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The Parting Glass
“ Downton Abbey meets Gangs of New York …a gem of a novel to be inhaled in one gulp” (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author) about a devoted maid whose secretive world is about to be ripped apart at the seams—a lush and evocative debut set in 19th-century New York that’s perfect for fans of Sarah Waters’s Fingersmith and Emma Donoghue’s Slammerkin .
By day, Mary Ballard is dutiful lady’s maid to Charlotte Walden, a wealthy and accomplished belle of New York City high society. But Charlotte would never trust Mary again if she knew the truth about her devoted servant’s past.
On her nights off, Mary sheds her persona as prim and proper lady’s maid to reveal her true self—Irish exile Maire O’Farren. She finds release from her frustration in New York’s gritty underworld—in the arms of a prostitute and as drinking companion to a decidedly motley crew consisting of members of a dangerous secret society.
Meanwhile, Charlotte has a secret of her own—she’s having an affair with a stable groom, unaware that her lover is actually Mary’s own brother. When the truth of both women’s double lives begins to unravel, Mary is left to face the consequences. Forced to choose between loyalty to her brother and loyalty to Charlotte, between society’s respect and true freedom, Mary finally learns that her fate lies in her hands alone.
A captivating historical fiction of 19th century upstairs/downstairs New York City, The Parting Glass examines sexuality, race, and social class in ways that feel startlingly familiar and timely. A perfectly paced, romantically charged “story of the sumptuous world of the privileged and the precarious, difficult environs of the immigrant working poor is highlighted by vibrant characters and a well-paced plot, which will pull readers into the tangled tale” ( Publishers Weekly ).
By day, Mary Ballard is dutiful lady’s maid to Charlotte Walden, a wealthy and accomplished belle of New York City high society. But Charlotte would never trust Mary again if she knew the truth about her devoted servant’s past.
On her nights off, Mary sheds her persona as prim and proper lady’s maid to reveal her true self—Irish exile Maire O’Farren. She finds release from her frustration in New York’s gritty underworld—in the arms of a prostitute and as drinking companion to a decidedly motley crew consisting of members of a dangerous secret society.
Meanwhile, Charlotte has a secret of her own—she’s having an affair with a stable groom, unaware that her lover is actually Mary’s own brother. When the truth of both women’s double lives begins to unravel, Mary is left to face the consequences. Forced to choose between loyalty to her brother and loyalty to Charlotte, between society’s respect and true freedom, Mary finally learns that her fate lies in her hands alone.
A captivating historical fiction of 19th century upstairs/downstairs New York City, The Parting Glass examines sexuality, race, and social class in ways that feel startlingly familiar and timely. A perfectly paced, romantically charged “story of the sumptuous world of the privileged and the precarious, difficult environs of the immigrant working poor is highlighted by vibrant characters and a well-paced plot, which will pull readers into the tangled tale” ( Publishers Weekly ).
311 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2019
55 people are currently reading
3526 people want to read
About the author
Gina Marie Guadagnino
2 books61 followersGina Marie Guadagnino's debut novel, THE PARTING GLASS, will be released from Atria Books in Spring 2019. Her previously published work includes three short stories: "Whisper in the Shadows," which appears in THE MORRIS-JUMEL ANTHOLOGY OF FANTASY AND PARANORMAL FICTION; "In the Sky She Floats," which appears in MIXED UP: COCKTAIL RECIPES (AND FLASH FICTION) FOR THE DISCERNING DRINKER (AND READER0; and "From the Inbox of Madness," which appears in WELCOME TO MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY. When not writing, Gina practices the dark art of university administration at New York University. She resides on the island of Manhattan with her family, her library, and about 1.6 million of her closest friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
March 5, 2019
THE PARTING GLASS is a beautifully written and heartbreaking tale of Mary Ballard, an Irish maid who becomes the unfortunate side of a love triangle with her mistress and her brother. The book is gorgeously written and well-researched, and really brings to life New York City in the 1830s and the struggle of Irish immigrants at the time. This is a strong character-driven novel that wraps up with a surprising ending. A bit long in parts, but well worth taking the journey with these unique characters. Impressive debut!
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 26, 2019
What a lush and lovely book. I picked up The Parting Glass partially on a whim, but it captivated me practically from the first page. It tells the story of lady's maid Maire O'Farren, alias Mary Ballard, an Irish immigrant employed by the beautiful young mistress Charlotte Walden in 19th century New York. Maire is captivated by Charlotte to the point of obsession, but Charlotte is having an affair with the stable groom, who happens to be Maire's twin brother. Through this awkward love triangle of sorts, The Parting Glass explores passion and obsession and sexuality and corruption and social unrest in a turbulent period of American and Irish history, and it does so with a gripping, pacy story that I could not put down.
One thing I loved about this book was its rich historical detail. In the afterward you can get a sense of the amount of research that Gina Marie Guadagnino put into this novel, and it really does show the whole way through. Though she never pulls the historical context to the forefront in a distracting way, she still firmly establishes the setting, which she could have easily downplayed in favor of the various romantic subplots. Instead, this is actually an impressive piece of historical fiction that focuses on the reception of Irish immigrants to America in the 19th century - not exactly untread territory, but it's handled in a way that feels relevant and immediate.
