Sacred Country - Rose Tremain

I rated this book 8/10...

"I have a secret to tell you, dear, and this is it: I am not Mary. That is a mistake. I am not a girl. I'm a boy." Mary's fight to become Martin, her claustrophobic small town, and her troubled family make up the core of this remarkable and intimate, emotional yet unsentimental novel. 

'Sacred Country' is a wonderful read about gender identification in the 50s-70s, and sexuality. It doesn't go as deeply into the emotions that Martin feels as I would like, but there is definitely a real sense of anguish and despair throughout the novel, as his family (particularly his father) reject his transition from Mary to Martin.

The characters are all very well written, mostly hopeless and self absorbed in their small country farm village. Despite this, you do feel for them and want life to improve for them. There is the odd unexpected event here and there - one of which I didn't feel was believable for the character, but I won't spoil the story.

I was absorbed by this book and ploughed my way through it. Not ordinarily an author I would pick up but I was hooked by the blurb and I'm glad I did. Well worth reading, and would be perfect for those that like a bit more depth to their summer paperbacks.

Fingersmith - Sarah Waters

I rated this 8/10

No one and nothing is as it seems in this Dickensian novel of thrills and reversals. Sue Trinder is an orphan, left as an infant in the care of Mrs. Sucksby, a "baby farmer." Mrs. Sucksby’s household also hosts a transient family of petty thieves--fingersmiths--for whom this house in the heart of a mean London slum is home.

I really loved the first half of this book, it was absorbing and I found myself lost between the pages. And the shocker at the end of part one was just brilliant - maybe I'm naive for not seeing it coming. The following descriptions of life in the 1800s were enchanting, and I felt as though she captured the atmosphere really well. Sue and Maud are great female protagonists, each strong in their own ways and each with their own flaws. I found myself connecting with them and caring for them both.

But once all of this has passed and part two is a fair way in, I started getting a little put off with the ensuing complexity of Sue and Maud's tale. It felt a bit weak (without giving anything away) when the truth eventually came out in full.

And so I think in all I was a little disappointed by Fingersmith, but Waters writing style is simply stunning, and so I will probably pick up more of her books if I come across them.