A review by imogenlove
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

Possibly alongside Atonement, but maybe even edging slightly above it, Fingersmith is the greatest historical literary novel from the 21st century I have ever read. I knew I’d love it, because I always love queer characters being brought to the forefront of historical fiction, but this surpassed my expectations and I can’t imagine loving a book more. It’s a love letter to the Victorian melodrama that had me hanging on to every word - my copy now feels like it belongs next to Gaskell on my shelves. I feel completely bound to Sue and Maud, and at times it was like feeling every emotion with them. Just visceral and quick, with an additional edge that was completely unexpected but entirely brilliant. It was perfect and I’ll need 5-7 working days to properly gather my thoughts - it demands a reread someday soon