The other huge strength of this book for me was Maire's relationship with her brother Seanin. With a mother who died in childbirth and a father who died when they were young, growing up in Ireland Maire and Seanin were inseparable, and it's not until they move to the US that cracks in their relationship begin to form, Charlotte only acting as a catalyst for a rift that runs much deeper. I thought it was a fantastic depiction of a close, intense relationship that can easily flip the switch from love to hate. While Maire and Seanin's characterization was brilliant, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Charlotte, though I'm wondering if her character was kept deliberately hazy as a reflection of Maire's idolization.
I will say, to anyone picking this up because of its Fingersmith comparison, don't expect Sarah Waters' quality of prose (I haven't read Fingersmith, but I have read Waters before). Though I do think Guadagnino has a fantastic command of language, this isn't quite on that same literary level, which I point out only because I imagine that's going to be the main criticism held against this novel. It almost feels overly dismissive to call this a beach read for Waters fans, but there may be some truth to that; it's certainly a clever book, but not half as dense as Waters. But I'd recommend you just ignore that comparison and enjoy it for what it is - a gem of lesbian historical fiction with compelling characters and a well-developed political backdrop.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Atria for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
One thing I loved about this book was its rich historical detail. In the afterward you can get a sense of the amount of research that Gina Marie Guadagnino put into this novel, and it really does show the whole way through. Though she never pulls the historical context to the forefront in a distracting way, she still firmly establishes the setting, which she could have easily downplayed in favor of the various romantic subplots. Instead, this is actually an impressive piece of historical fiction that focuses on the reception of Irish immigrants to America in the 19th century - not exactly untread territory, but it's handled in a way that feels relevant and immediate.
The other huge strength of this book for me was Maire's relationship with her brother Seanin. With a mother who died in childbirth and a father who died when they were young, growing up in Ireland Maire and Seanin were inseparable, and it's not until they move to the US that cracks in their relationship begin to form, Charlotte only acting as a catalyst for a rift that runs much deeper. I thought it was a fantastic depiction of a close, intense relationship that can easily flip the switch from love to hate. While Maire and Seanin's characterization was brilliant, I would have liked to have seen a bit more of Charlotte, though I'm wondering if her character was kept deliberately hazy as a reflection of Maire's idolization.
I will say, to anyone picking this up because of its Fingersmith comparison, don't expect Sarah Waters' quality of prose (I haven't read Fingersmith, but I have read Waters before). Though I do think Guadagnino has a fantastic command of language, this isn't quite on that same literary level, which I point out only because I imagine that's going to be the main criticism held against this novel. It almost feels overly dismissive to call this a beach read for Waters fans, but there may be some truth to that; it's certainly a clever book, but not half as dense as Waters. But I'd recommend you just ignore that comparison and enjoy it for what it is - a gem of lesbian historical fiction with compelling characters and a well-developed political backdrop.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Atria for the advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2019
Despite surface appearances, The Parting Glass is no historical novel of corsets and bodices. This is a novel of “the whalebone beneath” — of the women of the house playing against men like chess pieces. It is also a timely microscope on the cyclical struggle against racism that has imbued this country’s entire bloody history, in this case focusing on Irish immigrants and the brutality and subjugation they incurred in the century before they became simply white. But what raises this story to the level of magic, and makes it utterly unique, is the unrequited love that drives it, and the young gay female point of view from which it’s told.
October 10, 2018
Wow. So lush and immersive, so intelligently written. I loved this. Found myself thinking of the characters hours after I finished reading, as if they were friends I cared for and worried about. Sharp, vivid, excellent
October 22, 2019
I'm surprised that more people don't put this into the Romance genre. Surely it's Historical, taking place in the early 1900's in New York City (think Gangs of New York movie timeline and you're perfectly in its place); but it's got some steamy lesbian moments and the majority of the story revolves around our characters having infatuations with one another.
Lesbians!
Easily the best part of The Parting Glass is the lesbian representation. It's honest and sincere. Gina Marie Guadagnino has also given us a lens into how impossible it was to be gay in the 1900's. If we all think it's hard today; we've got nothing on our ancestors. From a couple steamy lesbian scenes, to stolen kisses and forbidden thoughts Guadagnino doesn't leave anything unsaid or uncontested for our lead gal about how difficult life is being Irish, an immigrant and a lesbian.
Historical Context
It's clear that Guadagnino has done some research in order to understand the time period, it's societal challenges and linguistics. There is a moment in which our gal passes through Five Points and I couldn't help but imagine her walking next to Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York. We encounter the Irish struggles from two viewpoints in a way; even though the story is only told through the eyes of our lead gal. As a ladies maid whom can hide her Irish accent we see how high society feels and reacts; and on her nights off we see how an Irish gal might struggle to get by in this rough landscape. I felt the descriptions and context given to New York at this time were well done. However, I can't help but wonder how much of that is because I've seen Gangs of New York many, many times.
Overall
There were lots of things to love here from casual mentions of the penny dreadfuls (stories of horror in the day) to descriptive clothing styles to the challenges of horse drawn transportation and more. But I must say that without the lesbian representation I think I would have become bored. Maybe a good forbidden romance (regardless of sexual orientation) would have worked here no matter what; but for me I felt like I just wanted to know about our lovely girls and their destiny's.
