This is a most interesting book that starts in 1947 in part I. Instead of going forward, section II takes place during 1944 and section III starts in 1940. The book follows the lives of several women who happen to be lesbians and of a brother and sister. When I read the 1947 section, I was quite confused. Waters told what had happened to these people but I had a lot of questions. By going backward the puzzles are solved and we find out why the characters are in certain situations. For example, we know that Duncan, the brother, was in prison, but we don't know why. In the 1947 section, he is out of prison. In the 1944 section, he is in prison, and in the 1940 section, we find out why he was sent to prison. I liked it very much, and I look forward to reading THE LITTLE STRANGER with the other Constant Readers.

Sounds good, Jane. I just put it on the TBR.

It sounds good to me, too, Jane and Ruth.

I recently started Stone's Fall by Iain Pears and it works backward in the same way. I put it aside, though, until I finish some other books.

I read The Night Watch some time ago, but still remember enjoying it immensely. This is the book where Sarah Water “went” literary. I don’t mean that her previous books were not good – just the opposite, there were something out of the ordinary in all of them. But, in TNW her prose and characters took a completely newer direction than her in previous work, there was a progression of some sort that I am not able to probably verbalize. Incidentally, many of her traditional readership did not like it, preferring instead the mix of Victorian and lesbianism of the first books.

I am curious to read The Little Stranger and see what she wrote this time. And I recommend all of her books.

Night Watch was my first Waters. I read it a couple of years ago, and really enjoyed it, although Fingersmith was a much more fun read for me. Very different voices in those two books. The Little Stranger was different, too--I do enjoy authors that have the ability to do "different" well. I can't remember how I found Sarah Waters, but I always recommend her to people now.

I couldn't sleep last night so I started thinking about THE NIGHT WATCH in the middle of the night.

*************spoilers**********************
I found the first section to be somewhat unsatisfying at first because everyone seemed to have reached a turning point in his/her life, and the author didn't let us know what happened later. We only learned what happened earlier.

Duncan seemed ready to break away from his dead-end job and his old companion (former prison guard). Viv was ready to break up with her married boyfriend. Helen became aware that Julia was ready to leave her for a more upscale life. The only person already alone was Kay, who we later learn is a very kind and loving person. She seems to symbolize the title with her nighttime job (in earlier years) and her walking of the streets in 1947. After I finished the book, I didn't mind the up-in-the-air quality of the first section. By the way, it was interesting to me that the catalyst in the changes of Duncan and Viv was the same person, Duncan's old prison mate.

Capitu wrote: "I read The Night Watch some time ago, but still remember enjoying it immensely. This is the book where Sarah Water “went” literary. I don’t mean that her previous books were not good – just the o..."

I started reading Sarah Waters "The Little Stranger" and am now reading "The Night Watch" so working backwards !

I thought The Little Stranger a curiously old-fashioned book in a way, a ghost story - but also a subtle allegory. A bit like "The turn of the screw" but for adults in the 1930s.

Stephen wrote: "Capitu wrote: "I read The Night Watch some time ago, but still remember enjoying it immensely. This is the book where Sarah Water “went” literary. I don’t mean that her previous books were not go..."

I thought it was a bit old-fashioned, too, but that was part of its charm for me.

I just finished The Little Stranger and am anxious for our discussion of this book to begin. I don't remember when our discussion begins, but hope it is before I forget much of the plot.

I'm not sure, Jean, but I think it's May. I'm anxious for this discussion to begin as well. I love that book so much.

Edit: Yes, it's May.

I'm listening to The Night Watch on audiobook from the library--the first section is proving challenging because of the rather fragmented telling. But that is my experience of Waters anyway. She like to hold back a little, so I'm going to keep at it.

Sara

I finished listening to The Night Watch this morning. As usual, I found Waters to be an accomplished writer, but this one left me a bit unsatisfied, mostly because of the structure, I think.

Anyway, glad I stuck with it, just not a rave review.

Sara