A review by historyofjess
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

There's so much I adored about this book. It upended the Dickensian image of Victorian-set fiction in all the right ways and was, all-in-all, just a magnificently beautiful story of queer awakening and becoming. I loved the way Nancy's hardships were never dwelled on intensely. She experienced hard times, but didn't let them overcome her. And, while some experiences may have been played up for misery in other stories, here, through Nancy's eyes, they just served as parts of her story. And, as if all of that wasn't good enough, boy howdy was this book sexy.