Who Would Like This Book:
If you love gothic atmosphere, Victorian settings, and stories heavy with suspense and psychological intrigue, Affinity is a real treat. Waters brings the haunting gloom of Millbank Prison to life with immersive detail, while weaving in spiritualism, repressed desires, and class commentary. Fans of dark historical fiction, slow-burn mysteries, or anyone curious about the seamier side of 19th-century London (with a supernatural twist) will be drawn in. The dual narrative and the close examination of women's emotional lives add extra depth for readers who enjoy complex characters and moody plots.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Those who prefer fast-paced plots or need instantly likable protagonists might struggle here. Affinity takes its time building tension, with a slow-burn approach that some find too bleak or dreary. If you dislike dense atmospheres, ambiguous endings, or characters who are more flawed than endearing, it could feel dragging. And while there are thriller-like elements, readers hoping for clear-cut answers - or a happy romance - should adjust expectations.
About:
Affinity by Sarah Waters is a dark and atmospheric novel set in Victorian London, focusing on the unlikely relationship between Margaret Prior, a spinster recovering from a nervous breakdown, and Selina Dawes, a convicted medium in Millbank prison. The story unfolds through diary entries, revealing the complex dynamics between the characters and the suspenseful plot that keeps readers engaged until the surprising ending. Waters' writing style captures the mood of the era and delves into themes of spiritualism, forbidden relationships, and societal constraints, creating a gripping and authentic narrative that explores themes of love, obsession, and deception.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes of mental illness, suicide, imprisonment, classism, and possibly triggering discussions surrounding homosexuality and spiritualism.
Has Romance?
The romantic aspect of Affinity is present but complicated, primarily focused on Margaret's obsessive feelings for Selina.
From The Publisher:
"Gothic tale, psychological study, puzzle narrative…This is gripping, astute fiction that feeds the mind and senses."-The Seattle Times
An upper-class woman recovering from a suicide attempt, Margaret Prior has begun visiting the women's ward of Millbank prison, Victorian London's grimmest jail, as part of her rehabilitative charity work. Amongst Millbank's murderers and common thieves, Margaret finds herself increasingly fascinated by on apparently innocent inmate, the enigmatic spiritualist Selina Dawes. Selina was imprisoned after a séance she was conducting went horribly awry, leaving an elderly matron dead and a young woman deeply disturbed. Although initially skeptical of Selina's gifts, Margaret is soon drawn into a twilight world of ghosts and shadows, unruly spirits and unseemly passions, until she is at last driven to concoct a desperate plot to secure Selina's freedom, and her own.
Ratings (26)
Incredible (2) | |
Loved It (12) | |
Liked It (5) | |
It Was OK (7) |
Reader Stats (76):
Read It (29) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (36) | |
Not Interested (9) |
2 comment(s)
Ohhhhhh. I loved this book but I wish I hadn't read it. Not right now.
Compassionate towards women, quiet and subtle, atmosphere, a slight creepiness, felt dark but not scary, similar to Daphne du maurier
What can you read after
Affinity?
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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