The Paying Guests

Title: The Paying Guests
Author: Sarah Waters
Published: 2014
Genre: Drama and romance
Pages: 564 (on the Kindle)


It's 1922, the War is over, and life has forever changed for so many people. Frances Wray has lost both of her brothers and father during the war, and lives with her mother in their old house. Maintaining it is getting harder and harder, so they are forced to rent out a few of their rooms. The book begins when a young couple, Lilian and Leonard Barber move in. Frances's mother is still used to the old way of life and doesn't want to socialise too much with the 'paying guests', who are, after all, from a different class. Frances herself, stuck in a life she didn't want, gets to know the Barbers better and quickly befriends Lilian. And since this is Sarah Waters, they do become more than friends. And since this is Sarah Waters, that's not all of it.

This was supposed to have been an xmas/bday-present, but mom couldn't find it anywhere, and I just now bought it for the Kindle when the price came down a little. I've been reading a lot of shorter books lately, and it was wonderful to sink into a good, long book during my first few holiday days, just to lie around and read. A holiday trip without having to get off the sofa, yay!


   'Yes, I'll sign it "To Frances, with--"' He caught himelf up. 'Whoops! Miss Wray, I suppose I should say. But that sounds so awfully old-fashioned. You don't mind me calling you Frances, do you? Now that we're all getting along so well?'
   His tone was so affable that it would have been impossible to protest or demur, but Frances felt taken by surprise - almost tripped up. She had no interest in calling him Leonard, she wouldn't have dreamt of calling him Len, and she had the sneaking suspicion that his slip of the tongue was less accidental than he was pretending. Worst of all, the moment somehow undid some of the specialness of her friendship with Lilian. Was this, she thought, whaf happened when one made friends with a married woman? One automatically got the husband too? - like a crochet pattern, coming free with a magazine?