Fingersmith - Sarah Waters

"Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer," who raised her with unusual tenderness, as if Sue were her own. Mrs. Sucksby’s household, with its fussy babies calmed with doses of gin, also hosts a transient family of petty thieves—fingersmiths—for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.

One day, the most beloved thief of all arrives—Gentleman, an elegant con man, who carries with him an enticing proposition for Sue: If she wins a position as the maid to Maud Lilly, a naïve gentlewoman, and aids Gentleman in her seduction, then they will all share in Maud’s vast inheritance. Once the inheritance is secured, Maud will be disposed of—passed off as mad, and made to live out the rest of her days in a lunatic asylum.

With dreams of paying back the kindness of her adopted family, Sue agrees to the plan. Once in, however, Sue begins to pity her helpless mark and care for Maud Lilly in unexpected ways...But no one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals."

The novel is a three part tale, written as a postmodern feminist rendition of a Victorian melodrama in its Gothic, Dickensian(Oliver Twist) splendour. The first part was amazing. I really enjoyed the developing of the characters and setting. The London and "Gothic House" all feel realistic, grimy and spooky in turns. The girl's journey of slowly growing together was fascinating and done delicately. The plot twists are jaw dropping and the atmosphere spot on. 

Sue is a great character personally. Morally grey, sharp but slowly learning to care with a better grounding due to a loving upbringing. I really enjoyed her POV. 

Part 2 was where things got a tad boring. The change of POV to Maud wasn't really the problem. It was the almost complete retelling of the previous part!! Sarah Waters goes over the entire thing with a new insight. This could have been interesting done in small doses but a large portion of the book just didn't really work for me. It wasn't sleep inducing just a tad tedious. 

Part 3 was again unfortunately so-so and the plot fizzles out. It didn't feel as climactic as it should have done with all the build up. 

Over all, however, definitely worth the read. Atmospheric, jaw dropping, twisted, and surprisingly action packed, a perfect winter evening read. The relationship between the girls is unique and fraught. 

Age Rating 15+. Adult themes. Mad house abuse, pornography and sex scenes.