Rating: 
Summary: Not too shabby
Review: Hey, it could be worse. There are worse things than being compared to Jeanette Winterson.(Bear in mind that Oranges are not the Only Fruit was not one of my favorite books.) Still, the heroine in this novel, written in true Victorian style, does not live up to our expectations of her. To give Waters her due, she never moralizes crossdressing or lesbianism (the love that dares not speak it's name?) as a Victorian writer would (Radclyffe Hall and George Sand excepted, of course). It seems fair to point out though, that the extreme stiltedness of the style could have better served a speech or two representing the late victorian era, instead of a whole book written in this out-dated confessional, author-as-confidante style. To conclude, this is an enjoyable read, but don't pick it up if you're looking for a new writing style or idea
Rating: 
Summary: Very difficult to put down!
Review: 'Tipping the Velvet' is 'bodice-ripper' with a real twist. We follow the adventures of Nan, a nineteenth century oyster-girl from the South Coast besotted with a cross-dressing music hall star, through various romantic and sexual encounters until she finally finds happiness and the measure of her own self-worth.The story is beautifully written; sometimes shocking, sometimes teasing, but always entertaining and compelling fiction. Sarah Waters has made her book very difficult to put down!
Rating: 
Summary: I think we were fooled
Review: I am always surprised by the glowing reviews that this book recieves. I have to say that I bought the book with a great deal of anticipation because I had read so many positive reviews, ultimately I was quite disappointed in the book. First of all I couldn't shake the feeling that Sarah Waters was a man writing under a psuedonym. There was so much emphasis on the male identification of the main character that it smelled suspiciously like it was written by a man who thinks that lesbianism is no ones true calling, only a distraction until a real relationship can come along. There were other clues, such as the reliance on violent sexual images and the fact that the oral sex episodes with men during her prostitution years were far more graphic than any of the lesbian sex (which leads you to believe that the writer had no real knowledge of lesbian sex). I just felt fooled, that I was being toyed with, that the author was a man trying to slip in through the backdoor and show us all that men really understand lesbian mentality. What may be even more irritating is that if this really is a woman writing this than it is truly an offensive novel for the lesbian community as we have had enough of the lesbian that should be punished for her desires.
Rating:
Summary: Damn sexy
Review: Before I go into my thoughts on Tipping... I noticed a reviewer who suspects Sarah Waters of really being a man. In case anyone else is curious, I can confirm that she is female! I've twice worked at author events of hers, and she is most definately a woman (and a lesbian as if you needed telling!) Anyway. I really enjoyed this book. Apart from having a wonderfully readable prose style. Waters is a master of structure and plot - the story mixes erotica, sentimentality, darkness, humour and growth perfctly, and never repeats its own ideas. The characters are like all Waters' characters in that they risk being dislikable, but always end up winning you over. Nan as the narrator is a wonderful character to take the reader through the sexual underworlds of Victorian London. However, if you find you like this book don't expect Waters' other two to be similar! Affinity and Fingermith are involved, moody, dark and complicated, both employing elements of mystery (with big ol' twists). HAving said that - give Fingersmith a try: I loved it even more than Tipping.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and pleasurable read.
Review: I have to admit that this was the first lesbian book I read, which was shortly after I came out of the closet. Very interesting read with a historical flair. I'm not sure how historically accurate it is, but I've become more interested in learning about the lesbian culture in the past and throughout the world.
Rating:
Summary: Saucy!
Review: "Have you ever tasted a Whitstable oyster?" No, talented novelist Sarah Waters, I have not, but with your opening sentence in TIPPING THE VELVET you have masterfully and succesffully transported me from the barren prairies of America to the succulent shores of 19th Century England.
A love story, a coming of age story, a gender-bending head-scratching tale of lust and loss, this novel takes the reader on a heady, haughty, naughty ride through late Victorian-era England. When young Nancy Astley, a Whitstable "oyster girl," first sees the handsome Kitty Butler, dressed as a boy, entertaining at the local music hall, Nancy's life is changed forever. Realizing she has more than just a casual infatuation with the talented entertainer, Nancy abandons her family and accompanies Kitty to London, where the two of them become inseparable--in every sense of the word. But alas, Nancy has left herself incredibly vulnerable, and when the inevitable pain and sorrow of heartbreak confront her, she goes off on her own for a mind-boggling series of adventures that left me chuckling, or sucking in my breath, with each turned page.
