Given to me specifically for bookcrossing. From the back of the book:0)
London 1862. Sue Trinder, orphaned at birth, grows up among petty thieves - fingersmiths - under the rough but loving care of Mrs Sucksby and her 'family'. But from the moment she draws breath, Sue's fate is linked to that of another orphan growing up a gloomy mansion not too many miles away.....
Journal Entry 2 by jillbe at controlled release in Passed to another BookCrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Thursday, May 15, 2008
Released 4 yrs ago (5/15/2008 UTC) at controlled release in Passed to another BookCrosser, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Sending onto chas04, at the request of perryfran, to continue with it's travels as part of a bookray (the original book I believe has got lost in the mail to Canada!!).
Thanks jillbe for agreeing to continue this bookray! This is a great read with a lengthy list of bookcrosser's wanting to read it. I will post another JE to manage the bookray.
From my prior JE:
Wonderful novel! If you like Dickens and other 19th century literature, then this one is definitely for you. The novel “is awash with all manner of gloomy Dickensian motifs: pickpockets, orphans, grim prisons, lunatic asylums, "laughing villains," and, of course, stolen fortunes and girls made out to be mad.” This one keeps you guessing and has so many twists that the plot will send you in the opposite direction at the turn of a page. All is certainly NOT what it seems to be! “A stunning story told in lavish language by a very gifted author...... Highly recommended!”
I must say that this book turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for me. It started off well with the story of fingersmith Sue Trinder and the story of the con she was to pull. Then when it started to get good (I won't give the story away), the whole thing moved to part two, back to the beginning but seeing it all through Maud's eyes instead. Some people may love this, but it drove me up the wall. I wanted the story to continue and instead I was going over old ground waiting to get back to the point where we're left it last. I found it very frustrating. After that, the whole book seemed to take so long to read, each page read never seemed to make the pages to read shrink in size. In a word, it dragged!
I shall PM stubee for their address and then send the book on.
I now have stubee's address and I'll put this in the post this week. Apologies for the delay, I went on holiday to Cornwall, lovely!
Journal Entry 8 by KT-J from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Sunday, June 22, 2008
This arrived safely at the end of last week. I've picked this up first as Stubee is in the middle of another bookring at the moment. Thanks chas04 for posting this and thanks perryfran and jillbe for the bookring!
Journal Entry 9 by KT-J from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
I really enjoyed this book, the story was very clever with lots of twists and turns. I liked the way that the book got to a certain point and then went back to the beginning but from a different character's perspective as the events took on a completely different meaning from the first time round.
I did find that the last part dragged in a couple of places and I didn't really like any of the characters in the story (I found them all quite annoying - I'm not sure if they were meant to be portrayed as loveable Cockney rogues but they were actually all just quite vile people!) but for me, the story kept my interest.
I've passed this over to Stubee.
Journal Entry 10 by stubee from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 25, 2008
EDIT [10th July 08]: Should have edited this journal entry at the end of June to say I've started this. Although this isn't typical of my reading choice I must say I'm quite enjoying it, even if I'm reading quite slowly. I've successfully finished Part One - WOW! I'm not going to say anything about that because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone picking this up after me.
Journal Entry 11 by stubee from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Friday, July 18, 2008
Wow is the word I'd use to describe this novel, it twists and turns and keeps you in suspense throughout. I'd recommend this to everyone!
Rowan Pelling of the Dail Telegraph said 'I love Fingersmith' and I'm obliged to agree. I'm so glad I read this novel.
I have brunton11's address so this will be in the mail today. Thanks perryfran for sharing this with me.
Thanks perryfran and jillbe for this ray. I really enjoyed this book with it's twists and turns and will be on the lookout for other books by Sarah Waters. I would have rated it higher but for it's length - I agree with some of the earlier entries that it was a little long. Cleverly written though.
I have scatter-monkey's address so will get this book in the post tomorrow.
