Wow! What a remarkably compelling and atmospheric gothic tale , A real treat for lovers of this genre or for readers who enjoy well written historical fiction with vivid and interesting characters and an errie sense of time and place. This is what 5 Stars books are made of for me.

I loved this book and can’t believe I hadn’t read this one until now but boy was it worth waiting for. Such a page turner and those twists and turns really kept me on my toes from start to finish. I picked this one up by chance in a second hand book shop while on an outing one Saturday and what a great find it was just the engrossing read I needed after a bunch of 2 and 3 star books.

Set in London 1862, Sue Trinder, orphaned at birth grows up among petty thieves, fingersmiths under the rough but loving cars of Mrs Sucksby and her family, Sue’s fate becomes linked to that of another orphan growing up in a gloomy mansion and her life takes a turn that is least expected and makes for chilling reading.

The author creates an amazing sense of time an place here and you are drawn into the London of 1862 and at times throughout this tightly woven plot I felt myself holding my breath and wanting to skip pages just to see the characters fates as I just was that caught up in the plot. There is a love story at the heart of this novel that is beautifully written and real. A charming but twisted tale full of
villains, intrigue and secrets.
This book was a lengthy read and probably could have benefited with being cut back by 100 pages and not affected the story in the least. The fact that the story is told from the viewpoint of two of the characters does make it a little repetitive. Having said that a terrific read that gave me so much enjoyment and if asked in 10 years time do I remember the characters fromFingersmith will say ABSOLUTELY ! YES! And that is my measure of really good book.

A book where the pages turn all by themselves and I highly recommend for readers who have enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale or The Silent Companions or The Woman in White

Complex and masterful, Fingersmith, should be one everyone’s reading list – not only women who love women, but for anyone who enjoys a well-thought-out and elegantly written tale of deceit and come-uppance with a huge dollop of romance in it.

Read full review @https://www.bestlesficreviews.com/2019/01/fingersmith-by-sarah-waters.html

Bad blood carries. Bad blood comes out.

Sue was born in a cramped house of thieves and orphaned when her mother was hanged for murder. Mrs. Sucksby has raised her as her own and tried to keep her out of harm’s way, but now that she’s nearly grown, an acquaintance called Gentleman has suddenly appeared to ask Sue to help him carry out the ultimate grift. He aims to seduce and marry the wealthy young Maud, steal her inheritance, and then get rid of her by committing to a madhouse, but he needs Sue’s help. She’s to be hired as Maud’s lady’s maid, gain her trust, then convince her leave her uncle’s country estate to marry the handsome and charming Gentleman. In return, Sue will be paid enough to make herself and her adopted family rich and comfortable for the rest of their lives. Simple, right?

Of course not!

Sarah Waters has not only written an astounding homage to Charles Dickens, but she may have also surpassed him. She even name-drops him within the first few pages when one of the neighborhood pickpockets — or fingersmiths — takes six-year old Sue to see a staged version of Oliver Twist. Waters sets her story in the same 19th Century England, switching between the seedy labyrinth of London and the genteel yet lonely and often severe countryside, and much like Dickens, she explores the very nature of destiny, asking whether we can escape our fates, whether we have any control over our own lives, especially when we’re born poor and alone. The story itself is sensational and gripping, yet also convincing, in no small part because of her skillful pacing, detailed characterizations, and shrewd use of literary irony to build almost suffocating levels of tension and dread. Fingersmith is a sometimes lovely, sometimes tawdry, always enjoyable read, one of my favorites of the year.

(This review was originally posted as part of Cannonball Read 10: Sticking It to Cancer, One Book at a Time.)

Bad blood carries. Bad blood comes out.

Sue was born in a cramped house of thieves and orphaned when her mother was hanged for murder. Mrs. Sucksby has raised her as her own and tried to keep her out of harm’s way, but now that she’s nearly grown, an acquaintance called Gentleman has suddenly appeared to ask Sue to help him carry out the ultimate grift. He aims to seduce and marry the wealthy young Maud, steal her inheritance, and then get rid of her by committing to a madhouse, but he needs Sue’s help. She’s to be hired as Maud’s lady’s maid, gain her trust, then convince her leave her uncle’s country estate to marry the handsome and charming Gentleman. In return, Sue will be paid enough to make herself and her adopted family rich and comfortable for the rest of their lives. Simple, right?

Of course not!

Sarah Waters has not only written an astounding homage to Charles Dickens, but she may have also surpassed him. She even name-drops him within the first few pages when one of the neighborhood pickpockets — or fingersmiths — takes six-year old Sue to see a staged version of Oliver Twist. Waters sets her story in the same 19th Century England, switching between the seedy labyrinth of London and the genteel yet lonely and often severe countryside, and much like Dickens, she explores the very nature of destiny, asking whether we can escape our fates, whether we have any control over our own lives, especially when we’re born poor and alone. The story itself is sensational and gripping, yet also convincing, in no small part because of her skillful pacing, detailed characterizations, and shrewd use of literary irony to build almost suffocating levels of tension and dread. Fingersmith is a sometimes lovely, sometimes tawdry, always enjoyable read, one of my favorites of the year.

(This review was originally posted as part of Cannonball Read 10: Sticking It to Cancer, One Book at a Time.)

In the end, too similar to "The Handmaiden" to keep my interest. Wish I would have read it before watching the movie - they both seem fantastic.