Who Would Like This Book:
If you love beautifully twisty plots and rich historic settings, "Fingersmith" is a wild ride through the grit and mystery of Victorian England. Sarah Waters crafts unforgettable characters - especially Sue and Maud - whose stories unfold through gothic atmosphere, clever deceptions, and layer upon layer of intrigue. With prose that evokes classic Dickens but with a bold, modern edge, the book will delight fans of historical fiction, thrillers, and those who crave well-developed, psychologically complex relationships (with a touch of LGBTQ romance). If you like your stories packed with suspense, memorable twists, and evocative detail, this one’s made for you.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found "Fingersmith" a bit too long, especially in the beginning, and felt the pace dragged with repetitive or slow-moving sections. The narrative switches between characters and retells events from different perspectives, which can lead to a sense of déjà vu or drawn-out storytelling. Those not a fan of Victorian settings, or who prefer a light, fast-paced read, might get bogged down in the details and dark, sometimes claustrophobic atmosphere. Also, if you’re looking for a straightforward romance or action-heavy plot, you might not vibe with this book’s gothic complexity.
About:
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters is a Victorian gothic novel filled with plot twists and turns, following the story of two orphan girls who unknowingly have intertwined lives. The book delves into themes of betrayal, ruined innocence, treachery, and madness, all set against the backdrop of Victorian London. Through multiple narrators and a complex plot structure, the story unfolds in a gripping manner, keeping readers guessing and engaged till the very end.
Waters' writing style in Fingersmith is described as evocative, rich in historical detail, and atmospheric, successfully transporting readers to the Victorian era. The novel intricately weaves together elements of mystery, romance, and intrigue, creating a dark and fiery tale laced with love, betrayal, and secrecy that is both compelling and immersive.
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Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include themes of mental illness, abuse, incarceration, and deception, which may be distressing to some readers.
Has Romance?
There is a significant romance aspect, particularly between the two main female characters, with emotional complexity and depth.
From The Publisher:
"Oliver Twist with a twist…Waters spins an absorbing tale that withholds as much as it discloses. A pulsating story."-The New York Times Book Review
The Handmaiden, a film adaptation of Fingersmith, directed by Park Chan-wook and starring Kim Tae-Ri, is now available.
Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby's household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves-fingersmiths-for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.
Ratings (70)
Incredible (15) | |
Loved It (30) | |
Liked It (15) | |
It Was OK (7) | |
Did Not Like (3) |
Reader Stats (242):
Read It (71) | |
Want To Read (135) | |
Did Not Finish (5) | |
Not Interested (31) |
5 comment(s)
this was my first introduction to both Sarah Waters and lesbian fiction. I have always loved historical fiction but Sarah Waters was a revelation.
Detailed, realistic, cleverly plotted, a definite pleasure for anyone who likes women-centered historical fiction.
Great Historical Fiction and nicely paced which I enjoy most of all, loved the dark characters too and all they depict of the Victorian era and I wanted more.
****5.0****
I could only say "What a book!! Lord". Just swept me away !! I never saw this kind of con anywhere!
My first Sarah Waters and I am so so so reading her books. I already have some in my real TBR.
“She was like milk - too pale, too pure, too simple. She was made to be spoiled.”
Susan Trinder is an orphan but is cared by a particular Mrs. Sucksby. Mrs. Sucksby's household , which is in dark streets of London slums,has many infants, all orphans, along with she shelters few petty thieves. So, a particular thief, called "Gentleman" comes to Mrs. Sucksby's with a scheme, where he is to cheat a Maud Lilly, a naive gentlewoman, but with a good fortune to come to her once she is of age. He wanted to take Susan as a maid to Maud and she was supposed to help him make Maud fall in love with him. Then when he marries Maud, she will be sent to a Mad-house passed as a mad woman (just like her mother) and they will share her vast fortune.
“But the more I think it, the more I want her, the more my desire rises and swells.”
But the plan turns and someone else is cheated and the cheating goes to different level turning the story into "hard to put down" kind. I had heard that the story resembles "Dickens/Oliver Twist" ish with Lesbian twists. Well, lesbian twist is right, though I found it hard to compare with Dickens. The setting was kind of same, old london, slums etc but the narration is too different and also the characters.
“What does it say?" I said, when I had. She said, "It is filled with all the words for how I want you...Look.”
Dickens is mild and Waters is like a slap on your face. Each character is bold and language is true to the hardships of the character. I loved this book so much. I am going to re-read it now and then in my life :) Fiendishly clever and unimaginably suspenseful!!
“PIGEON MY ARSE!”
Happy Reading!!
Eventually it just got too long and drawn out. I lost interest in pretty much everyone's story.
What can you read after
Fingersmith?
About the Author:
Sarah Waters is the New York Times bestselling author of The Paying Guests, The Little Stranger, The Night Watch, Fingersmith, Affinity, and Tipping the Velvet. She has been shortlisted three times for the Man Booker Prize, has been a finalist twice for the Orange Prize, and was named one of Granta's best young British novelists, among other…
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