Corsets, Secrets, and Survival
Queer stories in Sarah Waters' Fiction
I couldn’t let Pride Month go unacknowledged. But as a heterosexual, cisgender woman, I understand that my voice isn’t the one that needs a platform this month. Instead, I want to take the time to spotlight an LGBTQ+ author who is near and dear to my heart:
Sarah Waters.
I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction; it is my most read genre. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t say that historical fiction has historically been inclusive.
Enter Sarah Waters, an author who centers sapphic women’s lives in her historical novels in a way that feels both defiant and electrifying. On my Youtube channel, I often say that she is the Queen of Plot Twists, but I’d argue that she’s also the reigning Queen of the Modern Gothic Novel. Her writing, her mastery of place (whether in Victorian London or postwar Britain), and the intrigue in her stories are unparalleled. The one caveat? Waters’s character-driven narratives are slow burns—not instant gratification, but a slow, sensuous foreplay that builds to an amazing climax.
Quick Bio: Sarah Waters
Born: 1966, Wales
Debut: Tipping the Velvet (1998)
Focus: Novels exploring sapphic love in historical settings
Influences: Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens, the Brontës, Wilkie Collins, A.S. Byatt
Fun Fact: Waters once joked that she became a historical novelist “by accident.” She just wanted to write about lesbians in corsets!
My Favorite Sarah Waters Novels
Waters’s work delves into themes of love, betrayal, gender roles, and sexuality, using her academic background to create vivid and accurate depictions of different eras. Her writing is often dark and atmospheric, exploring the hidden lives of society’s outcasts and misfits.
Tipping the Velvet
A coming-of-age love story set in Victorian England’s music halls. Nan, a young woman from a small town, falls for Kitty, a male impersonator performing for a season in the local theatre. Perhaps the most sexually explicit of Waters’ novels, it paints a dark and dangerous picture of the London underworld as Nan finds various—and not necessarily legal—ways to support herself.
Fingersmith
A dark, twisting tale of deception, survival, and love set in Victorian England. Sue, raised by a den of thieves, becomes tangled in a plot to defraud a sheltered heiress. Taking you along the grimy streets of London to a crumbling country estate, this novel is rich in gothic tension and twists that literally made me gasp out loud.
The Night Watch
A slow-burn portrait of love, loss, and resilience during WWII. Told in reverse, the story traces the interconnected lives of four characters—three women and one man—whose personal struggles, secrets, and forbidden loves unfold against the chaos of wartime London. It's a quieter, more introspective novel but the emotional journey is simply incredible.
Where to Start Reading
For historical adventure and romance: Tipping the Velvet.
For a dark, thrilling plot with unforgettable twists: Fingersmith.
Which Sarah Waters novel are you interested in reading (or have you read)? Let me know in the comments!
Wishing you the company of a good book,
Brittany