Summer Book Review #4
The Crimson Petal and the White, by Michael Faber.
It's a 901-page novel set in Victorian London, chronicling the rise to respectability of a feisty and intelligent young prostitute named Sugar. Despite its hefty length, it remains captivating until the end. Some of the scenes - especially the sex scenes - are sordid and base, so this isn't a book for the faint of heart. What's interesting is the ambiguity in the characters: it's not always clear who's good and who's "evil." Sugar undergoes an extremely interesting evolution that is fun to read.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was diverting and brought an obscure time to life.
It's a 901-page novel set in Victorian London, chronicling the rise to respectability of a feisty and intelligent young prostitute named Sugar. Despite its hefty length, it remains captivating until the end. Some of the scenes - especially the sex scenes - are sordid and base, so this isn't a book for the faint of heart. What's interesting is the ambiguity in the characters: it's not always clear who's good and who's "evil." Sugar undergoes an extremely interesting evolution that is fun to read.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was diverting and brought an obscure time to life.