Two novellas. Morpho Eugenia was fascinating, dark, and disturbing in many ways - as was The Conjugal Angel. The former more enjoyable for me, though Angel drew me in by the end. These aren't prim and proper little stories - rather, earthy and sensual in their own way despite the literary and scientific themes and content. ( )

A. S. Byatt's Angels & Insects contains two separate and unconnected novellas: "Morpho Eugenia" and "The Conjugial Angel." The first is Byatt at close to her best, and the second, unfortunately, was just about the opposite for me. In "Morpho," she explores the strange ways of a secluded Victorian family, weaving natural history into the mix in a really fascinating way (as she did with some of the pieces in her The Biographer's Tale). The heady mix of religion, science, and good old-fashioned ant-watching made this story a good read.

"Angel," however, is Byam at her most meta. Far too much digression and linguistic flummery for my liking. I got bored and wanted to quit. I'm sure others who enjoy this style more will enjoy the second portion of the book far more than I did.

http://philobiblos.blogspot.com/2009/... ( )

I struggled to get into "Morpho Eugenia" and consequently took a very long time finishing it, which made it even harder to get into it. However, I quite liked parts of "The Conjugial Angel". ( )

The first quarter of the book was wonderful and very promising, and then the rest of it was just disappointing and dull. ( )

Read this for my April 2008 bookclub meeting. I had not read Byatt before and am not sure I will again. This is a collection of two unconnected novellas, both set in Victorian England, which is apparently Byatt's academic area of interest. Both are full of stories within stories. The first, the "insects" story, is at least reasonably coherent, but I found the second one to fall to pieces and wander from person to person. ( )