Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters

This stunning and steamy debut chronicles the adventures of Nan King, a small-town girl at the turn of the century whose life takes a wild turn of its own when she follows a local music hall star to London...

'Glorious...a sexy, sinewy sojourn of a young woman in turn-of-the-century England.'--The Boston Globe

'Erotic and absorbing...If lesbian fiction is to reach a wider readership, Waters is the person to carry the banner.'--The New York Times Book Review

'Wonderful...a sensual experience that leaves the reader marveling at the author's craftsmanship, idiosyncrasy and sheer effort.'--The San Francisco Chronicle

'Amazing....This is the lesbian novel we've all been waiting for.'--Salon.com

'Compelling...Readers of all sexes and orientations should identify with this gutsy hero as she learns who she is and how to love.'--Newsday

'Echoes of Tom Jones, Great Expectations...Waters's debut offers terrific entertainment: pulsating with highly charged (and explicitly presented) erotic heat.'--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)