Rating: 
Summary: Very good but too drawn out
Review: The book started off VERY well. I was hoping for the scenes to be a little more on the steamy side which is needed for a good lesbian drama. No such luck! The plot is great but the book was way too long. I skimmed Part 2 of the book because the author just rewrites Part 1 through another characters point of view. Like i said though, the plot was good.
Rating: 
Summary: Had great potential.....
Review: I run a book discussion group that is comprised of mostly older women in their 70s and 80s. I chose this book because it was on a top 10 book club list that I read somewhere on the internet and the story takes place during the victorian era which I thought the women would enjoy. You can read the reviews from some of the other readers to get a sense of what the story is about...I will just leave it that when I asked the women if they would recommend it to a family member or friend they all resoundingly said NO!! The story provided a lively discussion, however, and it became obvious that we all got confused at times with keeping up with the curves and twists in the plotting of the story. (They did not seem to mind the minor lesbian subtext either).
Rating: 
Summary: you'll think you're british after this.....
Review: ... because seriously, Sarah Waters creates such an intense environment that you feel like you're actually in the book, living in the atmosphere. This book is spellbinding and captivating and once you pick it up, you honestly can NOT put it down. This has become my new favorite book. I cry every night because Waters has only written 3 books and I have read 2 of them already. But you will deeply enjoy this book. Really.
Rating:
Summary: Trust No One
Review: As in Sarah Waters first two novels, "Fingersmith" once again gives us a close view of the seamier side of life in London during Victorian times ? this time we make the acquaintance of a den of thieves & pickpockets among the dregs of society and get a glimpse of the world of pornography & kinky inclinations for gentlemen. This author is an expert at plot twists and surprises which really shock the reader, allow yourself uninterrupted time for this book, it is a real page turner, melodramatic, a love story, a murder/crime thriller and great historical fiction.There are so many twist and turns to this story that I find it hard to say much about it without revealing crucial parts of the plot. The main characters are 2 orphans, Maud and Sue, that have grown up leading vastly different lives and are brought together in their late teens. At the beginning we are introduced to Sue and the family of thieves she lives among at the house of Mrs. Sucksby. Sue is presented with a mission by Mrs. Sucksby?s friend whom she calls ?Gentleman? ? The plan, in brief, is that Gentleman will marry an orphaned, isolated heiress then have her locked up in an asylum, stealing her money, Sue will pose as the lady?s maid and assist Gentleman in making his wife appear insane. And that is all I will say. I look forward to rereading this one day to look out for all the little clues I missed the first time.
Rating:
Summary: Leave yourself time - you'll want it!
Review: This book grabbed me from the start, and I read the first couple of hundred pages eagerly. After that, I read the rest of it *feverishly*. Wow.
Rating:
Summary: A totally absorbing read
Review: Fingersmith was one of those books that someone recommended, and I reluctantly picked it up just to get them off my back. Well, half a page into the book I was hooked, and I couldn't concentrate on anything in "real life" until I finished it. What a mindblowingly suspenseful book. The characters were well-developed, the writing was skillfully done, and and the romance was believable and heartbreaking (no sappiness here).
Now I am the one pestering friends to read this amazing book.
Rating:
Summary: Good Googlie Mooglie!
Review: What a fabulous book! I gasped like a girl at all the plot twists and could not put it down until the last page. If I could get one wish, it would be to read this novel again without knowing how it turns out. Excellent, excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: Pure storytelling of the highest order !
Review: Sarah Waters' third novel "Fingersmith" is both a critical and popular favourite. It has been shortlisted for several book awards including the Booker Prize. Waters herself has attracted much attention from literary circles since the publication of her first two novels "Tipping The Velvet" and "Affinity", both of which have won her many accolades. The former has even been made into a TV movie by the BBC. So what's the fuss about ? I'd say it's down to the fact that Waters has created a niche for herself writing fiction the way the old masters used to. Her style cannot be further away from the rabid excesses of many contemporary writers who try to pass off bad for inventive writing. Waters' eloquent and long flowing sentences recall the style of classical writers like Charles Dickens. Her craft lies in pure storytelling - about petty criminals, thiefs, pickpockets, damsels in distress, etc all in a Victorian setting - but with a strong dash of the new feminist sensibility that brings her story bang up-to-date.....and it works ! "Fingersmith" at more than 500 pages long may be overwritten but it is superbly crafted and a truly compelling read. Sure, there's drama, mystery, suspense and great characterisation but it isn't the fearsome mindbender the blurbs make it out to be. After you have recovered from the jaw dropping shock that Waters has laid in store for you at the close of the first segment, the other twists and turns that ensue aren't that difficult to follow. In fact, they're fairly predictable but that's a compliment, not a criticism, because it shows Waters cares more about her story's integrity than delivering cheap shocks. By the time you get to the end of it, our heroines, Sue and Maud, must seem like two peas in a pod or spiritual twins from opposite sides of the track. While Waters has been labelled a lesbian fiction writer, she's careful to keep her touch light in order not to alienate the general reading public. "Fingersmith" is one of the best novels this season. It deserves and is destined for the widest readership possible. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: fantastic!!
Review: I have read all waters books. I really enjoyed TTV, but I have to say that I thought Fingersmith was a better read. The twists & surprises in the book were great. A truly original novel!!. Hope another book follows soon!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read and the best Victorian novel of last year
Review: I enjoyed this novel more than any I read last year. The characters are well developed. The plot contains many twists and turns. The love story is well done. It inspired me to read Sarah Waters other two books. Although I enjoyed them as well, especially Pushing the Velvet, I think this is her finest. After I finished Fingersmith I learned that Sarah Waters is often considered a lesbian novelist. Although that is true, Fingersmith will satisfy readers of all sexual orientations. As a heterosexual male, to the degree that I considered the sexual content of Fingersmith at all, it was to realize once again that love is love, no matter what its sexual orientation.
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