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raphynette's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Alcohol, Homophobia, and Drug use
jennaz's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Quite a good read. Enjoyed the writing style, it was unique yet still smooth and easy to get through (besides the lack of quotation marks - that always causes some confusion for me). Wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt, but it definitely held a (to me, positive) plot twist. Feel like it showed growth in the main character that I honestly didn’t expect. I loved how deep of a look we got of the main character, constant inner dialogue and often relatable thoughts. Kind of gives similar vibes to movie aesthetics like Normal People. To me at least.
Diversity-wise, clearly a lesbian romance, with one main character also being gender-questioning and/or masculine-presenting and/or butch. Also appreciated the depiction of a positive lgbtq+ friendship shown throughout, but no descriptions gave way of any races besides white, so a bit euro-centric. Therefore “it’s complicated” for diversity.
Also wish the author had the main character introspect / probe Mrs. S more about the sudden yet brief scene of catching two of The Girls kissing. It clearly had a large affect on her as someone who must hide their queerness, and Mrs. S’ reaction was disappointing considering her usual demeanor towards The Girls and her own recent sexual awakening (not super recent, as she mentioned experimenting before in college, but this time declared it love) - it makes sense how she reacted, being that she clearly had internalized homophobia and was confused and frustrated with herself so didn’t know how to even respond to the girls, but would’ve liked to see more character growth from Mrs. S, overall, looking back. But, I didn’t expect it since the end has the main character leave and it’s a book following her internal dialogue more than anything
Diversity-wise, clearly a lesbian romance, with one main character also being gender-questioning and/or masculine-presenting and/or butch. Also appreciated the depiction of a positive lgbtq+ friendship shown throughout, but no descriptions gave way of any races besides white, so a bit euro-centric. Therefore “it’s complicated” for diversity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Drug use and Alcohol
booksillremember's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Came for the plot, stayed for the prose.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Lesbophobia
Minor: Drug use and Alcohol
jesshindes's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
'Mrs S' is about an Australian woman in her early 20s who comes to England to take up a sort of general assistant job in a girls' boarding school. While there she begins an affair with the headmaster's wife, the titular (older, maybe 40-ish) Mrs S. And... that's mostly the story.
The protagonist is (probably?) a butch lesbian figuring things out about her identity; not her sexuality, as such, but how she inhabits it and her body; her gender. This is lent weight by the context, full of teenage girls (the Girls, as they're referred to throughout) who are also grappling with expectations around femininity and sexuality, and by the book's two other main characters: Mrs S (ostensibly in a heterosexual relationship with her husband, probably more bound by social expectations than she might like to admit) and the Housemistress (the other gay woman on staff). I really liked the way that the narrator's friendship with the Housemistress developed; there's a mixture of admiration, solidarity, envy to their interactions and what begins as a fairly tentative camaraderie ends up being a really meaningful relationship by the time the novel comes to a close (I would argue, more meaningful than the romance). In fact when I was trying to think about what the book was ~about I think it's probably about queer solidarity as much as anything; certainly that feels like where it lands up, although it's not really how the book's been marketed.
I found Patrick's style a challenge: there are no speech marks in the novel and most of the sentences are short, almost staccato, which makes it difficult to read fluently. I was constantly being brought up and forced to re-read, trying to understand who was saying what, which parts were being thought and which spoken aloud. This lack of specificity is echoed by other choices; as you may be able to tell from my discussion above, nobody in the book has names (only titles), the Girls often merge into a singular mob, and there's no indication at any point of the time period in which the novel is taking place. (There doesn't seem to be any mobile phone use, but there is a gay bar in the nearby town - I was guessing the 90s?) By the time I got to the end I didn't mind the prose styling so much - perhaps I'd got used to it - but at the outset I felt like the book was fighting me a bit. I think it's still worth it regardless but it's probably a personal preference thing; if you don't mind taking time over something that doesn't make fluency of reading its first priority, that forces you to slow down and take your time.
The protagonist is (probably?) a butch lesbian figuring things out about her identity; not her sexuality, as such, but how she inhabits it and her body; her gender. This is lent weight by the context, full of teenage girls (the Girls, as they're referred to throughout) who are also grappling with expectations around femininity and sexuality, and by the book's two other main characters: Mrs S (ostensibly in a heterosexual relationship with her husband, probably more bound by social expectations than she might like to admit) and the Housemistress (the other gay woman on staff). I really liked the way that the narrator's friendship with the Housemistress developed; there's a mixture of admiration, solidarity, envy to their interactions and what begins as a fairly tentative camaraderie ends up being a really meaningful relationship by the time the novel comes to a close (I would argue, more meaningful than the romance). In fact when I was trying to think about what the book was ~about I think it's probably about queer solidarity as much as anything; certainly that feels like where it lands up, although it's not really how the book's been marketed.
I found Patrick's style a challenge: there are no speech marks in the novel and most of the sentences are short, almost staccato, which makes it difficult to read fluently. I was constantly being brought up and forced to re-read, trying to understand who was saying what, which parts were being thought and which spoken aloud. This lack of specificity is echoed by other choices; as you may be able to tell from my discussion above, nobody in the book has names (only titles), the Girls often merge into a singular mob, and there's no indication at any point of the time period in which the novel is taking place. (There doesn't seem to be any mobile phone use, but there is a gay bar in the nearby town - I was guessing the 90s?) By the time I got to the end I didn't mind the prose styling so much - perhaps I'd got used to it - but at the outset I felt like the book was fighting me a bit. I think it's still worth it regardless but it's probably a personal preference thing; if you don't mind taking time over something that doesn't make fluency of reading its first priority, that forces you to slow down and take your time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity, Drug use, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia
bronzeageholly's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“If I could choose a different chest I would choose this water. If I could choose a different body I would choose this water”
This beautiful book felt like dipping into someone’s mind, like slipping off the edge of a pool and finding it’s deeper than you thought.
The tension, the longing, the summer heat. Mrs S is a sensual, delicious dive into sexuality and gender, into watching and being watched, into what it’s like to live in your own or other people’s ‘natural’.
The themes of performance and of nature (with key motifs of water, earth, the moon) were carefully and clearly positioned throughout the text: each with transformative powers poignant to the metamorphosis of the protagonist. Through the main character’s observations of light and scent we understand how they view the world and the actions of others. Each relationship formed was palpable, with moments of humour just as precious as the moments of drama.
There was something deeply personal and deeply reflective about this text that I could not demand loudly enough that everyone reads this book.
((definitely an 18+ read!))
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Alcohol, and Drug use
sophiareads_'s review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings: homophobia, cheating/adultery, violence, alcohol and drug use
A young Australian woman takes on the role of matron at an all girls boarding school, where her fascination with Mrs. S, the headmaster's wife, becomes a passionate affair.
This was SO my kinda book, I loved it. The writing style is very unique and stylistic - I can totally see this not being for everyone, especially with the lack of speech marks for dialogue - but it just really worked for me. It made everything feel very atmospheric and enticing. I totally had the feeling of being in the protagonist's head, experiencing the story with her. I don't know how to elaborate on this, but it reminded me of watching Fleabag, so that's something.
I feel like butch representation is very lacking, and I loved reading about a butch protagonist. I thought the explorations of sexuality and gender here were really fascinating and felt very genuine. I just really enjoyed this reading experience!
Thanks to NetGalley, K Patrick, and 4th Estate for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A young Australian woman takes on the role of matron at an all girls boarding school, where her fascination with Mrs. S, the headmaster's wife, becomes a passionate affair.
This was SO my kinda book, I loved it. The writing style is very unique and stylistic - I can totally see this not being for everyone, especially with the lack of speech marks for dialogue - but it just really worked for me. It made everything feel very atmospheric and enticing. I totally had the feeling of being in the protagonist's head, experiencing the story with her. I don't know how to elaborate on this, but it reminded me of watching Fleabag, so that's something.
I feel like butch representation is very lacking, and I loved reading about a butch protagonist. I thought the explorations of sexuality and gender here were really fascinating and felt very genuine. I just really enjoyed this reading experience!
Thanks to NetGalley, K Patrick, and 4th Estate for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Infidelity
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
Minor: Violence
headinthepages's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Abandonment, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Drug use, Grief, Infidelity, and Medical content
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