From the Bookshelf of Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge…

Tipping the Velvet

Sarah Waters

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May 01, 2011 Jessica rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: re-reads, book-club

I re-read this for a book club and have to say that I felt pretty much the same about it as I did in my first review. I remembered not being that impressed when I read it the first time, and so was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first section, but it again seemed to go downhill from there. I don't think I'd be as hard on the sex scenes if I re-wrote my earlier review (I was surprised that there wasn't nearly as much sex as I remembered) but I still think the general pacing of the story work I re-read this for a book club and have to say that I felt pretty much the same about it as I did in my first review. I remembered not being that impressed when I read it the first time, and so was surprised at how much I enjoyed the first section, but it again seemed to go downhill from there. I don't think I'd be as hard on the sex scenes if I re-wrote my earlier review (I was surprised that there wasn't nearly as much sex as I remembered) but I still think the general pacing of the story works out that each section seems less interesting than the last.

Previous review (originally read in April 2004):

I don't really know what to say about Tipping the Velvet. The fame around this book, I think, is largely due to the fact that Victorian-era lesbian erotica is an exceptionally small genre (at least to my knowledge, which granted may be lacking). It's a deeply flawed book, although I should confess that I finished it willingly enough - the language, and the early characters and settings in the book, are engaging enough to carry the story along in spite of ever-increasing shortcomings as the book progresses.

The book is narrated by Nancy Astley, who in the beginning works in her parents' oyster-parlor until becoming smitten with and then befriending a "masher" (male impersonator) in a music-hall. Nancy runs off to London with her new friend Kitty, where she ultimately joins Kitty's stage-show act. The two girls fall in love, but things eventually turn sour; cue part II.

In part II, Nancy flees from Kitty and finds herself working the streets (dressed as a boy), jerking off men for a shilling here and there, until she is picked up by a wealthy woman named Diana and turned into a pampered kept girl for Diana's pleasure. Cue more sex; cue falling-out; cue part III, where Nancy escapes to the doorstep of a feminist, socialist aid worker named Florence. Cue romance; cue long political rants; cue return of both Kitty and Diana in one afternoon; cue Nancy's Big Decision.

One major flaw is how predictable everything in the book is. There's the simple First Love, the complicated "that's when she hit rock bottom" middle, and the moralizing ending. There's no real connection or flow between each part, and each part is progressively less well-written and convincing. I really enjoyed the young Nan and Kitty and their theater life, but as Nan grew older, she became less likeable, and the characters around her less developed. There were enjoyable moments later on, but none of the later settings are as vibrant as Nancy's childhood and her days in the theater.

The introduction of politics in the last section seems trite and unconvincing, as does Nancy's sudden conversion to socialism. But even more annoying is the superfluity of the sex scenes - each part gets its one Big Sex Scene, which mostly feels tacked on. They never contribute anything that couldn't have been said much more subtly, they aren't well-written, and they don't feel at home in the rest of the text.

That all said, though, it's not really a bad book. It's engaging, especially so in the first part, and some delightful characters pop up here and there. The parts in which Nancy lives in squalor (and there are several) sometimes manage to be stirring, and it's clear Ms. Waters loves the theater and writes well about it. For the most part it's a reasonably enjoyable historical novel, if you can overlook some silly, overdone sex scenes and forgive the steady decline in credibility as Nancy's story gets more and more convoluted. I never resented reading the book or thought about putting it down before the end; I just think that being one of the only books of its kind has given this book more praise than it deserves, and the reader should not be carried away by the promises on the book-jacket.

I'm not sure how to score an enjoyable but deeply flawed book. I'm going to be a little hard on it, but it could just as easily be a three. What I mean to say is, if you aren't already interested in reading historical fiction about lesbian relationships, you're going to hate this book, but if the idea interests you, you might like it as long as you don't let your expectations get too high before you dive in. ...more

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Nov 16, 2021 Abby Johnson added it

Shelves: grownup_books, lgbtq, historical_fiction

I loved this book and had trouble putting it down. I picked it up because I'm helping facilitate an LGBTQ+ book club at my library and I wanted to read some of the "classics". This Victorian tale of a girl who runs off to London to be with the girl she loves was just the kind of character-driven historical fiction that I love. Would recommend to fans of historical fiction; it gets pretty erotic, so just be aware. ...more

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Jul 07, 2009 gwen g rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Memorable characters, but a bit predictable, and I'm not sure this is the consummate lesbian novel, as promised. Neither this nor Fingersmith lived up to The Night Watch. ...more

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