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A review by violentlyagitated
Affinity by Sarah Waters
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This is the book equivalent to a cloudy day which makes you think it might start pouring at some point, but goes out in a light drizzle after all.
Vast stretches of not-much-happens dominate the plot. I was more interested in the prisoners' stories and their daily routine than in anything the actual plot was trying to achieve - feeling the emotions and taking in the atmosphere, I suppose? It didn't work, in any case... You never feel much of anything for anyone. The spirituality hook felt somewhat inaccessable and empty as well, very much like a device.
In the end, this is a story in which a convict and her gf shamelessly use a lady's weakness and manipulate her (and the matron, for that matter) for their own gain. The worst part is that you see it coming a mile away and still have to get through 200 more pages to get your suspicions confirmed. The worst crime here is boredom, really.
Vast stretches of not-much-happens dominate the plot. I was more interested in the prisoners' stories and their daily routine than in anything the actual plot was trying to achieve - feeling the emotions and taking in the atmosphere, I suppose? It didn't work, in any case... You never feel much of anything for anyone. The spirituality hook felt somewhat inaccessable and empty as well, very much like a device.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness and Suicide attempt