Why 'The Paying Guests' by Sarah Walters draws critical acclaim
'The Paying Guests,' which centers on a mother and daughter forced to take in boarders after World War I, is becoming one of the best-reviewed novels of the fall.
'The Paying Guests,' which centers on a mother and daughter forced to take in boarders after World War I, is becoming one of the best-reviewed novels of the fall.
The novel 鈥淭he Paying Guests鈥� by Sarah Waters is shaping up to one of the most acclaimed novels of the fall.
鈥淕uests,鈥� which was published on Sept. 16, centers on Frances Wray, an unmarried woman living with her mother in post-World War I London. Because of a lack of money, Frances and her mother are forced to have 鈥減aying guests鈥� (a euphemism for boarders) and France soon finds her life changed by the arrival of married couple Leonard and Lilian Barber. Frances and Lilian begin a passionate affair.
Waters has been shortlisted three times for the Man Booker Prize and Amazon named 鈥淕uests鈥� as one of its 10 best books of September. The book has attracted rave reviews as well, with NPR critic Julia Keller calling it 鈥渟uperb [and] bewitching."聽
鈥淲aters is a master of the slow build, of the gradual assemblage of tiny random moments that result in a life-altering love,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淲aters is a consummate storyteller, and for the reader, each twist elicits a small, deeply pleasurable shock鈥� My only quibble with聽The Paying Guests聽is its length鈥� Otherwise, this is a magnificent creation.鈥澛�
New York Times critic Carol Anshaw wrote of the book, 鈥淎lthough Waters is definitely up to constructing a big, entertaining story, her strength seems to be in blueprinting social architecture in terms of its tiniest corners and angles鈥� Perhaps Waters鈥檚 most impressive accomplishment is the authentic feel she achieves, that the telling鈥� has no modern tinge.鈥澛�
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Hand of the Los Angeles Times wrote, 鈥淸Waters鈥橾 literary depictions of domestic life, manners, architecture, class structure, the weight of war and the volatility of love all appear as effortless as they are beautifully executed鈥� she masterfully weaves true crime, domestic life and romantic passion into one of the best novels of suspense since Daphne du Maurier's 鈥楻ebecca,鈥欌�� and Guardian critic Tracy Chevalier wrote of the book, 鈥淸Waters鈥橾 writing [is] so beautiful, precise and polished鈥� Sarah Waters skillfully keeps you guessing to the end.鈥