Not a bad read; but not one I'd be quick to recommend. The Parting Glass gets 4 stars because of its LGBTQ+ representation where it otherwise probably deserves 3 stars.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Lesbians!
Easily the best part of The Parting Glass is the lesbian representation. It's honest and sincere. Gina Marie Guadagnino has also given us a lens into how impossible it was to be gay in the 1900's. If we all think it's hard today; we've got nothing on our ancestors. From a couple steamy lesbian scenes, to stolen kisses and forbidden thoughts Guadagnino doesn't leave anything unsaid or uncontested for our lead gal about how difficult life is being Irish, an immigrant and a lesbian.
Historical Context
It's clear that Guadagnino has done some research in order to understand the time period, it's societal challenges and linguistics. There is a moment in which our gal passes through Five Points and I couldn't help but imagine her walking next to Leonardo DiCaprio in Gangs of New York. We encounter the Irish struggles from two viewpoints in a way; even though the story is only told through the eyes of our lead gal. As a ladies maid whom can hide her Irish accent we see how high society feels and reacts; and on her nights off we see how an Irish gal might struggle to get by in this rough landscape. I felt the descriptions and context given to New York at this time were well done. However, I can't help but wonder how much of that is because I've seen Gangs of New York many, many times.
Overall
There were lots of things to love here from casual mentions of the penny dreadfuls (stories of horror in the day) to descriptive clothing styles to the challenges of horse drawn transportation and more. But I must say that without the lesbian representation I think I would have become bored. Maybe a good forbidden romance (regardless of sexual orientation) would have worked here no matter what; but for me I felt like I just wanted to know about our lovely girls and their destiny's.
Not a bad read; but not one I'd be quick to recommend. The Parting Glass gets 4 stars because of its LGBTQ+ representation where it otherwise probably deserves 3 stars.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
March 6, 2019
Just finished reading THE PARTING GLASS. Stunning writing paired with incredible research make for a lush, immersive read that's impossible to put down. Think Edith Wharton by way of Emma Donoghue—yup, it's that good! More to come closer to publication. Many thanks to the author and the publisher for the advance e-galley.
February 1, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Atria Books
Pub. Date: March 5, 2019
This novel, set in the 1830s, has all the makings of great storytelling. You will read much about Tammany Hall (the name given to the notoriously corrupt Democratic political machine that dominated New York City politics during the 19th century. You will meet Maire O'Farrell and her twin brother Seanin. They are from Ireland and fresh off a boat that landed them in the poverty-stricken area known as The Five Points. You might know of the infamous Five Points from the book or the movie “Gangs of New York.” The Points was a 19th-century neighborhood located in Lower East Manhattan that included Mulberry Street. Back then, Mulberry Street (historically associated with Italian-American culture, where the Mafia blossomed and made the street a household name) was filled with Irish rather than Italian immigrants. If interested, nowadays it is Chinese immigrants who walk Mulberry streets. On the other side of town is Washington Square, which was and still is a very wealthy area. These families hired cheap labor from the nearby tenements. This is how the twins end up working as servants in a Washington Square home. Mary becomes a lady’s maid to beautiful Charlotte Walden, the belle of New York City’s high society. Seanin, when not busy becoming the leader of an Irish gang, works as a stable groom for Charlotte’s favorite horse. Both brother and sister fall in love with the mistress of the house. I am not giving anything away. All of this is described in the book’s blurb. Are you in yet? I was. So why was I disappointed in the novel?
You must get by now that “Parting Glass” has a strong feel of “Upstairs/Downstairs,” where “Downtown Abbey” meets the “Gangs of New York.” For this reviewer, the tale should have been a captivating read. There is love, tragedy, and a good dose of Mulberry St. A neighborhood I used to live in. The storylines didn’t feel properly linked together. By day, Mary is prim and proper. By night, she is getting drunk with gang members and slapped around (have no fear, Mary gives as good as she gets) in an Irish pub. I find it far-fetched that her secret nightlife could be as well hidden from her day life as presented in the book. I also had a hard time buying that Mary’s sexuality was as accepted by all as the author writes, especially by the male gang members. Personally, I wish that was true. But sadly if I am not mistaken, there was not a thriving gay scene in the Lower East Side for more than a century later. It is clear that Guadagnino did her research on the history of violence in The Five Points. This makes it all the more confusing that she depicts a casually accepted gay woman in this setting. I think the author was attempting to emulate Sarah Waters’ erotic thriller “The Paying Guests,” or Waters’ “Fingersmith,” a historical crime novel. Both books are set in the Victorian era. Both books are page-turners that include lesbian love affairs. Guadagnino, like Waters, does a great job of writing intelligently on what in present time is known as “love is love.” I applaud the author on this. The uneven storylines are where I take issue. I think a good editor could have made this book a far better read than it is.
Pre Oder “The Parting Glass” on Amazon
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amz...
