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poisonenvy 's review for:
The Night Watch
by Sarah Waters
I keep leaving these book club reviews until way after I've read them so I can't give them the full review I would have liked to. :(
The Night Watch, like all of Waters' books (that I've read so far), is beautifully written, with rich characterization. It's bleak, but beautiful - a story not of where characters are going, but rather how they got there (a theme which is echoed by Kay: "Peoples pasts, you know, being so much more interesting than their futures"). While there might still be questions that might be wanted answered in the first part of the book - where some of these relationships and people are going - I think I almost like that they're left open to interpretation.
There are great parallels between each set of characters, all of whom seem to be tied first and foremost by loves that are generally ill-regarded and needing to be kept secret, and the pangs such secrecy causes each character. There's hope and despair, though a little, but not much, in between.
Overall, an excellent book that reminds me of why I like Sarah Waters' writing so much.
The Night Watch, like all of Waters' books (that I've read so far), is beautifully written, with rich characterization. It's bleak, but beautiful - a story not of where characters are going, but rather how they got there (a theme which is echoed by Kay: "Peoples pasts, you know, being so much more interesting than their futures"). While there might still be questions that might be wanted answered in the first part of the book - where some of these relationships and people are going - I think I almost like that they're left open to interpretation.
There are great parallels between each set of characters, all of whom seem to be tied first and foremost by loves that are generally ill-regarded and needing to be kept secret, and the pangs such secrecy causes each character. There's hope and despair, though a little, but not much, in between.
Spoiler
I actually love the mirror image Kay and Duncan's stories have between one another: Kay's story begins with a lot of hope, but the final scene we see of her (in 1947) is filled with despair. Duncan's story starts in pain and despair, but ends hopefully with a potential future with Fraser.Overall, an excellent book that reminds me of why I like Sarah Waters' writing so much.