Yes, I must confess my initial dismissal of this novel (10 years ago) has evolved quite a lot, from 2 stars to a solid 4 stars. Marvellous stuff that is far warmer than perhaps I gave it credit for in my nebbishly intellectual youth. ( )

This book made me work so hard for well over 450 pages of its 600 or so. To be very honest, I mostly powered through because I’m a stubborn idiot sometimes. But then, the last part suddenly picked up the pace, developed a recognisable plot, added some mystery and intrige, and even a welcome dose of humour.
This book is well written, it makes you look at difficult themes from all kinds of angles, it makes you ponder it when you’re doing other stuff. That said, I’m glad I’m finished with it. ( )

Two scholars, a post-doc, Roland, and a professor, Maud, research two Victorian poets. This begins with Roland's finding two unfinished letters from the male poet, Reginald Ash, to an unknown woman. This sends him on a quest, on which Maud joins him, in finding out more about the two figures. The woman turns out to be a poetess, Christobel LaMotte, which I took to be a thinly disguised Christina Rosetti, whereas Ash, an amalgamation of several Victorian poets. There are more letters, diaries, poems found, and several other scholars, professors, and a collector of Ash/LaMotte memorabilia wish to possess this "treasure trove", plus a box and its contents buried with Ash by his wife. I did skip over the poetry but did read the other writings. They revealed a love affair between Ash and LaMotte. I did like the fairy tale "The glass coffin." The writing was gorgeous and very vivid. The novel was worthwhile reading and I enjoyed it. ( )

Immersive, atmospheric, moody, intriguing, romantic; this is #DarkAcademia and #NoPlotJustVibes for sure!

While “Possession: a Romance” by A S Byatt will not be for everyone (and wow could I see why people wouldn’t like this) I loved it, and for the “right” reader, you will love it too.

A recent title I could compare it to would be Catherine Lacy�s “Biography of X“ in that it deep dives into the life and times of a person— two actually— who were great creative figures, Victorian poets. It does so to the point where it feels as if these people were real. Byatt has crafted letters and whole bodies of work and the subsequent research published on these works. If, while reading, you were intrigued to know a poem that was referenced… you’ll get to read it!

The way we are given the information is a slow, thorough unfurling. We learn alongside our scholars, Roland and Maud, and for this, their scenes take up only a third of the novel. And yet, I still found myself rooting for and feeling close to them, perhaps because I am there, a silent third wheel, nose in antique letters, and nestled in the corner of a chilly room while the snow falls.

This book is so atmospheric, with glorious scenes, both Autumnal and Wintery. The spaces we visit are fully realized and carry a distinct mood. It’s as if you can smell the pages (or is that just, actually, my book) are squinting by candlelight, able to nearly see your breath in a small room overlooking the fields. It’s a University library, it’s Maud’s Burberry trench, it’s dark, and inspired, and full of the kind of passion that comes from connection of the minds … But it’s oh so quiet, slow, patient.

We spent a ton of time in the correspondence of these two Victorian poets and an adjacent accounts from family and friends, as well as their literary works, but we do get some moments of them tucked in from a closer perspective.

The language was gorgeous. Such a worthy place to call home and to then make your entire personality when you finish. (see bio quote) It’s 555 pages and packed full of words. I read this over seven days. It was also the only work of any kind I was reading at the time. I just let myself go slow. I didn’t want it to end.

I would recommend this to someone who loves literature, specifically poetry, and actually enjoyed getting their English degree or dissecting books in school. If you’re here for a vibe and to get taken on a slow-burn journey… pick it up. I’m not kidding I’ve already bought secondhand copies of her quartet and bind up of two novellas. Her work is amazing! Let’s say if “Biography of X”, “Babel”, “The Secret History” and “How to Lose the Time War” all had a baby… and that baby was unbothered about any potential short attention spans for its readers— you’d get “Possession”. Read at you own risk! ( )

The story is interesting but slow. The characters lack depth and it is hard to get behind them - I found myself wanting to cheer for someone, anyone! The literary references are interesting but too long - you lose the plot in all the "excerpted" reading. I really wanted to finish it because one of my favorite authors seems to have used this particular book as a point of departure from his own book. Now I am just "Lost" to both. ( )