Reviews

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

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greymalkin's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

A fascinatingly twisty story that moves along at a breakneck pace despite not a lot actually happening for most of the book.

The characters felt real and their impressions of what happened felt legitimate. The Rashomon-like section felt a bit like "how could this possibly be the same person" for a little bit but then Maud and Gentleman talk and it makes so much sense. I particularly enjoyed the way the book ended, I absolutely could not put the book down for the tense scene when Gentleman appears just after Sue confronts Mrs. Sucksby and Maud.

A side note: About a third of the way into the book I was like, "this seems very familiar- did I read this book without realizing it?" It took me a bit to realize I'd seen a movie based on this book many years ago, but one that had been transported to Korea (The Handmaiden) instead of London, so the details were different. I think I like the book better, but I can also respect the alterations to the plot and characters that the movie did (they made the Sue character a bit less passive and made the uncle character more socially aware).

jmarmar's review

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dark emotional mysterious slow-paced

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

3.25

_shania's review against another edition

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4.0

absolutely not the kind of thing I usually read but this story was SO enticing and truly kept me on edge the whole time!!

ratking69's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

alexisreading23's review against another edition

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4.0

Sue has been raised in a house of thieves - 'fingersmiths'. An acquaintance called 'Gentleman' approaches her and her companions with a proposition: a con that could result in riches for them all that requires Sue's deception of another young, wealthy girl. Parading as a lady's maid, Sue joins the household of the wealthy heiress but begins to have doubts about her part in the scheme.

This really surprised me. I think this is a book better approached with less knowledge so I am going to remain fairly vague but I think Sarah Waters has a very honed talent for storytelling, the pacing of the first half of this was superb and I was absolutely hooked. I did think that it was a little too long in the second half but there wasn't really any fault I could pick out. Waters is great at characterisation and her portrait of the more seedy side of Victorian life was excellent. I am really keen to read more by her. If you would like historical fiction that ventures off the beaten track slightly with sapphic elements and twisty plots then this is for you!