"The reputation of British novelist A. S. Byatt soared in this country after the publication of Possession. Winner of England's 1990 Booker Prize, Possession was the critical and commercial success that called national attention to a writer of extraordinary gifts. Yet it was clear even upon publication of her first book, The Shadow of the Sun, that Byatt possessed unusual perception and promise. Her debut novel, said the Times Literary Supplement of London in 1964, "suggests that before long Mrs. Byatt may achieve a considerable reputation."" "The Shadow of the Sun is the story of sensitive seventeen-year old Anna Severell, who struggles to discover and develop her own personality in the shadow of her father, Henry Severell, a renowned British novelist. In the introduction to this edition A. S. Byatt looks back on the novel's genesis and on the problems she faced as a woman writing her first novel."… (more)
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(3.41)
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Plot Summary: The central characters are a famous writer, Henry Severell, and his over-shadowed, touchy daughter Anna. The writer is not just any renowned father but a possessed, manic-depressive "great" artist barely engaged with the rest of his family, absorbed by his work. The daughter is conflicted, resentful, passive aggressive and, in some ways, much like her father. Other major characters include the writer's wife, his lead critic and the critic's wife. The story is about the relationships between and among a great artist and two almost-artists plus the support team, the wives. It is also about the roles of women, as wives and in their own lives. The storyline takes us from the period just before Anna goes to university and the time she maybe makes a definite decision about what she will be doing with herself.
Remarks: The edition I read is a reprint and includes an introduction by Byatt. I recommend the introduction. Together, the introduction and the novel kicked off at least half a dozen TBRs for me.
4.5 stars (