certain humans in my life. Perhaps I "should" have found The Night Guest distressing or sad, but it really was quite reassuring.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this story so much because it had me going back and forth so many times with what might be going on that it made it very hard to put down. The author kept you guessing throughout the whole story, and just when you think you have figured it out, she throws something in that makes you uncertain. This was a completely enjoyable read and does bring up several issues about our society. Some of the questions brought to mind are about aging and independence and how to balance it out with the wellbeing of an aging parent or person. Things you will think about long after the story is finished. The author kept the story focused, and looking back on it, there were so many clues that the protagonist needed help that were overlooked by family until it was too late; definitely a warning to all to listen more carefully to our loved ones.
    • 3/5
      This book has been so well reviewed by people who are far better read than me - but there was something in the telling that just made this book very put down able for me ... and I went to the ending very quickly. Having said that, in our bookclub - we discussed the story and the issues raised, particularly about our relationship with, and caring for, older people. Not sure what it was that made it less than compelling for me, perhaps because I am actually caring for an elderly parent.
    • 4/5
      Found this book on the side of the road and picked it up. Great find! Gripping and engaging with great use of limited point of view. I had to keep reading to the brilliantly crafted denouement.
    • 3/5
      This book didn't really work for me. While well-written with some fascinating imagery and beautiful turns of phrase, ultimately the story - about a woman in her 70s living alone until a government care worker comes to help her - didn't come together in a meaningful enough way. McFarlane builds the tension nicely as the reader wonders what is real and what isn't, who is good and who means harm, and ultimately, what will happen in this isolated house on the Australian shore. But the device of a tiger - real or imagined? - was kind of clunky. I read an interview with the author in which she says the tiger is a means of exploring "empire and the idea of colonial consequences" which is all fine and good but there is little else in the book that reflects this. And earlier in the same interview, McFarlane says, "I am interested in the ways in which older people are suffering from different forms of isolation." Okaaaay. Maybe this is just a matter of trying to do too much in one book but the disconnect was too much for me. I would have rated it lower, but the writing deserved more.
    • 4/5
      Beautifully written, very evocative of Australian Coast. Few characters, main one Ruth is ageing and has slight cognitive issues. Her carer Frida arrives and the plot develops with a subtle building of suspense. Most powerful aspect is the writer's creation of Ruth's inner self, plus her daily life. An outstandingly polished first novel.
    • 3/5
      The Night Guest was an okay book, not great or even good, but not bad either. It is about an old widow who lives alone by the sea in rural Australia. She has dementia and it starts to take a toll on her as she starts dreaming, hearing, eve smelling tigers come into her house at night. One day a woman shows up and says she is her new home health care nurse, and the two start to bond. Soon the widow discovers the new nurse may not be what she seems, but then again it could just be her mind messing with her.The ending in this book was very disappointing to me. And while the story and plotting was good, the writing just wasn't there.
    • 3/5
      I don't remember who recommended this book to me but I was not a fan. This was one of those books I started reading without knowing anything about the plot or storyline. Bad idea. The story follows this elderly lady, Ruth, as she loses her mind and her wits. At first she starts hearing noises at night and is convinced it's a tiger lurking in her hallway. Soon after this bossy woman (Frida) invites herself into the house and tells her the government has sent her to keep an eye on her. Things go downhill from there. Frida uses Ruth's frail state to take advantage of her. While it's clear that Frida develops a soft spot for Ruth and admires her, it's obvious that she plans on milking this poor old lady for all she's worth by exploiting her weaking old lady mind.While it was beautifully written, I didn't feel that this story did anything for me. Read at your own risk
    • 4/5
      Creative debut novel. You realize that something is not right and the sit by helplessly as Ruth becomes more confused and not enough is done to help her. Moral of the story, visit your parents
    • 5/5
      Ruth is an elderly widow, living alone on the New South Wales south coast in a house overlooking the ocean. She has two sons who care for her, but only through phone calls from their distant homes in New Zealand and Hong Kong. One night she is awoken by the sounds of a tiger in her lounge room. The next day Frida arrives. Frida is a nurse who has been sent by the Government to care for Ruth for a few hours each day. At first Ruth is suspicious and denies her need for assistance, but as the weeks pass, Frida becomes as much a companion as a carer and Ruth comes to rely on her more and more.Frida’s arrival has prompted Ruth’s memories of her childhood and teenage years in Fiji with her missionary parents. Freed from all her daily concerns, she increasingly slips into those comfortable memories during the long days and nights. Ruth fights for her independence by driving her husband’s ancient car and by catching the bus into town, but her fears overtake her and Ruth’s reliance on Frida intensifies.This is a quiet story which gently meanders through time, but there is an underlying tension which surfaces at critical times to confound and compel. It is a very well-crafted story which can be at times magical, at times quietly funny and yet is both tender and suspenseful. The characters of Ruth and Frida are brilliantly drawn and eminently believable. Together they present a convincing observation on memory, ageing and loneliness.
    • 4/5
      The Night Guest is a psychological thriller; you know something is not right with the "government carer," and there is little you can do but watch (read) as the narrative unfolds. And then, as the narrative unfolds, you realize there is something not right with the narrator. It really pays some homage to Poe's original "unreliable narrator" and also reminds me of Moriarty's "The Hypnotist's Love Story." Well worth reading!
    • 3/5
      Ruth has lost her husband, her sons are grown and moved away, she now lives alone in the house that was supposed to be her and her husband's summer house on the beach. She is 76 yrs old and is convinced she hears a tiger in her house at night.Insidiously creepy, not ghost creepy but psychologically creepy. The plight of the elderly, living in and with their memories, the loneliness and the despair are all portrayed her. This book started out slowly, seemed straightforward but than takes a sinister turn. Very good book for a first novel, but tat the end I had many questions I would have liked to have answered. I guess that means I after figure them out for myself.ARC from NetGalley.