At the heart of this panoramic, multidimensional narrative is the compelling struggle of a young woman to lift her body and soul out of the gutter. Faber leads us back to 1870s London, where Sugar, a nineteen-year-old whore in the brothel of the terrifying Mrs. Castaway, yearns for escape to a better life. Her ascent through the strata of Victorian society offers us intimacy with a host of … lovable, maddening, unforgettable characters. They begin with William Rackham, an egotistical perfume magnate whose ambition is fueled by his lust for Sugar, and whose patronage brings her into proximity to his extended family and milieu: his unhinged, childlike wife, Agnes, who manages to overcome her chronic hysteria to make her appearances during “the Season”; his mysteriously hidden-away daughter, Sophie, left to the care of minions; his pious brother, Henry, foiled in his devotional calling by a persistently less-than-chaste love for the Widow Fox, whose efforts on behalf of The Rescue Society lead Henry into ever-more disturbing confrontations with flesh; all this overseen by assorted preening socialites, drunken journalists, untrustworthy servants, vile guttersnipes, and whores of all stripes and persuasions.
Twenty years in its conception, research, and writing, The Crimson Petal and the White is teeming with life, rich in texture and incident, with characters breathtakingly real. In a class by itself, it’s a big, juicy, must-read of a novel that will delight, enthrall, provoke, and entertain young and old, male and female.
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There isn’t a lot of action in this book. Its virtues lie in really wonderful prose and a strange protagonist who elicits a desire in the reader to keep following her.
An epic novel worthy of its length. It is beautifully written and evokes a dark Charles Dickens, showing the dark side of late 19th century London. While the plot is full of well developed character, the book’s primary heroine (or villain?) Sugar is a 19 year old street savvy prostitute who leaves an indelible mark on the reader.
This book is a …
entertaining
This is a story that I picked up after seeing that its literary value and storytelling debated on LibraryThing. It is the story of Sugar, a reasonably famous prostitute, well known for never saying no. It is the story of how she works to pull herself out of the slums and make a better life for herself. I was hooked to Sugar’s story within the …
I couldn’t put down this well-written and meticulously researched book. Even the choice of many words reflected the period in which the story takes place. I found it fascinating and mesmerizing largely due to the details of time and place and unique characters. I truly loved this book, and don’t often feel that way about a book. I highly recommend …
Takes place in 1870s in London, where Sugar, a nineteen-year-old whore in the brothel of the terrifying Mrs. Castaway, yearns for escape to a better life. Lovable, maddening, unforgettable characters.
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve re-read this book. Definitely in my all-time top ten!