Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

Affinity by Sarah Waters

6 reviews

wildpasserine's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

So, I just finished this book. I AM DEAD. Brb, going through the five stages of grief. My heart has been ripped from my body, and my soul is aching from both the genius and horribleness of it all. Rest in peace to me.
Sad for my girl Peggy; rest in peace to her too.
Damn this book; so good—but BRUTAL.
Also, WTF, Ruth!? I knew something was up during the creepy hairbrush scene, but I didn’t think it would be as sinister as it was in the end. “Remember who’s girl you are.” CHILLS.

Sarah Waters has truly outdone herself with this one. The emotional depth of Affinity is both a blessing and a curse. From the very first page, Waters draws you into the lives of her characters with such intimacy and intensity that you can’t help but become deeply invested in their fates. The relationships, the heartaches, the moments of fleeting joy—all of it feels so real, so raw. The intricate character development leaves you feeling like you’ve lost a dear friend by the end.

Waters’ portrayal of longing, despair, and the search for connection is masterful. The narrative is a powerful exploration of human emotion and doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of the human experience. The way she captures the essence of Victorian-era societal constraints while delving into the character’s internal struggles is both haunting and beautiful. The disturbing atmosphere of the Milbank prison is going to stay with me for a while, too.

Another aspect that struck me was the book’s depiction of mental illness. The portrayal of depression and emotional turmoil was incredibly relatable, even in a modern-day context. The way the characters grapple with their inner demons and societal pressures resonated deeply with me. It’s a testament to Waters’ skill that she can make the struggles of a bygone era feel so immediate and personal.

If you're ready to have your soul crushed Victorian Gothic style (in the best way possible), this book is for you.  🖤✌️
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lostgwennel's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Oh. My. Fucking. God.
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dorynickel's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this book so much! It hit all its marks: gothic but not overwrought, lusty but not erotic, intimate but not constricted, mysterious but not inscrutable.

Sometimes the characters seem not fully fleshed out, but then the two main characters' respective malleability and opaqueness are so intentional that I can't really take away points for this.

Above all, Waters' prose and storytelling are what makes this book stand out within the oft-derided "girly novel" genre. (Although it did take me a chapter or two to get used to the journal framing, with its varying syntaxes and mixed tenses.) I will admit that I didn't take this book seriously enough at first, and I was pleasantly surprised by the mastery with which Waters weaves the substance of the story and its candid prose together with the tropes inherent in its subject matter. Give yourself permission to take a sapphic Victorian Gothic mystery ghost novel seriously, and you're in for a real treat!
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quechaya's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad

3.5

This was a page turner but the ending hit me like a bag of bricks. I just want to read about lesbians and not have it end in
bury your gays.
! I am a depressed lesbian so
Margaret killing herself at the end hit too close to home. I also didn't understand that Ruth was the molester ghost until looking up an explanation of the ending.
This book is good but it just wasn't my cup of tea in the end.
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nialiversuch's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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ehmannky's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I think this might be my favorite of Waters' book. The final twist at the end genuinely made me gasp, and it was such a gut punch. I don't know how to review this book without spoilers (though I will say that suicide is a heavy plot point, so stay clear if that's not something you're comfortable reading), but I really enjoyed it. It's by no means happy, at any point at all in whole book, but it's gloomy and kind of spooky and it's really hitting a 2020 mood right now. 

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