Publisher: Atria Books
Pub. Date: March 5, 2019
This novel, set in the 1830s, has all the makings of great storytelling. You will read much about Tammany Hall (the name given to the notoriously corrupt Democratic political machine that dominated New York City politics during the 19th century. You will meet Maire O'Farrell and her twin brother Seanin. They are from Ireland and fresh off a boat that landed them in the poverty-stricken area known as The Five Points. You might know of the infamous Five Points from the book or the movie “Gangs of New York.” The Points was a 19th-century neighborhood located in Lower East Manhattan that included Mulberry Street. Back then, Mulberry Street (historically associated with Italian-American culture, where the Mafia blossomed and made the street a household name) was filled with Irish rather than Italian immigrants. If interested, nowadays it is Chinese immigrants who walk Mulberry streets. On the other side of town is Washington Square, which was and still is a very wealthy area. These families hired cheap labor from the nearby tenements. This is how the twins end up working as servants in a Washington Square home. Mary becomes a lady’s maid to beautiful Charlotte Walden, the belle of New York City’s high society. Seanin, when not busy becoming the leader of an Irish gang, works as a stable groom for Charlotte’s favorite horse. Both brother and sister fall in love with the mistress of the house. I am not giving anything away. All of this is described in the book’s blurb. Are you in yet? I was. So why was I disappointed in the novel?
You must get by now that “Parting Glass” has a strong feel of “Upstairs/Downstairs,” where “Downtown Abbey” meets the “Gangs of New York.” For this reviewer, the tale should have been a captivating read. There is love, tragedy, and a good dose of Mulberry St. A neighborhood I used to live in. The storylines didn’t feel properly linked together. By day, Mary is prim and proper. By night, she is getting drunk with gang members and slapped around (have no fear, Mary gives as good as she gets) in an Irish pub. I find it far-fetched that her secret nightlife could be as well hidden from her day life as presented in the book. I also had a hard time buying that Mary’s sexuality was as accepted by all as the author writes, especially by the male gang members. Personally, I wish that was true. But sadly if I am not mistaken, there was not a thriving gay scene in the Lower East Side for more than a century later. It is clear that Guadagnino did her research on the history of violence in The Five Points. This makes it all the more confusing that she depicts a casually accepted gay woman in this setting. I think the author was attempting to emulate Sarah Waters’ erotic thriller “The Paying Guests,” or Waters’ “Fingersmith,” a historical crime novel. Both books are set in the Victorian era. Both books are page-turners that include lesbian love affairs. Guadagnino, like Waters, does a great job of writing intelligently on what in present time is known as “love is love.” I applaud the author on this. The uneven storylines are where I take issue. I think a good editor could have made this book a far better read than it is.
Pre Oder “The Parting Glass” on Amazon
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...
https://books6259.wordpress.com/
https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
https://www.facebook.com/martie.neesr...
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amz...
December 12, 2018
3.5 stars.
One very simple way to get me to read historical fiction is to make it gay. Put a Fingersmith comp in there and I am putty in your hands. THE PARTING GLASS is about a lady's maid who just happens to be desperately in love with her lady.
Mary dresses her lady, does her hair, washes her, and tends to her. She also leaves her window open once a week so her lady's lover can sneak into her room. Oh, and that lover just happens to be Mary's brother. Mary (real name Maire) and her brother Seanin are Irish immigrants hiding their real relationship and their real names to get positions in the same house so they can stay together. But their mutual love of Charlotte threatens to come between them.
That's not the only thing to come between them but I'll save you spoilers. If you like stories of maids and ladies, courting and balls and downstairs drama, there is plenty of that here. There is also lots and lots of sex (when I say I like it gay, I do prefer sex be included).
Ultimately this came short of 4 stars for me with an ending that wrapped up too quickly when there were so many balls in the air. I also felt like some of the relationships could use a bit of fleshing out. I didn't feel like I really knew Charlotte all that well, which is tricky when she's the primary focus of Mary's attention. The prose sometimes took a bit of effort to get through, it just didn't quite have a rhythm.
One very simple way to get me to read historical fiction is to make it gay. Put a Fingersmith comp in there and I am putty in your hands. THE PARTING GLASS is about a lady's maid who just happens to be desperately in love with her lady.
Mary dresses her lady, does her hair, washes her, and tends to her. She also leaves her window open once a week so her lady's lover can sneak into her room. Oh, and that lover just happens to be Mary's brother. Mary (real name Maire) and her brother Seanin are Irish immigrants hiding their real relationship and their real names to get positions in the same house so they can stay together. But their mutual love of Charlotte threatens to come between them.
That's not the only thing to come between them but I'll save you spoilers. If you like stories of maids and ladies, courting and balls and downstairs drama, there is plenty of that here. There is also lots and lots of sex (when I say I like it gay, I do prefer sex be included).
Ultimately this came short of 4 stars for me with an ending that wrapped up too quickly when there were so many balls in the air. I also felt like some of the relationships could use a bit of fleshing out. I didn't feel like I really knew Charlotte all that well, which is tricky when she's the primary focus of Mary's attention. The prose sometimes took a bit of effort to get through, it just didn't quite have a rhythm.
March 7, 2019
Certainly the sexiest historical novel I’ve ever read but with an intense, fascinating political backdrop and fully realized, complex characters that make this hist fic of the highest order
August 3, 2022
I'm absolutely balking at the people who thought this was well researched and or well written. I have three main issues with this novel, so I'll break them each down.