Finished...what can I say. Period drama, is not normally my thing, and after really getting into the story Book Two's change of angle quite threw me (I'd agree with chas04 there), it took a while to get back into it. It's rather unfortunate that there is not a single character in the book that it is easy to like or even sympathise with. Nonetheless a good, if irritating at times, read. Now hand delivered to map-maker.
While period fiction isn't normally my cuppa tea, either, since reading Tipping the Velvet I make an exception for Sarah Waters, and Fingersmith did not disappoint. The central characters' struggle to retain even a shred of their humanity in the face of multiple adversities is touching. I disagree with scatter-monkey, though, I couldn't help but root for Sue, conniving little so-and-so she might be, but what choice does she have? A clear case of Hobson's, methinks.
Journal Entry 17 by map-maker at Shreveport, Louisiana USA on Thursday, October 30, 2008
Released 3 yrs ago (10/25/2008 UTC) at Shreveport, Louisiana USA
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
afraberg asked to be skipped, so this not-so-little book is going back across the pond to JenKazoo (posted 25th October).
I just got this book in the mail. I think I am more excited about this bookray than any other I have ever signed up for! I have a feeling I am going to love Sarah Waters and I have heard Fingersmith is a great one to start with.
I am a little over half way done with the book I am currently reading so I should be able to start this one no later than next week.
I finished this a few days ago and cannot wait to get my hands on her other books! I am really glad that I don't read the journal entries for rays until after I finish the book because my reaction to end of part one might have been less jaw dropping, not that anything was given away, but I probably would have been looking for clues of twists or angles. I think that the two perspectives really made the story complete. While I was reading part one I had all these questions about the character's behaviors and responses to situations and it was satisfying to get the answers in part two.
I'll be glad when I get the rays for Tipping the Velvet and Affinity!
I have PMed Bartonz and will be sending it out on Monday!
Wow, this book took ages to travel, and then even bigger was my joy when it arrived safely yesterday! I was already sure that it has been lost in the universe of mail... And so many cheerful things: it was sent exactly on my birthday over a month ago, and I was very happy about the chocolate surprise. Now I am really looking forward to start the book as my next read after I have finished the one I am busy on now.
Sorry for the delayed journaling... I actually finished the book a while ago, but I haven't been able to get properly to the computer for weeks. It was a fast read for such a thick book, but I had changing opinions while reading. Sometimes I really liked it, then it started to annoy me and repeat itself - then it got me completely hooked again. That makes very interesting reading... It was also inspiring in many ways, but I guess I expected something bit more - more madness, and much more for the ending! All in all, I was very happy to read finally something from this author. Looking forward for the next bookring...
Thanks a lot for the ring!! It is already on it' s way to Australia now!
Journal Entry 26 by AgdaAgulina at By mail, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, October 22, 2009
Released 2 yrs ago (10/15/2009 UTC) at By mail, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Book is on it's way to the next in the ring! Good trip!
Book has arrived in Australia! Thanks AgdaAgulina! And thanks for the lovely postcard! All the way from The Czech Republic caught "Fingersmith" in Canberra today at my PO Box :-)
Bugger! It's the weekend and I would love to start this, but I am halfway through another bookring with half a dozen in the queue. Shhh, don't tell anyone I might bump it up the queue a bit, bad bookcrosser that I am.
I read my first Sarah Waters a few weeks ago, it was her most recent novel The Little Stranger and couldn't put it down AND I've heard from a number of friends that Fingersmith is better! I can't wait to find out if my experience is the same as their's... or not ;-p
This is the best Dickens-like book I've ever read! Waters has out-twisted Dickens in plot twists and "Oliver Twist" even gets a mention! The writing is perfect for a period piece like this, it could have almost been written in Charles Dickens times, but it is not a plot that Dickens could have released in those times, far too modern a story-line, it would have been heavily censored back then. Also, the writing is not as convoluted as Dickens writing. I really enjoyed the way the perspective changed and the interlinking parts of the story was narrated from both the main character's view-points. I just couldn't put the book down and I was pleased that I'd saved it for a weekend read.
I did find Fingersmith a more clever plot than "The Little Stranger", but I was impressed how Waters seemed to change her style to suit each book. I found the stories equally fast paced.
