Reviews with content warning for Lesbophobia - Fingersmith

(another library audiobook rental)

i definitely would have enjoyed this more if i read a physical copy, but the audiobook was also very good!

this is a fantastic lesbian classic that really appealed to my historical fiction fan brain. the details of the culture/customs era and setting were really fun and added some levity to the darker plots.

Sue’s perspective in parts one and the end of part three were hilarious, but the scenes at the asylum were honestly nauseating at times. Maud’s point of view was less funny, more thoughtful and romantic. I loved that she had feelings for Sue before Sue realized her own feelings.

several of the plot twists were brutal, though i admit i spoiled many of them through impatient googling. the pacing was about right, and the romantic element kept me on my toes the entire time. although i really liked living in each character’s head, some parts did drag on and on, which is why this only gets a 4/5 from me.

overall, i enjoyed the complexity of how each woman felt about themselves and each other, their clear motivations, their unique histories, and their satisfying, poetic ending.

Content Warnings

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.25

Fingersmith was a fabulously engrossing read with wonderful storytelling. It’s got something for many different types of reader.

If you like Victorian literature, know that this is very Dickensian in terms of setting, characters and plot set-up. The two main characters are Sue, a poor orphan who was raised by petty criminals, including a baby farmer, and Maud, who was raised by her wealthy uncle and trained to assist him with his business - cataloguing and trading books. However, Waters plays with these tropes and takes them in directions Victorian authors did not. For instance, the books Maud’s uncle worked with were erotic and pornographic. Fingersmith is also slightly Dickensian in terms of style. If a slow story with plenty of detail isn’t your thing you might want to pass on this.

If you are a Shakespeare fan know that this plot features confused, switched, and mistaken identities that would do the Bard proud.

If you enjoy crime stories, mysteries and thrillers know that this plot revolves around a planned con whereby a wealthy woman will be relieved of her fortune. There are many twists and turns, crosses and double-crosses along the way. This story may be long but I was never bored.

For those who enjoy well-written and structured stories Fingersmith delivers. The story has three main parts and the point of view switches from Susan to Maud and back to Susan again. The first switch coincided with a major twist, which totally took me by surprise. I enjoyed the two different voices and sometimes seeing the same scene from more than one perspective. Additionally it cleverly balances the seemingly opposite notions of love and betrayal and explores this dynamic through multiple lenses.

For romance fans, especially those who enjoy LGBTIQA+ storylines, this plot featured a subtle, sexy and surprising sapphic love story.

Lovers of historical fiction will likely appreciate the parts of the plot centred on the horrors of being institutionalised against your will and without cause, and of the horrors that passed for mental health treatment in such instititions in Victorian times.

Content Warnings

garibae's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

becksusername's review

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I took too long to get to it and had to return to library and place a new hold.

When the perspective first changed to Maud's I got bored for a while, but other than that, this book was so good!

Content Warnings