PROBLEM 1: Maire
Maire is, to put it lightly, insufferable. Despite the fact she truthfully knows nothing about Charlotte besides how to dress and undress her, she is so creepily obsessed with her, masturbating to the thought of her in her closet adjacent to Charlotte's room, and listening in and being aroused by Charlotte and her brother having sex. We might as well call her Billie Eilish, because she has such weird sexual tension with her brother. She describes Seanin fanning her neck with his hot breath as they lay together, and constantly fantasizes about him and Charlotte having sex to the point where it is very uncomfortable and I almost DNF'd this just a couple chapters in. Despite this, when he dies at the end she barely cares or ruminates on it for more than a couple sentences.
Maire is also very NLOG in the most obnoxious way. She thinks she's better than other women because... she's Irish and drinks beer? She demeans prostitution, not for the harm and suffering it causes women, but because "there has always seemed something very sorry to me in not being clever enough for any trade but lying on your back." IMMEDIATELY after this she hires Liddy, a black prositute who has been bought and sold since age 14, using her as a flesh puppet pretending she is Charlotte, and does not pay her (because apparrently lesbian sex doesn't count, or something equally misogynistic). Maire views and objectifies women in such a male way that I was surprised the author was female. She is always ogling their breasts and bodies and the "wet slick" between their legs. Despite consistently reiterating she was just using Liddy for her body as a proxy for Charlotte, they get together at the end because .... ?
PROBLEM 2: Historical Inaccuracies
I'm all for lesbian representation; it's why I picked this book up, but boy is it written so inaccurately. First of all, prostitution is glamorized so much, and flaunted as a girlboss choice to make, and completely glosses over the violence and sexual trauma Liddy experiences daily. Despite being 1837, Maire faces really no discrimination for being in an openly lesbian mixed race relationship when her company is almost entirely composed of devout Catholics. Liddy is also dumb as a box of rocks for a woman who's lived her life on the seedy streets, surprised that the mob who gives her protection asks for protection money. This is supposed to be a flabbergasting betrayal, but it seems like pure stupidity when the character is usually lauded for her street smarts. Speaking of Liddy, her and Maire end up owning the bar at the end (???). Two openly lesbian women, both immigrant and one black, own a bar that serves almost entirely to Catholics and they are not discriminated against whatsoever. They are somehow owners of the bar, despite it taking place before women were allowed to own property in New York, let alone have a bank account as unmarried women. It's really disappointing to see the lack of realism when other reviews raved about how it was "well researched". I get not everyone wants to read about tragic lesbian romances, but taking too many liberties takes the historical out of historical fiction.
PROBLEM 3: Poor writing/nonsensical plot
Everyone is so underdeveloped that they feel like setpieces that just have things happen to them, and the things that happen are quite ridiculous, especially the climax. Charlotte and Seanin try to run away together and her fiance's groom decides to get very aggressive, steals Charlotte back and kills Seanin. Despite Seanin and Maire allegedly loving eachother and having a close sibling bond, he decides to beat the hell out of her for mildly irritating him one day, and peaces out of her life. This is of course accompanied by some horribly cringey dialogue.
Speaking of the dialogue, it's just atrocious. Constant modern sayings, excessive profanity ("Jesus fucking Christ" every few sentences). In the aforementioned physical assault scene, before he leaves he refers to her by her full legal name. As if they aren't siblings. This came off as extremely silly and really took me out of it.
The setting is barely described at all, and there was a huge lack of imagery; this was supposed to take place in NYC, but really it could have been anywhere, with its cast of cardboard cutouts.
I picked this up for a dollar and still felt it was worth less. Whoever compared this with Edith Wharton's work should be ashamed of themselves for even dreaming to make that comparison.
PROBLEM 1: Maire
Maire is, to put it lightly, insufferable. Despite the fact she truthfully knows nothing about Charlotte besides how to dress and undress her, she is so creepily obsessed with her, masturbating to the thought of her in her closet adjacent to Charlotte's room, and listening in and being aroused by Charlotte and her brother having sex. We might as well call her Billie Eilish, because she has such weird sexual tension with her brother. She describes Seanin fanning her neck with his hot breath as they lay together, and constantly fantasizes about him and Charlotte having sex to the point where it is very uncomfortable and I almost DNF'd this just a couple chapters in. Despite this, when he dies at the end she barely cares or ruminates on it for more than a couple sentences.
Maire is also very NLOG in the most obnoxious way. She thinks she's better than other women because... she's Irish and drinks beer? She demeans prostitution, not for the harm and suffering it causes women, but because "there has always seemed something very sorry to me in not being clever enough for any trade but lying on your back." IMMEDIATELY after this she hires Liddy, a black prositute who has been bought and sold since age 14, using her as a flesh puppet pretending she is Charlotte, and does not pay her (because apparrently lesbian sex doesn't count, or something equally misogynistic). Maire views and objectifies women in such a male way that I was surprised the author was female. She is always ogling their breasts and bodies and the "wet slick" between their legs. Despite consistently reiterating she was just using Liddy for her body as a proxy for Charlotte, they get together at the end because .... ?
