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late_bette's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the plot of this book but thought it could have been wrapped up much sooner. It seemed to drag on and on; my interest wasn't held and I had to find the will to finish it. The characters were described in a way that seemed believable for the time period. I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Frances and her mother and the commentary/descriptions of the changing social structure of the time. Although, Lilian's character drove me mad. At first I enjoyed her and then I was just wishing she would be written out somehow. Spoiler, she isn't.
ldomo's review against another edition
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A slow burn. But in a good way.
belwood303's review against another edition
2.0
It says a lot about how easy it is to read Sarah Waters when a 564 page novel is finished in four or five days. I haven't read anything by her since the Night Watch came out but I saw this title on a must read fiction list and decided to give it a go. I can only say whomever made that list hadn't read anything else but Waters because this was not her best work. And I'll be honest I was disappointed by the ending, after all that reading it didn't feel right...
sarah_nera's review against another edition
2.0
I really did not enjoy this. Tipping the Velvet was entertaining, but this one was just... not.
beccafinney3's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Excellently written and a really interesting story but I do think it went on a bit too long
laurenmulvi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
frumpburger's review against another edition
4.0
Sarah Waters is a beautiful writer with a real penchant for writing complex, sprawling, Dickensian historical novels with a focus on lesbian relationships, class dynamics, and the London of the past. I won’t rehash the plot here, but suffice to say, while some of the drama in The Paying Guests feels a bit contrived, this novel is, by turns, sexy, romantic, suspenseful and frightening, and there is some real tension and intrigue presented in its pages.
I do believe, in fact, that this is my second favorite Waters novel of the four I have read—after Fingersmith, that is.
I do believe, in fact, that this is my second favorite Waters novel of the four I have read—after Fingersmith, that is.
cradman's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
msjaneod's review against another edition
4.0
Another great story from Waters. Her depiction of place and time is masterful. London is always the character I enjoy most in her books. Frances and Lillian are realistic, flawed and recognisable characters. Like many I imagine, I love the love story more than the "crime" element but, ultimately, the two tales are interwoven with such grace and style that you can't divide your response in two as other commentators have suggested.