I obviously found that pretty uncomfortable, and given the book was published in 1998, totally unnecessary and pointless as well. The whole time though, the protagonist is exclaiming, kind of scandalised, that this character is black too. She isn't admonished for it, and it isn't addressed at all.

A complaint, and a heads-up for any black readers, one of the rich characters in the book calls the only black character the n word about 3/4 of the way through. It started off a little slow, but it's a really good book. Good, but spoiled by an insensitive choice I am irritated to see that Audible has labelled this and Waters’ other titles as “Gay and Lesbian.” This narrow classification belies the mainstream appeal of a modern classic. An extraordinary debut novel, very self-assured and great fun. Waters’ fast-flowing writing, beautifully delivered by Juanita McMahon, brings an unfamiliar, shadowy world to exuberant life.

This caused a stir when first published in 1998, but the book has many other dimensions and is a thoroughly absorbing view of life and love in the Music Halls of the time. The title of the book gives a clue to one aspect of this cautionary tale – it’s apparently a Victorian term for cunnilingus. Her crush on a performer at the local Music Hall takes her from a family making a traditional living from oysters into an exciting but scary world of the stage. Victorian London brought to exuberant lifeġ888 – the eye-opening journey of an innocent teenage girl from the seaside village of Whitstable to smoky, sleazy, sensuous and bawdy London.

Tipping the velvet by sarah waters