This book has been labeled as "lesbian erotica," but I found the story to be much broader than that (Waters is simply too gifted a writer). Granted, had Nancy been a "Neville," and Kitty a "Kirk," with both characters exploring their love, I would have been more than a tad bit uncomfortable, so the feminine point of view worked very well for this old bloke, I assure you. But even more remarkable than the titillating erotica was Waters' extraordinary ability to recreate--via her impressive, sweeping prose--the sights, sounds, smells of London in the "Gay Nineties." From "tom" to "tony," from "masher" to "saucy," the reader is completely and delightfully immersed in the slang, the jargon, the behaviour of the historical period.
TIPPING THE VELVET is an exceptional debut novel. I give it less than five stars for two reasons: 1) the predictability of the plot; 2) the tiresome, Sinclair-istic endorsement of boring Socialism (Why, oh why, are most authors such handwringing leftists?). Despite my superficial misgivings, this is a novel to be reckoned with, by a writer to be reckoned with. Brilliantly written.
--D. Mikels
Rating:
Summary: The Best Novel I Have Read In A Very, Very Long Time..
Review: This book was stunning, absolutely stunning. It stirs your heart and you are wanting to know what happens next to the characters. Sarah Waters has created a fascinating world and a world that I loved inhabiting as I read this book.
Nancy Astley works in her family's oyster restaurant and goes to the weekends to the music halls. There, she meets Kitty Butler and they become fast friends. Kitty invites Nancy to be her dresser in London and it gets really fast past then. It goes from her being with Kitty, to having her heart broken by Kitty, then being a renter and living with the cruel Diana. To lastly, meeting a young socialist by the name of Florence. The characters, all of them, are intriguing. Nancy is a pillar of strength and Diana, though cruel, is definately interesting. Florence is the perfect girl for Nancy and Kitty. I have nothing but loathing for that character, because of what she did to Nancy.
The prose, reminded me of a cross between a modern novelist, Charles Dickens and Oscar Wilde. It was highly engaging and it makes one feel as if they are with Nancy and seeing what she sees. As far as the Erotic goes, it is, definately. But I think what really makes it good is the relationships and seeing things through Nancy's eyes.
This is a must read for anyone, gay, straight or bi.
Rating:
Summary: BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN!
Review: This has to be one of the best books I've ever read! I finished it in a week-- just could not put it down! A true page turner, this will keep you up reading till 1 am. Elegantly written and full of rich characters, tipping the velvet is definitely not one to be overlooked. Excellent story-- full of passion, laughter, pain, and romance. Couldn't get enough, so I ordered the DVD!
Rating:
Summary: New Favorite Author!
Review: Usually I pick up a book with about 500 or so pages, and six months later I trudge to the finish. This book, however, took only one short week of sheer addiction to complete! As previously stated in other reviews, Sarah Waters is like air to read and keeps the momentum streaming to a triumphant end. If you have forgotten how to love, how to make love, how to romance, how it was before we were so jaded by love, please, let Sarah remind you.
Nan King/Nancy Astley/Tom Kitty is a wonderful, unsung hero. As I flipped page after page, I could not help indentifying so much of myself with her. Starting with her pre-theater life, reminding us of those first budding crushes, so innocent and sweet. Moving into an intense and awkward relationship, leading to, well, the usual. And while I have never been a "renter", I understand how easily she got to that point. And I'm sure anyone who's felt even mildly repressed by their love, only to be betrayed will feel a twinge of WWE-like feeling. I myself let a few explicatives fly from my mouth while reading. My only disappointment, the book should end too quickly. And hey, where's my Diana!?!
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Brilliant
Review: The narrator, Nan, has spent all her life working for her family in a restaurant peeling and cooking oysters. When Kitty Butler begins putting on an act at a nearby music hall, Nan never misses a show. She is captivated by Kitty and unable to take her eyes away.
Kitty and Nan meet and become very close friends, almost like sisters. Deep inside Nan hold's a secret close to her heart that she wouldn't dare tell a soul -- she's in love with Kitty. Her family is thrilled with her new friend, all except for her sister Alice who is suspicious of the budding relationship. When Kitty makes the decision to move to London to perform, she asks Nan to go with her. Despite how much her family will miss her, Nan chooses to go.
The story continues to show the devloping romance between Kitty and Nan that grows into a deep love and sexual relationship -- all until someone gets hurt. The next seven years of Nan's life are her hardest ever. She must learn lessons and experience trials and tribulations that all must endure in order to understand and appreciate life.
This beautifully written treasure chest of entertainment was one I accidentally came across and never expected to actually read. I picked it up one day out of bordom and was finished reading it within 48 hours. The story is so intricate and captivating that you absolutely cannot put it down. It is a love story that anyone who has ever fallen passionately in love with someone can relate to. Nan and Kitty's story through adolescence, growth, heartbreak, pain, love, and new beginnings is one that you will always remember. A must read for the lover of any genre.
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