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mizhelen's review against another edition
5.0
Whenever I want a story that I just want to relax and enjoy, I read this novel. It's a fun mystery that turns in to a love story. It was required reading in a postmodern literature class in college, and I've read it many times over, as well as given it as a gift almost as many times as I've read it. :)
mojobaby75's review against another edition
3.0
Tough book to get through the first time I read it, but I'm going to give it another go one of these days. Story concerns two scholars researching the possible relationship between two 19th century poets. You get the events of the present(scholars) and the story of the poets through their discovered correspondence, which is full of their poetry as well. Kudos to Byatt for creating such a complex backstory for the poets (including the poems they wrote), but it can be tough to chew through the language in those sections of the book.
krbfleming's review against another edition
3.0
I “read” the audiobook via my commute to work, and thank god I did or I never would have made it through to the end. I actually took a break from it halfway through because it was boring me, and then picked it up about a month later. The second half was so much better than the first half, and the ending was nicely done. Read the other 3 star reviews here as many summarize the issues with this book well. There is a lot of poetry, pretentious language, and confusing stories with stories; but at its heart it has a fun and romantic story worth reading.
hccranston's review against another edition
5.0
I love the mystery, history, and intrigue in this book.
renny_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I wish Goodreads had a "started it, but didn't finish it, but might put it on hold" shelf. I did not make it quite halfway through this book. I am not 100% sure I done with it. I may come back to it and give it another shot.
I can appreciate the scope of this book, simple because not only does Byatt put forth the original novel, but also then populates the story with the poetry of Ash and LaMotte. As someone who has never written anything, I find this impressive in its own right.
That being said, I have found it nearly impossible to connect with this story in a meaningful way. The characters are not particularly substantive, and I find myself trudging through. I have a stack of books on my table to read so I find it difficult to justify forcing my way through this one. Life is too short to read unsatisfactory literature.
I haven't hated it, it is just falling flat for me, which is why the door remains open for a future attempt.
I can appreciate the scope of this book, simple because not only does Byatt put forth the original novel, but also then populates the story with the poetry of Ash and LaMotte. As someone who has never written anything, I find this impressive in its own right.
That being said, I have found it nearly impossible to connect with this story in a meaningful way. The characters are not particularly substantive, and I find myself trudging through. I have a stack of books on my table to read so I find it difficult to justify forcing my way through this one. Life is too short to read unsatisfactory literature.
I haven't hated it, it is just falling flat for me, which is why the door remains open for a future attempt.
hbdee's review against another edition
4.0
Winner of the Booker Prize in 1990, Possession is a full 744 pages. Byatt essentially voices four characters and writes poetry for two of them, prolifically. While much of the novel has a dreamy quality to it, at bottom is a mystery that is only revealed at the very end--and that most satisfactorily.
It is not, however, an easy read, but requires dedication on the part of the reader. It's a book that would be easy to abandon, otherwise, because the real story develops at a snail's pace.
Here, for example, is an example, a description of a spider, or spiders:
"[F]ilaments of wonder Bright snares about, Lost buzzing things, an order fine and bright Geometry threading water, catching light."
Her female protagonist, a Victorian poet who becomes a lone spinster, limns the oddity of patriarchy in ways large and small, throughout:
"It is odd, when I think about it, that in chess the female may make the large runs and cross freely in all ways--in life it is much otherwise."
"Man named Himself and thus assumed the Power over his Questioner, till then his Fate--after, his Slave and victim."
The best instance of her writing is a riddle presented by the female poet to her writing companion, another poet, far more established and wealthy for his skill than she is herself. I'll let you find it, if you will. Although it reflects a future in the novel which has not yet been told, it expresses a profound womanhood this character feels, deeply. (In Kindle, look for Location 2531.)
It is not, however, an easy read, but requires dedication on the part of the reader. It's a book that would be easy to abandon, otherwise, because the real story develops at a snail's pace.
Here, for example, is an example, a description of a spider, or spiders:
"[F]ilaments of wonder Bright snares about, Lost buzzing things, an order fine and bright Geometry threading water, catching light."
Her female protagonist, a Victorian poet who becomes a lone spinster, limns the oddity of patriarchy in ways large and small, throughout:
"It is odd, when I think about it, that in chess the female may make the large runs and cross freely in all ways--in life it is much otherwise."
"Man named Himself and thus assumed the Power over his Questioner, till then his Fate--after, his Slave and victim."
The best instance of her writing is a riddle presented by the female poet to her writing companion, another poet, far more established and wealthy for his skill than she is herself. I'll let you find it, if you will. Although it reflects a future in the novel which has not yet been told, it expresses a profound womanhood this character feels, deeply. (In Kindle, look for Location 2531.)
jaberg13's review against another edition
5.0
Absolutely loved this book. It's smart, intriguing, and sexy. The writing is beautiful.
arthreader's review against another edition
4.0
Brilliantly tedious. While I appreciate the immense detail that went into this publication, it sometimes felt like a chore reading this. At other times, I was completely lost (in a good way) in the narrative.
sara_seagreen's review against another edition
5.0
One of my top 5 favorite books. Literature at it's finest.