Scan barcode
A review by bookishrealm
Patience & Sarah by Isabel Miller
2.0
So, I read this as a part of Bethany's book club where we are slowly working our way through some classic lesbian romances. I can admit that it is monumental for it's publication time; however, I'm was not impressed with the overall story.
Patience & Sarah follows two characters who live in a small town and eventually realize that they have a romantic attraction towards each other. Unfortunately, their families weren't as supportive of their pending relationship with each other so they are forced to leave town to make a home of their own.
What I Enjoyed: Honestly, not much. There was some interesting information about the author and the origins of the book, but other than that I really struggled with this book. I liked Sarah as a character as long as she wasn't dealing with Patience.
What I Didn't Enjoy: There was so much hinting at incest in this book and I'm not exactly sure why it was considered to be relevant to the plot of this novel. If anyone knows me then they know that I draw a hard line with the inclusion of incest in any narrative. Unfortunately, I also wasn't invested in the relationship between Sarah and Patience. Patience was a piece of work that attempted to control every facet of their relationship. She also sought to change Sarah into that type of queer woman that she was most attracted to which disgusted me. While the author may have intended to illustrate the romantic relationship between two women, there wasn't a romance to invest in.
Overall, this was a disappointing read. I can appreciate it's historical place in the world of literature, but it isn't one that I enjoyed.
Patience & Sarah follows two characters who live in a small town and eventually realize that they have a romantic attraction towards each other. Unfortunately, their families weren't as supportive of their pending relationship with each other so they are forced to leave town to make a home of their own.
What I Enjoyed: Honestly, not much. There was some interesting information about the author and the origins of the book, but other than that I really struggled with this book. I liked Sarah as a character as long as she wasn't dealing with Patience.
What I Didn't Enjoy: There was so much hinting at incest in this book and I'm not exactly sure why it was considered to be relevant to the plot of this novel. If anyone knows me then they know that I draw a hard line with the inclusion of incest in any narrative. Unfortunately, I also wasn't invested in the relationship between Sarah and Patience. Patience was a piece of work that attempted to control every facet of their relationship. She also sought to change Sarah into that type of queer woman that she was most attracted to which disgusted me. While the author may have intended to illustrate the romantic relationship between two women, there wasn't a romance to invest in.
Overall, this was a disappointing read. I can appreciate it's historical place in the world of literature, but it isn't one that I enjoyed.