PROBLEM 2: Historical Inaccuracies
I'm all for lesbian representation; it's why I picked this book up, but boy is it written so inaccurately. First of all, prostitution is glamorized so much, and flaunted as a girlboss choice to make, and completely glosses over the violence and sexual trauma Liddy experiences daily. Despite being 1837, Maire faces really no discrimination for being in an openly lesbian mixed race relationship when her company is almost entirely composed of devout Catholics. Liddy is also dumb as a box of rocks for a woman who's lived her life on the seedy streets, surprised that the mob who gives her protection asks for protection money. This is supposed to be a flabbergasting betrayal, but it seems like pure stupidity when the character is usually lauded for her street smarts. Speaking of Liddy, her and Maire end up owning the bar at the end (???). Two openly lesbian women, both immigrant and one black, own a bar that serves almost entirely to Catholics and they are not discriminated against whatsoever. They are somehow owners of the bar, despite it taking place before women were allowed to own property in New York, let alone have a bank account as unmarried women. It's really disappointing to see the lack of realism when other reviews raved about how it was "well researched". I get not everyone wants to read about tragic lesbian romances, but taking too many liberties takes the historical out of historical fiction.
PROBLEM 3: Poor writing/nonsensical plot
Everyone is so underdeveloped that they feel like setpieces that just have things happen to them, and the things that happen are quite ridiculous, especially the climax. Charlotte and Seanin try to run away together and her fiance's groom decides to get very aggressive, steals Charlotte back and kills Seanin. Despite Seanin and Maire allegedly loving eachother and having a close sibling bond, he decides to beat the hell out of her for mildly irritating him one day, and peaces out of her life. This is of course accompanied by some horribly cringey dialogue.
Speaking of the dialogue, it's just atrocious. Constant modern sayings, excessive profanity ("Jesus fucking Christ" every few sentences). In the aforementioned physical assault scene, before he leaves he refers to her by her full legal name. As if they aren't siblings. This came off as extremely silly and really took me out of it.
The setting is barely described at all, and there was a huge lack of imagery; this was supposed to take place in NYC, but really it could have been anywhere, with its cast of cardboard cutouts.
I picked this up for a dollar and still felt it was worth less. Whoever compared this with Edith Wharton's work should be ashamed of themselves for even dreaming to make that comparison.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2020
tw: sexual assault
I was drawn in by the comparisons to Fingersmith and, as mentioned by others, woo boy that sort of callout is not super fair to any author because that book is a lot to live up to! And this one...didn't. Throughout this book I was never really sure where anything was going - were we supposed to want Maire and Charlotte to end up together? At no point did I understand why Maire was so in love with her; there just simply wasn't much to Charlotte to love. Not that I was expecting this to be a romance novel by any means, but it's an interesting choice tonally to have explicit sex scenes between two characters while one character is in love with someone else but then not have those things mesh in any way.
I felt like I needed more background on what the hell was going on with the Irish gangs because I just found it confusing. This was another thing I found baffling about Maire's character - so she and Seanin get in a fight in which
This leads to an ending which honestly felt unearned (Liddie girl, you can do so much better) and seemed like it was trying to end on a wistful note about true love, except that again, I have no idea why Maire even liked Charlotte, let alone loved her. She was a decent boss, you cuddled once, she banged your brother a bunch, it all ended horribly. Move onnnnnnn. Liddie and Dermot were the best parts of this book and it should have been about them as they both deserved better than suffering Maire and Seanin's nonsense.
I was drawn in by the comparisons to Fingersmith and, as mentioned by others, woo boy that sort of callout is not super fair to any author because that book is a lot to live up to! And this one...didn't. Throughout this book I was never really sure where anything was going - were we supposed to want Maire and Charlotte to end up together? At no point did I understand why Maire was so in love with her; there just simply wasn't much to Charlotte to love. Not that I was expecting this to be a romance novel by any means, but it's an interesting choice tonally to have explicit sex scenes between two characters while one character is in love with someone else but then not have those things mesh in any way.
I felt like I needed more background on what the hell was going on with the Irish gangs because I just found it confusing. This was another thing I found baffling about Maire's character - so she and Seanin get in a fight in which
This leads to an ending which honestly felt unearned (Liddie girl, you can do so much better) and seemed like it was trying to end on a wistful note about true love, except that again, I have no idea why Maire even liked Charlotte, let alone loved her. She was a decent boss, you cuddled once, she banged your brother a bunch, it all ended horribly. Move onnnnnnn. Liddie and Dermot were the best parts of this book and it should have been about them as they both deserved better than suffering Maire and Seanin's nonsense.
