Tipping the Velvet in Pick-a-Shelf

Jun 25, 2016 Nancy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, lgbt

This book leaves you in little doubt why Sarah Waters is such an acclaimed author. The writing is just magnificent. Perhaps because I have been reading a lot of genre fiction recently and a lot of free books, I had almost forgotten how truly delicious it is to read (or listen to, in my case) the work of a true literary professional. I also really loved the romance - there's something tender in the descriptions of same sex relationships which heterosexual romances don't always achieve. Nancy was ...more

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Feb 29, 2024 Joanna rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2024-read, 1001, rws-2023-winter

This book is fun. There's some historical aspect here, since the book is set in Victorian England. But it's really a book about lesbians in that society. I'm pretty sure a lot of liberty was taken with the history to keep the story engrossing, but I didn't really mind because the book was so entertaining. I loved all the relationships that were thrown at the protagonist here and the way that she just sort of be-bopped along.

This is literary fluff. It's not a serious book really, but it's much mo ...more

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Jan 20, 2012 Sunflower rated it really liked it

Shelves: e-books, historical-fiction, fiction-read-2012

Ok, I'll admit to leaving this one on my TBR shelf for ages because of what I'd heard about it-but it's a good read. Lesbian sex scenes, cross-dressing, and prostitution aside, it's really a story about an oyster-girl who fell in love, got hurt, went off exploring life until she was left with pretty much nothing, then found herself and found love again. Simple, huh?
Along the way the reader is immersed in the London of the 1890's, with its class distinctions, attitudes towards women (women wearin ...more

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