A.S. Byatt

Advantages: Excellent writing and great characters
Disadvantages: lengthy epic poetry may not be to everyone's taste

...Possession won the Booker prize for AS Byatt a few years ago, but I've recently re-read it and it's still one of the most incredble books I've ever read. It's the story of an academic's search for material on a 19th century poet. He and a female academic researching another 19th c poet find out that the two poets were connected. Parallel lives in 19th and 20th century, beautifully written, great pace and intrigue - lots of twists and turns. The only bit which some people who have read it couldn't get to grips with were the passages of poetry - created by Byatt in the style of her protagonists. I thought these were amazing and added another dimension to the novel, but my mum skipped over all of them and said she still enjoyed the story.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Wakes up those brain cells
Disadvantages: Definitely not for the light reader

...Possession is the kind of book that really should only be tackled by those bibliophiles who relish escapism of a more intellectual nature. The novel begins with a book, a letter and the uncovering of a mystery which sets the themes that are to come. This is a book about poems, letters and stories written with flair by an undoubted master of the English language. When I open a Byatt book, right from the first page I always feel my brain fire to life, she throws the reader into her world with a sensuous relish of imagery, metaphor and storytelling that is rare and hard to find among many writers today. We recognise the world in Byatts stories, her characters are real, emotional living beings who jump to life in their thoughts and interactions with others. Because in Possession almost all the modern characters are academics though... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: An exciting and intriguing story with superb twists and turns
Disadvantages: Some readers may not enjoy the long sections of poetry

...AS Byatt's "Possession: A Romance" is a book that I thought I "should" read. Several of my friends had read and enjoyed it and not wanting to be left out, I invested in a copy which went on to spend a couple of years gathering dust on a bookshelf. The thing is, the blurb just didn't appeal to me: I usually read modern fiction from the likes or Will Self or Irvine Welsh or forensic crime fiction. However, I eventually gave in and started reading. Roland Michell is a young academic carrying out research on nineteenth century poet Randolph Ash on behalf of Professor Blackadder. By chance Roland stumbles across a letter written by Ash and addressed to a young woman. Some investigation reveals that the young woman in question was Christabel Lamotte, some years Ash's junior and also a poet. The discovery could seriously undermine works... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful