Reviews

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

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melnao1's review against another edition

slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This book could've been half as long, like it was barely a romance, just enough of a mystery to keep you engaged. The ending seemed a little eh but overall wasn't horrible

plume_de_renarde's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

cvbattum's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This was one of those books that took over my life for a few days. It's completely gripping, vivid, atmospheric, if a bit long.

I loved the use of language in this book. It is written in an older style, close to what would've been used in the time period it is set in (1862). This creates just an extra layer of immersion.

I did think the middle part of the book was too long and boring. The first part was absolutely amazing, and then I loved seeing the same events from the other character's perspective in part 2. However, from the moment where the plot turns, both characters fall into a sort of slump and that is refelcted in the book, with some 200 pages on which barely anything happens but misery. I didn't like

Susan's time in the asylum at all, it was too much misery that barely served the story in my opinion

.

The plot is amazing though. It was genuinely surprising and twisting. I had not seen most of it coming, though it's made clear there are some huge secrets.

The characters themselves are very interesting, well-written, and lively. Their dilemmas are real ones, that don't have a clear "good" solution. Morality is blurred. The feminism in this book is strong, sometimes depressingly by showing the sheer injustice towards women at that time and their powerlessness against it, but other times also by the power they do claim. The women in the story are just subversive enough to make them quite badass, but not so much that it becomes unrealistic.

The ending I have mixed feelings about. On one hand it was satisfying, on the other I would've liked to see more happen. I don't like how long Susan was kept in the dark of everything, until way past the climax; I'm not sure that served a purpose.

Our ladies end up together though, and that counts for something.

Dainty, the only character who actually had good intentions, should've gotten a good ending too, but I'll just imagine

Susan and Maud cashed in their inheritance, lived long together at Briar, and hired Dainty as their maid

karis_lit's review

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emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

malaika_astre's review against another edition

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3.0

A case of: I read the book after the movie (the korean one). I preferred the ending of the movie, although Waters had some interesting twists in her ending. I agree with some reviews: it was very long and sometimes it was hard to keep my attention,but the twists and turns keep you on your toes.