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A review by ryner
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
emotional
reflective
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
3.0
Despite living, eating and breathing oysters while helping with her family's business in Whitstable, Nancy revels in taking the train with her sister in their precious spare time to Canterbury, to experience live music and comedy performances. On one such occasion she becomes absolutely entranced by a young woman performing as a man, and returns to see Kitty Butler again and again, until Kitty one night takes notice of her and invites Nancy to become her dresser.
This entire book was a complete surprise to me, as I had selected it based off a suggestion for the Read Harder category "a book about drag or queer artistry" and hadn't so much as read the back cover. It also ticked the box for historical fiction, which is always welcome. It reads a bit as though it might be based on a real historical figure, bit I haven't seen any evidence that this was the case. It was a dramatic, enlightening peek into a 19th-century subculture I'd never previously read anything about.
This entire book was a complete surprise to me, as I had selected it based off a suggestion for the Read Harder category "a book about drag or queer artistry" and hadn't so much as read the back cover. It also ticked the box for historical fiction, which is always welcome. It reads a bit as though it might be based on a real historical figure, bit I haven't seen any evidence that this was the case. It was a dramatic, enlightening peek into a 19th-century subculture I'd never previously read anything about.