Michel Faber's 2002 bestseller, The Crimson Petal and the White, is a beast of a book, The story centralises around the lives of a middle class family versus that of prostitutes living in Victorian London. The story is straightforward and stories like this have been told many times, however Faber's writing style is what saves this novel from being just another period drama. Faber describes scenes in incredible detail to the point where I felt I learned a lot about everyday life during the Victorian period. The novel also takes time to allow the reader to understand the different restrictions placed on women during this period despite class, For example the main character's young wife didn't understand she was pregnant because she simply hadn't been educated in understanding the workings of her own body. There are slower points in the novel but it is well worth persevering through these lulls because overall it's definitely worth spending time on.
What I'm listening to...
I first listened to doom cellist, Helen Money, a few years ago when I was at All Tomorrow's Parties in London. She was playing in a small area next to all of the merchandise to a tiny group of people who happened to catch her when they were wandering around the venue in between main acts. If you haven't heard of her before, imagine a Cellist playing Metal. It sounds like a weird combo but it's pretty amazing!
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