January 13, 2019
Well, it isn’t Sarah Waters. But then again any historical fiction with Sapphic undertones is probably going to draw those comparisons, which frankly just isn’t fair to the books themselves. For me there’s nothing quite like Sarah Waters books, but then again even some of Sarah Waters books aren’t Sarah Waters, which is to say her work is uneven, but when it’s good it’s sublime. But then again, this is a review of an entirely different book and a very good one in its own right. Parting Glass is essentially a love triangle (or two love triangles if you want to be technical) set in 1827 New York. Irish twins (actual twins not the saying) come to the city to improve their circumstances, get work as servants for a wealthy family (him as a stables groom, her as a lady’s maid) and both fall madly in love with the young lady Charlotte, who reciprocates one directionally causing much strife between the siblings. So it’s essentially Sarah Waters meets Downton Abbey meets Gangs of New York, since there’s a lot of upstairs/downstairs goings on and there are a lot of politics of the time involves, the Irish weren’t especially welcome or valued at the time in America (the attitude that’s now extended to more or less all immigrants), so they had to fight their way to respect as it were and, you know lesbians. The historical fiction aspect of the novel is very well done, there’s a certain grimy realism to the servant and working class characters and a glitz to the upper crust. And Long Island is a barely cultivated barely populated place, which is, all things considered, quite possibly the best version of it. The characters are well developed and possess their varied charms, my favorite was the stargazer to use the lovely colloquialism of the times. There was something ever so slightly lacking, but honestly I can’t put a finger on it. Something about Mary/Maire’s character and something about the last scene, but that’s as close as I can get to figuring it out. But really it was a very enjoyable reading experience, if not completely immersive, than at the very least very engaging. For a debut it’s certainly most auspicious. And it admirably stayed away from veering off into women’s fiction, bodice ripper territory or any such inanity. This was the book I was really looking forward to reading ever since finding it on Netgalley and mostly it lived up to my expectations. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
April 6, 2019
Eager to hide her past, she must after all being Irish at a time in history when they were so discriminated against and there were no jobs for them. She is able to hide her Dublin accent in New York and become a lady's maid to a rich and accomplished woman of high society.
Her brother isn't as lucky and deals in the cities seedier side. She must also hide the fact she is related to him. The setting is lush and very descriptive.
Her secrets seem safe as long as she can keep them.
Published March 5th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley through Touchstone. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
Her brother isn't as lucky and deals in the cities seedier side. She must also hide the fact she is related to him. The setting is lush and very descriptive.
Her secrets seem safe as long as she can keep them.
Published March 5th 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley through Touchstone. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 19, 2019
I LOVED this book. I loved that every character was fictional. I loved the characters and their complexities. The period detail, the heartbreak, and especially the voice were spectacular. The voice seemed similar to The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly, which you'll also love if you enjoyed this book and vice versa.
October 22, 2018
Review forthcoming!
January 31, 2019
Disclaimer: I got an advance reader's copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This is being billed as being tailored for those of us who love Fingersmith, so I had to pick it up; and I am not disappointed that I did.
Much like Fingersmith there are some twists and turns and an upstairs/downstairs romance, but I think that the setting here plaid a greater role. I quite enjoyed the descriptions of 19th century New York, especially after reading the author's afterword detailing her love affair with the city and its history.
I thought it a bit unlikely that no one would notice that Seanin and Maire were twins, and how quite a few people were presented as having a relatively open mind about two women in a relationship together.
I also got a bit annoyed when one character referred to herself as a 'gay girl', when the first documented use of the word 'gay' to signify 'homosexuality' was recorded in 1953, like a 100+ years after this book. But this seems to me like the only element that was really out of place. Everything else, pacing, characterization and descriptions were wonderful.
I'd recommend this to lovers of historical fiction, and those trying to read more diversely.
This is being billed as being tailored for those of us who love Fingersmith, so I had to pick it up; and I am not disappointed that I did.
Much like Fingersmith there are some twists and turns and an upstairs/downstairs romance, but I think that the setting here plaid a greater role. I quite enjoyed the descriptions of 19th century New York, especially after reading the author's afterword detailing her love affair with the city and its history.
I thought it a bit unlikely that no one would notice that Seanin and Maire were twins, and how quite a few people were presented as having a relatively open mind about two women in a relationship together.
I also got a bit annoyed when one character referred to herself as a 'gay girl', when the first documented use of the word 'gay' to signify 'homosexuality' was recorded in 1953, like a 100+ years after this book. But this seems to me like the only element that was really out of place. Everything else, pacing, characterization and descriptions were wonderful.
I'd recommend this to lovers of historical fiction, and those trying to read more diversely.
January 30, 2019
Gina Marie Guadagnino's debut novel is rich with history and imagery, and is unlike any historical fiction novel I have read before. The book stars a small cast of characters, narrated by Mary Ballard - aka Maire O'Farren. Mary is a lady's maid and has quite a few secrets of her own. By day she is prim, proper, and the perfect example of a lady's maid to her beloved Charlotte Walden. By night, she is Maire, a regular at the pub, drinking and swearing with the rest of the boys. This is all complicated by the love triangle she finds herself in. A love triangle that involves her lady and her own brother.
I wasn't sure if I liked Maire at first; she was prickly and honestly was not easy to root for at first. But as we learn more about her backstory, I grew more sympathetic to her and her own confusion. I also grew to appreciate some of the other characters in the book, especially Liddie and Dermot. I did wish for a bit more development of Charlotte, as Mary's feelings towards her are incredibly important to the story.
Perhaps the best thing about this story was how much I learned about a time in U.S. history that I knew almost nothing about. I was unaware of how much racism existed toward the Irish and how this figured into U.S. politics in the 1830s. I knew nothing of the underground world that the Irish created for themselves. I found this aspect of the novel the most interesting and honestly wished for more!
Overall, this book was a good read but I felt like the ending wrapped things up a little too quickly. Also, fair warning that there is a goodly amount of strong language, graphic sex, and violence (including violence against women). I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in a gritty upstairs-downstairs story with Sapphic undertones. It is unlike anything I have read from the historical fiction genre!
