978. Fingersmith

Fingersmith
Sarah Waters
2002

Around 510 pages

Fingersmith is one of my favorite novels of all time. I had absolutely no idea what I was in for going into this, but this fulfills the potential promised by Tipping the Velvet.

There are so many twists and turns in this story, that I hesitate to give even a cursory summary. Suffice to say, Sue Trinder, an orphan, is sent by her adoptive mother Mrs. Sucksby to a wealthy heiress' house to pose as a maid and convince her to elope with the Gentleman. The Gentleman will then have his new bride committed to a madhouse (because how easy was that in Victorian times?), and then split the fortune with his accomplices.

Fingersmith is an intensely erotic novel, but unlike many novels on the List, that's not the main draw of the story. This is a brilliantly thought out and well-paced plot that made for an extremely exciting read. Sue reminded me of older English heroines, like Jane Eyre and Catherine Moreland. I was immediately rooting for her. The other characters wouldn't have been out of place in a Dickens novel, and it was comforting to revisit that era in such an authentic feeling way.

Can't recommend this novel highly enough.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Adapted to television, stage, and film.

UP NEXT: Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry

919. Tipping the Velvet

Tipping the Velvet
Sarah Waters
1998
Around 475 pages

What a great chaser to that cesspool behind us. Sarah Waters is one of my favorite authors, and I was absolutely obsessed with this novel. 

This is the coming of age story of Nan Astley, who lives a dreary existence in England working at her family's oyster restaurant. That is, until she meets a male impersonator named Kitty Butler, and follows her to London to assist in her performances. She falls desperately in love with Kitty, and joins her as a partner on stage. But Kitty can't surrender herself completely to a love affair with a woman.

Waters said that she wrote about the Victorian era because a lot of the things we think know about it are stereotypes, or just wrong. I love that, I love it when authors deconstruct the ideas we have of certain historical time periods, since we love to romanticize the past so much. Waters is a brilliant writer and made me fall in love with Nan instantly.

No complaints, the perfect read.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a BBC series in 2002.

UP NEXT: All Souls Day by Cees Nooteboom