Affinity

Critics

• Affinity by Sarah Waters - Review by Waterstone's Books Quarterly Online

  ... (read full critics)

  wbqonline published on Tue, 14 Sep 2010

• Affinity

  Affinity is the third Gothic offering from rising literary star Sarah Waters. Like her previous novels, Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith, Affinity is set in Victorian London, which she evokes with a sure touch and decorates with delightfully Dicken ... (read full critics)

  bookotron published on Mon, 13 Sep 2010

2 Reviews

• 1 person find this helpful

  

  "Affinity" is not Sarah Waters at her best.

  The story was about Margaret Prior, a 30-year old spinster with a troubled past who acted as a visitor to the Millbank Prison and met the beautiful prisoner, Selina Dawes, there. Selina was a spirit-medium who accidentally caused the death of a pa ... (continue)

  "Affinity" is not Sarah Waters at her best.

  The story was about Margaret Prior, a 30-year old spinster with a troubled past who acted as a visitor to the Millbank Prison and met the beautiful prisoner, Selina Dawes, there. Selina was a spirit-medium who accidentally caused the death of a patron during one of her sittings.

  The 19th-century women goal's setting and an exploration of spiritualism lent the novel mystery and suspense. But it is far less enjoyable than the author's other works. The lesbian relationship (Waters' common theme in her novels) was something expected, and it had taken too long for it to develop. Also, presented in the format of the journals of the two ladies, the novel reads like a record of their encounters and it is not very exciting.

  However, Waters never ceases to surprise her readers. There is a very shocking ending which makes all the plodding though the laborious account worth the while.

  Is this helpful?

  Tracy W said on Jan 18, 2009 | Add your feedback

• 

  I have to say I think this is my new favourite Sarah Waters book. It was very atmospheric, dark and oppressive. The gray skies, the prison, the opium-derivatives, the spiritualism all made for a very lovely and depressing tale. It was spooky and surreal in all the right ways. I found I really liked ... (continue)

  I have to say I think this is my new favourite Sarah Waters book. It was very atmospheric, dark and oppressive. The gray skies, the prison, the opium-derivatives, the spiritualism all made for a very lovely and depressing tale. It was spooky and surreal in all the right ways. I found I really liked the main character, the frustrated academic lesbian doomed to a life of loneliness, boredom and social responsibility. It's no wonder she was a bit mad.

  Because it was Sarah Waters I knew that a twist was coming and there would be no happy ending. I have to say I did find the twist a little disappointing, but it didn't ruin my enjoyment of the rest of the book.

  With the gray skies we've been having in London the past few days this book was perfect reading matter.

  Is this helpful?

  Robot-mel said on Oct 6, 2009 | Add your feedback

Book Details

• Rating:
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• English Books
• Paperback 368 Pages
• Edition: New Ed
• ISBN-10: 186049692X
• ISBN-13: 9781860496929
• Publisher: VIRAGO (LITT)
• Pub date: Oct 27, 2005
• Dimensions: 1226 mm x 774 mm x 194 mm Just how big is that?
• Also available as: Hardcover, Others and eBook
• In other languages: other languages 繁體書, 和書, Livres Français, Deutsche Bücher, Libros en Español, Livros em Português, Libri Italiani, Nederlandse Boeken, Polskie Książki, Svenska böcker

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