Fingersmith

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Average customer rating 4.8 (10 comments)

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***Contemporary Classic*** Fingersmith isn't just a great novel for someone seeking a story exploring a lesbian relationship between two strong characters; it is a truly Great Novel -- a future classic -- worthy of study and consideration as an example of the best contemporary literature written in English. That is not to say it's for everyone -- I've scanned the existing reviews here. Some people do not enjoy this book one bit and feel it delivers less than it demands. So I will try to articulate what I like about the book; maybe you'll see something that resonates with you as a reason you'd enjoy it -- or a signal that you might be more likely to find it a waste of time. 1) I really appreciate multi-dimensional, complex characters who are fleshed out with details of their thoughts and feeling so that they seem really human. If these elements of characterization often impact how much you enjoy a book, you would definitely find a lot to appreciate in Sarah Waters's work here. 1a) If you furthermore have an appreciation of psychological novels where you get a really deep and nuanced understanding of how an individual character thinks and feels, you will probably really like this book. One of the primary features of this novel is that you experience the story from the perspective of each of the two main characters. These characters are tremendously interesting and incredibly well-developed. Sarah Waters really shows mastery, I think, in fascinating the reader with her depiction of her characters' consciousness -- the complexity, relatability, and strangeness of both characters is spellbinding. 2) I agree with others who have said that if you really like Victorian novels, you're likely to enjoy this. If you never met a Victorian novel you liked and have sampled several from different authors, I'd say you are somewhat less likely to enjoy this novel. 2a) But it's no Victorian novel; I know people who read nothing but mass market fiction and are not "literary" types who LOVED this book and couldn't put it down. 3)I found the plot really, really delivered! There were many more unexpected twists and satisfyingly shocking, dramatic events in this book than in the lion's share of books I read. There will be moments that you won't want to put it down, I can pretty much guarantee. I didn't think it was ever slow moving in plot, but that's all relative. I don't know what feels too fast or slow for you. It's definitely a lot more action-packed and fast-moving than anything by Victorian novelists Eliot, Gaskell or Trollope, for example. Dickens is sometimes very fast moving with his plots so I can't really make the same comparison. In sum, I'd say this book: --has a fascinating and original plot and narrative technique (the perspective switching, for example); --does an outstanding job of depicting textured, complex and palpably human characters and relationships; --is written as intricately and rigorously and beautifully to merit multiple close readings (if you're into that sort of thing ;). I hope this is helpful for at least some of you -- happy reading!

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This book starts off a little bit slowly. She discribes things in such a way that you really feel like you know the people and places. She has such a way of transporting her reader. Every character is complex and real. There are huge twists throughout the book, I actually gasped once or twice. Through out the book you end up loving, hating, routing for, and shaking your head at each of the main characters. I really could hardly put it down. This one is more that worth a read.

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This book starts out rather slowly as a character study. I was interested but not enthralled. And then, WHAM, Sarah Waters throws a left hook that I did not see coming and sucked me deeply into the book. I was on a vacation, and when I got to that part, I was almost annoyed that I was on my trip, since all I wanted to do was read! The author continues to change perspectives, which keeps things interesting. She continues to throw twists in, which are then somewhat more expected, but no less interesting. This book is well worth the read. I hated finishing it--I just wanted it to keep going.

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Historical fiction at it's best and most enjoyable. I have not lost so much sleep for a book in a very long time. Thought it took me a little while to get into at at first, once I did, I was totally hooked. Incredibly suspenseful and fascinating the particular way that she somewhat unexpectedly tells the story from both protagonists' point of view. This was one that stayed with me for quite a while after I finished it; I'd wake up wondering what became of the characters, Sue and Maud. I was sorry it was over, but glad I still have a few more of Sarah Waters' books to read.

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The best book I've read in a decade? Nay. The best book I've read in my life! Water's writing is lush, moody and provocative, and the plot has one twist after another, leading you to the perfectly surprising ending. I lost sleep for days reading this book. I haven't found another to surpass it--yet.

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Brilliant, sexy, suspenseful, and Victorian. This is Sarah Waters' best work, in my opinion.

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Sue Trinder has been raised among thieves - an orphan who has never met her mother. The woman who has cared for her is Mrs. Suksby who takes babies from their mothers for a fee. The house on Lant Street where they live teems with characters such as Dainty, a girl with her own questionable past and Mr. Ibbs who buys stolen goods. Then one dark, rainy night a man arrives with a proposition to make them all rich. The man - known as Gentleman - hatches a scheme to send Sue, disguised as a maid, to the home of Maud Lilly and befriend her. A large sum of money is at stake, and the plot to get it means tricking Maud into marrying Gentlemen and then confining her to a mental hospital. From this point forward, the novel moves steadily forward with unexpected twists and turns which kept me reading long into the night. Sarah Waters has written a gothic novel filled with evil villains, betrayal, lies, love, debauchery and shocking revelations. Set first on the dirty backstreets of the London Borroughs, the novel then moves to the dark and eerie rooms of Briar - a dilapidated mansion where Maud is being raised by her cruel uncle. The writing is provocative and rich, creating the atmosphere of a period Gothic setting filled with suspense and things that creep in the night. The dialogue is pitch perfect, the characters convincingly wrought. But it is the plot - unnerving and constantly shifting - which reels the reader into the story and keeps the pages turning. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel which uncovers the sinister underbelly of the human soul. Gentleman is the perfect villain - handsome, mysterious and evil. Just when the reader thinks she knows where the story is taking her, there is a twist and it goes in another direction. No one is as they seem. Waters has written a book rich in period details and lush with complex characters. Ingeniously plotted and sexually charged, this is a novel you do not want to miss. Highly recommended.

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Well written and well plotted, this book is a mesmerizing page turner! I turned off thne phone so I could sit and read uninterrupted through the last 200 pages. All in all, a terrific historical novel!

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I thought this book was the best book I had ever read until I got to the end. I was sadly disappointed with the ending. The twists and turns throughout the book had me sitting on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put the book down. I read the entire book in about 3 days. I could never guess what was going to happen next, that is until the end it was depressing that the end was so guessable and disappointing, I was really hoping it would end with some shocking twist, if it had I would have said it was the best book of all time that I have read so far, and I read alot.

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Sarah Waters has been one of the most surprising forces to enter the historical fiction genre. Don't be fooled that her books are only interesting for women who date women. She is a lucid and engaging novelist, producing enjoyable period pieces. I highly recommend "Fingersmith" as a good starting point.