Reviews: Possession (3)

This is a stunning novel, two related love stories weave through each other, almost touching sometimes without either couple being aware of it. A story of love in all its forms, of possession by a person, by objects, by ambition. If you like a good mystery, victorian poetry, the study of feminist literature or are a romantic at heart you will enjoy this.

Possession stands out as one of my favourite books of all time. It is one of those books that works on so many levels, immensely intelligent, but also at its heart, a story of obsession, partly between two Victorian poets (who feel very real), and partly in the modern day academics pursuing their stories.

A.S. Byatt writes in a number of different voices, each perfectly captured, and moves seamlessly between past and present, into literary essays, letters, and even capturing two distinct poetic styles, with extracts from the works of the poets. There are repeated symbols, and characters and relationships that echo, and we even move into allegory and fairy tale (which I love). The sheer scope of her intellect and imagination is staggering, and yet it is still eminently readable, with the sense of a treasure hunt or a riddle at its heart.

There is one section that I just love - Maud and Roland (names that echo poetry in themselves), the modern scholars have found a bundle of hidden letters, and read them in the freezing cold library of a country house in the Lincolnshire wolds, whilst the snow falls heavily outside. It is so perfectly captured and atmospheric that I felt I was there, putting on an extra layer, whilst reaching excitedly for the next letter!

My original copy went missing, but this is a lovely replacement edition, with an introduction from A.S. Byatt. If you love Victorian poetry, or books about reading and writing, or just something dazzlingly clever but emotive, give it a go!

I can tell what the writers is trying to do and she does show all her talents in one book. However, within the first chapters I know it wasn’t for me because it started where it did not make sense to me normally writers set a scene and you’ll feel embrace within that scene, but for this one, I didn’t feel that. I felt the writer was trying to show all their talents at once rather than introducing it slowly at a pace that readers like me could enjoy both talents. Her knowledge about things she compares things to is phenomenal. But it is not the romance I enjoy, I’m sure further down the book explains everything but my mind‘s got bored with just seeing poetry upon poetry. It has to have something in between and at the beginning to set the scene and an ending that all drawer at to close. Unfortunately, my mind just can’t get into it. It’s just too much as there is no really scene set. I cannot lose my thoughts in another world because it’s not set there. Calling it romance I am sure it is for the down the book as you read the chapters but I am lost within the first five. It doesn’t make sense to me. It just goes on and on without any substance or context. I am all for seeing different genres and talent used and she does have a talent with her poetry and what she compares things to. I am sure if you enjoy poetry and literal figures you’ll enjoy this read but if you love romance and escaping to a scene this is not for you as it wasn’t for me.