A review by agavemonster
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Brilliant! I loved the motif of women smoking cigarettes, the disruptive class dynamics of the Barbers' introduction into the Wray household, the depiction of postwar politics and society, the sex writing (a notable bravura was the women's abortive makeup sex), the subtle reveal of Frances' relationship with Christina, the slow-slow-slow burn of the whole story. A quarter-star off because a few moments were handled just slightly less delicately than I would have hoped—the violent swerves of Frances' emotions about Lilian, the discussions of pregnancy and miscarriage which struck me as an incorrect attempt at historicization of terminology, and the very ending, which seemed like it didn't know what it wanted to do with itself. But overall fabulously moody, a great capture of the interwar period, and a wonderful page-turning piece of art.
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