The Paying Guests question

I'd say it's a toss-up between "Fingersmith" and "Tipping the Velvet"because they were both so well plotted and I raced thru both of them. With those 2 as my introduction to Waters, "The Little Stranger" was a disappointment, and while "The Paying Guests" was ok, I enjoyed "Fingersmith" & "Tipping. . ." much more.

A book similar to my two favorites is ""The Crimson Pedal and the White" if you haven't read it.

Fingersmith. I have read every Sarah Walters Novel and enjoyed them all, but Fingersmith is amazing!

Sarah Waters is a wonderful writer. I love all of her books so it's hard to choose but I think I would have to say Fingersmith.

Definitely Fingersmith

Fingersmith - without a doubt!

for me The Night Watch and Affinity

I've read them all and apart from the last two (The Little Stranger and The Paying Guests) they're all absolutely brilliant!

The Night Watch is my favourite, closely followed by Tipping the Velvet (though I do suspect that's because I fell a little in love with Kay and Kitty)

Fingersmith is a must-read, a brilliantly plotted page-turner. My favourite though is The Little Stranger, which exerts a slowly strangling grip. Of all her books this is her work of genius, a classic that will endure.

Fingersmith is one of the few books I couldn't finish because it became so ridiculous. The book it reminds me of is Gone Girl, and from me that's not a compliment. She kept trying to shock you with more and more surprises and I just couldn't buy it. Paying Guests was sort of the opposite, most of the time nothing is actually happening.

I liked Tipping the Velvet and especially Affinity. That one has suspense and surprise but in a way that works, not just for its own sake.

Avoid The Paying Guests. Dreadful. Fingersmith is the best of hers I've read. I've begun to think, however, that she is rather over-rated. Try Emma Donoghue's Slammerkin instead.

My first Waters' book was the Night Watch. It's still my favorite of her works, though I did like Fingersmith very much.

I'd vote for Fingersmith, but Tipping the Velvet and Paying Guests are nearly as good. I love all three of these books.

I just finished The Paying Guests. It's the first Sarah Waters novel I've been able to get into. It has a slow start with ominous music in the background but after the first 100 pages, I couldn't stop reading. The writing was perfect and the plotting was exquisite. Everyone has been recommending Fingersmith to me for years and I'm going for that next. It really is a case of the right book at the right time. I've tried to read Sarah Waters many times and, finally, it took!

I have read and enjoyed all of Sarah Waters. Its difficult to say which is my most favoutrte but i did enjoy The Night Visitor.

I've read every novel by Sarah Waters but The Little Stranger, and Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith are definitely my favourites. Fingersmith will blow your mind, Tipping the Velvet will make you want to hug both Sarah Waters and the protegonist.

Aimée wrote: "If I want to read one book by Sarah Waters, which do you recommend? Should I start with The Paying Guests or one of her other books?

Thanks for any suggestions!"

Fingersmith is brilliant.

I really enjoyed Affinity as being particularly clever in its conceit and having a tight environment and set of characters for the story.

Affinity is great, too! Paying Guest is my least favorite, but worth reading.

I've only read two so far - The Paying Guests and The Little Stranger. I loved the latter. The former started out wonderfully but just seemed to get bogged down in the last half.

Night Watch blew my mind. I have loved many of her books, but the structure of this novel was amazing.

Tipping the velvet without a doubt! Her first and I still believe her best!
I recently reread it...just to see if it I had built it up fantastically in my memory...It was still incredible!

But honestly, Fingersmith and The Paying Guest were both phenomenal. To a lesser extent for me was Affinity and then The Little Stranger....I found a little bizarre....sorry Sarah Waters....:)

Fingersmith blew my mind, so I always recommend it. The Little Stranger is my other fave, though not all Waters' fans love it; it's definitely slower paced like The Paying Guests.

I'm also interested in starting to read Sarah Waters. I'm number 37 on my library's waiting list for The Paying Guest, but next in line for Fingersmith. Thanks for the recommendation.

FINGERSMITH

The Little Stranger is a compelling read if you like ghost stories and Fingersmith has one of the most surprising twists I've ever read. I really didn't see it coming. So either book would make a good starter.

The Paying Guests is a brilliant book but a touch slow. You might want to try another of hers first. Fingersmith is a great starting place.

It doesn't really matter which you read first. The writing in The Paying Guests is sublime but don't be put off by the pace. Her books aren't all like that.