thoselgbtbooks:

Affinity - Sarah Waters

Another brilliant work of by Sarah Waters, Affinity is written as the diaries of two women. The first is Selina Dawes, a spirit medium who is sent to prison for the assault of a young woman - which she blames on her spirit friends. Selina’s diaries are from her time before she was imprisoned, they recount details of ‘dark circles’ (seances) and create a mysterious, gothic persona. 

The second woman, is Margaret Prior, who is haunted by her father’s death. As her older sister, who Margaret is deeply envious of, is leaving the household to get married, Margaret takes up the task of visiting prisoners at Millbank Prison to pass her time. It is at Millbank, that she meets Selina who draws her in with an apparently magical knowledge of Margaret’s past.

This book will draw you in completely; it will make you want to believe in magic and spirits because the alternative explanation of the mysterious events will break your heart just a little.

Tragedy rating: 4/5

Warnings for discussions of an attempted suicide.