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sandra_buckwell's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
kmthomas06's review against another edition
4.0
OK - so the movie is a nice cliffnotes version with a more obvious romantic plot. That said - the archival geek in me adores how this book explores the role of the literary historian as a literary detective with only archival clues to go on.
fransnotebook's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
katmackie's review against another edition
3.0
Ah! I'm conflicted! Sometimes you come across a novel that is so fiercely smart and structured that you have to respect the creative intelligence that went into writing it, while still questioning your actual reading experience. Possession is beautiful, intelligent, creative, and perfectly poetic, but it took me a bit too long to realize just why I wasn't head over heals in love with it.
When I first started reading Possession, I had a feeling it was going to be a perfect fit. I love a good literary romance paired with history. And indeed, there were aspects that I loved. But one thing really held it back for me: the characters. While I felt emotions for some, I still struggled to really get into their heads. There was a coldness I just couldn't shirk while reading. Part of me thinks this just wasn't the right time to read Possession, sometimes you just need to relate to the people you're reading about. But then again, I did relate to a lot of their observations and feelings. So what happened? I'm still not completely sure. But I do know they kept me from feeling completely immersed in this impressive novel.
Despite that, I recommend it to those also interested in the themes I've mentioned. I think Byatt's writing has the potential to really hit or miss with people, as well as land right in the middle, as it did for me.
When I first started reading Possession, I had a feeling it was going to be a perfect fit. I love a good literary romance paired with history. And indeed, there were aspects that I loved. But one thing really held it back for me: the characters. While I felt emotions for some, I still struggled to really get into their heads. There was a coldness I just couldn't shirk while reading. Part of me thinks this just wasn't the right time to read Possession, sometimes you just need to relate to the people you're reading about. But then again, I did relate to a lot of their observations and feelings. So what happened? I'm still not completely sure. But I do know they kept me from feeling completely immersed in this impressive novel.
Despite that, I recommend it to those also interested in the themes I've mentioned. I think Byatt's writing has the potential to really hit or miss with people, as well as land right in the middle, as it did for me.
roisin_killen's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
celiapowell's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, how I loved Possession - let me count the ways. I listened to this, because I thought I might get distracted and rush if I actually read it. It's a fantastic book to listen to - it allows you to focus on the gorgeous language, and the poetry (although I skipped a little bit of the super long ones, forgive me).
Possession is essentially a mystery - Roland and Maude, present day scholars, following the trail of some letters they discover between two Victorian poets - Randolph Ash and Christabel La Motte. We get the letters, the poetry, the diary entries, and two love stories at once - Randolph and Christabel's, then more gradually, Roland and Maude's. It's a wonderful book. Definitely more A S Byatt in my future.
Possession is essentially a mystery - Roland and Maude, present day scholars, following the trail of some letters they discover between two Victorian poets - Randolph Ash and Christabel La Motte. We get the letters, the poetry, the diary entries, and two love stories at once - Randolph and Christabel's, then more gradually, Roland and Maude's. It's a wonderful book. Definitely more A S Byatt in my future.
kkw24's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
lzf1234's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lol what an actual slog
Critically speaking, I couldn’t give this less than three stars for the sheer audacity of compiling and creating a novel like this. As far as enjoyment, this gets 1.5 stars. The best part is the postscript and even then, the payoff isn’t worth it
Critically speaking, I couldn’t give this less than three stars for the sheer audacity of compiling and creating a novel like this. As far as enjoyment, this gets 1.5 stars. The best part is the postscript and even then, the payoff isn’t worth it