I'm now looking forward to finding a copy of "Tipping the Velvert".
I'll PM fred45, now to see if they are ready to have this mailed to them this week.
Journal Entry 29 by FreePages at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Released 2 yrs ago (11/18/2009 UTC) at Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Australia
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
FreePages to Fred45.
Fingersmith is in the post today.
Enjoy
:-)
Many thanks to Perryfan for a great bookray and a big thankyou to everyone before me who passed it on.
Gosh I didn't realise I was the end of the bookray. Thank you Perryfran for sharing.
I really enjoyed this book, It's not a book I would usually read but The plot was wonderful with many twists and turns. I also felt the book was a bit slow in the middle section but couldn't put it down at the begining and end. very enjoyable!
I will offer this up for continuing the bookray and if no takers I will donate to the 1001 Library.
Follow the same rules as set out by Perryfran in the original bookray,
Participants: Cat207 from Australia (Prefer Aus int'l if necessary) amcamp1644 from US (prefer US int'l if necessary) Moeshellwing from US (prefer US int'l if necessary) darkpunkangel from Canada (intl) Simson-Shilitoe from Germany (Prefer EU) EmgeeNL from the Netherlands (Prefer EU) ChrissyHam from Netherlands (Prefer EU int'l if necessary)
Arrived in today's mail. Thank you fred45. I been wanting to read this one for a long time!
Journal Entry 34 by cat207 at Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, May 30, 2010
This book was certainly worth the wait. Brilliant story-telling that keeps the pages turning into the wee small hours.
I've PMed amcamp1644 for an address.
Journal Entry 35 by cat207 at Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, June 10, 2010
After PMs and an ISO in the forum couldn't raise amcamp1644, and Moeshellwing not existing in a member search, fred45 has asked for the book to be sent on to darkpunkangel - so it's in the mail today.
Journal Entry 36 by darkpunkangel at Montréal, Québec Canada on Wednesday, June 30, 2010
This book has arrived safe and sound. Thanks to cat207 for passing this and fred45 for continuing this ray. Will get to this soon.
Journal Entry 37 by darkpunkangel at Montréal, Québec Canada on Friday, August 27, 2010
I enjoyed reading this book, though I thought that Tipping the Velvet was better.
Already got Simson-Shilitoe's address and will pass it on as soon as I find an envelope, (I'm currently overseas).
Journal Entry 38 by darkpunkangel at a Bookcrosser, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases on Monday, August 30, 2010
Released 1 yr ago (8/30/2010 UTC) at a Bookcrosser, A Bookray -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent today from Hong Kong. Hope you enjoy the book Simson-Shilitoe!
Journal Entry 39 by Simson-Shilitoe at Neewiller-près-Lauterbourg, Alsace France on Thursday, September 09, 2010
The book has arrived safely today. I am going to start with "Fingersmith" tomorrow and because of some holidays I hope to finish it soon. So "Interview with the Vampire" a bookray started by "kingfan30", in which I am the last person, has to stay a few days more on my shelf.
Thank you "fred45" for sharing. Thank you "darkpunkangel" for posting .... and for using such fine stamps from Hongkong.
Journal Entry 40 by Simson-Shilitoe at Neewiller-près-Lauterbourg, Alsace France on Saturday, September 25, 2010
I decided to join this bookray because of the front cover, which looks very fine. It was a very good and fast read for 548 pages and easy to understand although my English is not so good.
I was a little surprised when the same story was narrated in different eyes, on the one hand the perspective of Susan Trinder on the other hand the perspective of Maud Lilly. But this was so different and interesting to other books and necessary for part three of the story.
The film "Fingersmith" is an adaptation from the Sarah Waters novel of the same name and stars Sally Hawkins as Susan Trinder, Elaine Cassidy as Maud Lilly, Imelda Staunton as Mrs Sucksby, and Rupert Evans as Gentleman. In this BBC drama the age of the girls is set at twenty-one, though in the book Maud and Sue are seventeen, taking their eighteenth birthday toward the end of the novel.
Posting to "EmgeeNL" as soon as I get an address.
Journal Entry 41 by Simson-Shilitoe at Neewiller-près-Lauterbourg, Alsace France on Monday, September 27, 2010
"EmgeeNL" will let this book pass. I've PMed "ChrissyHam" already for an address if she is interested in this book.
Journal Entry 42 by Simson-Shilitoe at Germersheim, Rheinland-Pfalz Germany on Monday, October 04, 2010
Released 1 yr ago (10/4/2010 UTC) at Germersheim, Rheinland-Pfalz Germany
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Posted to "ChrissyHam" in the morning. Happy journey to England and happy reading!
Journal Entry 43 by ChrissyHam at Haringey, Greater London United Kingdom on Saturday, October 09, 2010
The book arrived in the post this morning, what a lovely Saturday morning treat. Many thanks simson-shilitoe for sending the book and the added bonus of chocolate and postcards- very generous of you!
Journal Entry 44 by ChrissyHam at on Thursday, October 28, 2010
Released 1 yr ago (10/28/2010 UTC) at
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
I enjoyed this book - all filled with dark Dickensian twists and turns.
I was the last in the ray, so I've put it in the forum to advertise for more readers. First one to reply was:
New ray
Oppem in the US so the book is now on the way there, and is starting a new ray, which currently stands as
Oppem -US Scarlett07- US OneMorePage - US mafarrimond - UK
Journal Entry 45 by oppem at Hermiston, Oregon USA on Wednesday, November 03, 2010
Book arrived in today's post - looks a good read. I have 1 or 2 books ahead of this one but will read it soon & then send it on to next person on list. thanks for sending it 'across the pond'.. (also many thanks for the cute 'fish bookmark'.
Journal Entry 46 by oppem at Hermiston, Oregon USA on Monday, November 22, 2010
Just finished reading this & what a great read. This book is a real page turner / keep you up all night reading book. Think I lost sleep at least 2 nights because could not just stop reading without seeing what would happen next. A great read & am amazed at how Sarah Waters keeps all these plots together. Would definately recommend this book..
Journal Entry 47 by oppem at Colorado Springs, Colorado USA on Monday, November 22, 2010
Released 1 yr ago (11/22/2010 UTC) at Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Put into media mail (usa) today & heading to next bookcrosser on the list in Colorado. Enjoy.
Journal Entry 48 by Scarlett07 at Colorado Springs, Colorado USA on Sunday, December 05, 2010
Received this book yesterday. I'm looking forward to reading but will finish one I'm reading now first. Thanks Oppem.
Journal Entry 49 by Scarlett07 at Colorado Springs, Colorado USA on Wednesday, December 22, 2010
An intriguing story with some mouth opening twists. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next but did find the 2nd section a repeat of the first, could have done without so much repetition but it does make the reader want to see where it will go next.
I have contacted Onemorepage for her address and will mail after Christmas so it doesn't get lost in holiday mail.
Journal Entry 50 by Scarlett07 at Colorado Springs, Colorado USA on Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Got this out to Onemorepage today!
Journal Entry 51 by OneMorePage at Mission Viejo, California USA on Saturday, January 01, 2011
Hooray! Arrived just as I finished up my last book. Great way to start a New Year of reading!
Journal Entry 52 by OneMorePage at Mission Viejo, California USA on Sunday, January 09, 2011
I enjoyed this book. Mr. OneMorePage and I love to compare our styles in books and movies. He likes plot, I like character. We saw "The King's Speech" a few weeks back, and I nearly fell out of my chair with joy. He said "they could have told that entire story in twenty minutes..."
So as I read this book, I told him the plot twists every night. His reaction: "that sounds like a book for me!" I thought it was a ripping good yarn. I was thrilled to see there's already been a film adaptation - how very PERFECT to have Imelda Staunton as Mrs. Sucksby. I kept picturing Johnny Depp as Gentleman - someone who could be both unctuous and attractive at the same time...
Fingersmith