*Note: I received a complementary ARC via the publisher (Atria) and NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.*
I wasn't sure if I liked Maire at first; she was prickly and honestly was not easy to root for at first. But as we learn more about her backstory, I grew more sympathetic to her and her own confusion. I also grew to appreciate some of the other characters in the book, especially Liddie and Dermot. I did wish for a bit more development of Charlotte, as Mary's feelings towards her are incredibly important to the story.
Perhaps the best thing about this story was how much I learned about a time in U.S. history that I knew almost nothing about. I was unaware of how much racism existed toward the Irish and how this figured into U.S. politics in the 1830s. I knew nothing of the underground world that the Irish created for themselves. I found this aspect of the novel the most interesting and honestly wished for more!
Overall, this book was a good read but I felt like the ending wrapped things up a little too quickly. Also, fair warning that there is a goodly amount of strong language, graphic sex, and violence (including violence against women). I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in a gritty upstairs-downstairs story with Sapphic undertones. It is unlike anything I have read from the historical fiction genre!
*Note: I received a complementary ARC via the publisher (Atria) and NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.*
July 6, 2020
Absolutely loved this book!
I am surprised that it isn't more popular.
What I loved most about this book is that it was so raw in the emotion and character development.
Guadagnino isn't trying to get you to love the main characters by showing the flaws with each. To me, it made it more real.
Highly, highly recommend to readers who love Historical Fiction but are growing tired of the same stories about unconventionally strong women who claimed to be happy single but somehow ends up with a gentleman who enjoys her unorthodox behavior.
I am surprised that it isn't more popular.
What I loved most about this book is that it was so raw in the emotion and character development.
Guadagnino isn't trying to get you to love the main characters by showing the flaws with each. To me, it made it more real.
Highly, highly recommend to readers who love Historical Fiction but are growing tired of the same stories about unconventionally strong women who claimed to be happy single but somehow ends up with a gentleman who enjoys her unorthodox behavior.
February 23, 2019
A gritty, yet breathtaking dip into the world of 19th century New York. Meticulously researched, with great care given to depicting the racism of the time against the Irish, and to the love that bloomed between women who were often not well treated by the men of that world. It's a beautiful and heartbreaking book with passion woven into its very seams. I devoured this debut and can't wait to see what Guadagnino will write next!
March 21, 2023
2 ⭐️ this took me two weeks to get through because i was just not invested. i found this book because it was marketed for its similarity to fingersmith by sarah waters, my favorite book. guadagnino lacks waters’ talent for detail. these characters lacked depth and it made it difficult to understand their relationships.
December 30, 2018
I struggle to review this because I enjoyed the author's writing style, historical accuracy, and descriptive language. However, be forewarned that the sex scenes are graphic and in my opinion, gratuitous.
March 4, 2019
Thank you, Netgalley, for this arc. The writing is beautiful, and the story is kind of a cross between Downton Abbey and Sarah Waters' Fingersmith. The ending was a surprise to me, as the book didn't conclude the way I would have imagined.
April 30, 2019
Lots of comparisons to Sarah Waters, but far inferior. Did not hold my interest.
November 30, 2020
If only this could have been the work of someone who actually knows how to write novels.
IF YOU HAVE GOOD HISTORICAL F/F RECS PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY. Many thanks.
IF YOU HAVE GOOD HISTORICAL F/F RECS PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY. Many thanks.
Read
April 28, 2019This is beautifully detailed, imaginative historical fiction, featuring longing and secrets and a kaleidoscope of overlapping love triangles. The book is not as melodramatic as the existence of multiple love triangles makes it sound; no two sides of any of those triangles is the same kind of love, they're all at different angles, and the result is a complicated portrait of love, obligations, and human care (or not). I liked this a lot.
While the publisher comparisons to Fingersmith and Slammerkin correctly identify The Parting Glass's literary family (and why I picked it up), it doesn't have the elegance or the twists of Fingersmith or Slammerkin's energy or brutality. It has different strengths: the world-building of a diverse 1830s New York seething with nativism, and a likeable protagonist narrating with sincerity her minor cons and negotiating her secret lives.
While the publisher comparisons to Fingersmith and Slammerkin correctly identify The Parting Glass's literary family (and why I picked it up), it doesn't have the elegance or the twists of Fingersmith or Slammerkin's energy or brutality. It has different strengths: the world-building of a diverse 1830s New York seething with nativism, and a likeable protagonist narrating with sincerity her minor cons and negotiating her secret lives.
June 1, 2025
3.5^ love the washington square + merchant’s house representation
Read
March 2, 2019DNF 20%
I tried twice to fall into this story... just couldn’t.
I tried twice to fall into this story... just couldn’t.
Want to read
July 10, 2019sounds Right ™ up my street Yes Please
February 26, 2019
This story is riveting. You can’t put it down and it is meticulously detailed. You don’t even need to be an historical fiction fan to be hooked on this story. So many of the themes are relevant to our society today.
April 11, 2019
Charlotte woulda fucking died in Dublin.
Also Marie doesn't deserve Liddy.
Also Marie doesn't deserve Liddy.
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