Fingersmith

She is brilliant.

I've read all her books but Tipping the Velvet stays with me because I read it for uni, and the most recent ones the Paying Guests, The Night Watch and The Little Stranger. I loved TLS although I know it's a bit marmite for most- you either find it really tense or really boring!

I actually can't remember Fingesmith although I have read it and I own it too. I know I found Affinity a bit boring and they kind of flow into two as I read them one after the other a few years ago.

Might have another read.

FANTASTIC, not fantastical 😂

I love Sarah waters! Fingersmith is definitely my favourite. I'm another one who audibly gasped when I read 'that' bit.

I really liked Affinity too and loved The Little Stranger. I didn't enjoy The Night Watch or The Paying Guests quite as much but Waters is a fantastical writer, always.

I loved the detail and atmosphere of The Paying Guests but the end felt very random, like one of those Hollywood endings where the original story has been written with a coherent ending that flows out of the plot and then they change it to what the test audiences wanted so it feels bolted on.

True, don't go see it with your grandma unless you are sure your grandma would enjoy it!

I've loved her books - especially The Night Watch, but I didn't like The Paying Guests at all.

I also love her, and this book in particular.

The Handmaiden adaptation mentioned upthread is really worth a view. Not for the faint-hearted but great all the same.

I loved Fingersmith. I remember my daughter reading it after me and watching her face as she came to THAT point - her mouth was wide open in shock - very funny.

If you like Fingersmith you'll probably like Anna Mazzola - great Victorian book and a lovely Mumsnetter.

Thanks Southeastdweller, I wondered what she was working on next!

If you enjoyed Fingersmith you might enjoy the film The Handmaid, which is out currently (it's in Japanese and Korean so you can pretend you are doing something cultural).

About to start this!

The Paying Guests is my favourite of the five of hers I've read.

She's writing a book now that's set in the 50's. Should be out this year or next.

Fingersmith got a mention on R2 book club this evening, by the author (Erin Kelly) of the book they were reviewing, Simon Mayo asked her when was the last time she'd gasped at a book and she said Fingersmith. I was thinking just the same so it was very pleasing!

(Love Wilkie Collins' Woman in White too)

I found a battered copy of Fingersmith in the holiday cottage we stay in every year about 2 years ago - it has a take a book/leave a book kind of thing going on. I had gone through all my holiday reading unexpectedly quickly, but was a bit hesitant to pick it up - I worked in a bookshop for a little while and the borderline alcoholic chauvinistic pig manager deemed them all "smutty lesbian historical nonsense".

He was so wrong. I was utterly immersed. And by the end of the week I hadn't finished it, so brought it home and left the copy of The Girl On the Train I had finished in return. It really didn't feel like a fair swap.

I really loved all her books! DH is in the TV adaptation of the night watch incredibly briefly, he was the husband in the flash backs and photos. Best haircut he's ever had and he was paid to have it done.

Also, if you enjoyed Fingersmith, you'll probably enjoy The Lady in White by Wilkie Collins as they're quite similar

I still remember sitting, with my mouth open in shock, when I came to the end of THAT chapter. Fantastic. The film is very poor, IMO. I also enjoyed Affinity very much, but Tipping the Velvet read as though she'd done a thesis on Victorian sexuality and regurgitated all her research.

I think The Night Watch and The Little Stranger are her best but tbh I love all of them. Fingersmith is probably the best page Turner (I must read it again!) but The Night Watch was so beautiful it made me cry.

Sorry to see Affinity is getting a bit of a kicking. I liked it a lot. In fact I re-read it only the other day and it was still as good . It's not a happy read, I'll give you that, but the end twist is well done, and the background on the Victorian spiritualist movement is interesting.

My favourite is still The Night Watch, though. Loved the structure and the characters. I thought the TV series really didn't do it justice, though it was a good cast.

Her more recent ONES -- who is Ines???

Affinity is good, and not dissimilar to Fingersmith in terms of some themes and a massive plot twist. Probably rather gloomier in tone, though as the main setting is a Victorian prison, with the occasional seance thrown in but definitely worth a try if you liked Fingersmith.

It's her more recent Ines I don't much care for. I found The Paying Guests lengthy and not terribly absorbing.

Yes, Fingersmith is her best. The others are all excellent in atmosphere and character but none of the plots are half as good.
One day I am sure she will hit on another equally good plot and meanwhile there's enough to keep me hooked, but some of the endings have been a bit disappointing.