This book was a fun read, but I tended to drag through it -- which might be a function of the fact that I simply took too long to read it and it would've been better as a winter break book rather than one I tried to slog through during term time. I really loved how explicitly Dickensian this was; it fit perfectly into the "London story" genre (TW: London Stories English class that I dropped), and I liked how I could see the literary precedents Waters was speaking to. Points off for the random insertion of

the erotic books business. Super interesting as a historical phenomenon, but felt randomly plopped in? Like something Waters had come upon in historical research and tried to write a book around but didn't integrate it enough.

and the fact that I never ended up rooting for any of the characters. Very twisty winter London book, though, which was what I was looking for. ALSO! I have a bone to pick with calling this a sexy lesbian book.

They hook up ONCE and then don't seem to really like each other very much aside from that? Where's the yearning!