I am still processing this wonderful book. It is incredible what Byatt has achieved in these, barely, 600 pages of literary orgasm.

Just like a book crafted by Umberto Eco, Byatt uses the pretext of an accidental literary discovery to masterfully address the rampant charlatanism in the academic world of universities, feminism in English literature, lesbianism in the Victorian era, and a long etcetera of themes and topics. For this, she makes use of an endless number of different literary voices, all managed with brilliant mastery: poetry, diaries, the epistolary genre... everything is valid to introduce us, and in what way, into the strange mystery concerning two poets who "lived" in the 19th century.

And no, don't bother looking for books written by Randolph Henry Ash or Christabel La Motte... both are the product of the author's imagination.

It took me an incredibly long time to finally get around to reading this particular book. However, upon doing so, I discovered that it is yet another prime example of a literary work that truly merits all the excitement and praise it has received.

It is a glorious and seamless mixture of various styles, with highly realised pastiches that add depth and texture to the narrative. The plot is so compulsively engaging that it keeps the reader hooked from start to finish. What's more, the author is never afraid to indulge in lengthy and thoroughly entertaining digressions. These digressions, far from being distractions, actually enhance the overall reading experience by providing additional insights and perspectives.

After devouring this book, I was so impressed that I immediately sought out all of her other novels. To my delight, I found that each one is rewarding in its own unique way, offering a wealth of literary pleasures and thought-provoking ideas. It is clear that this author is a true master of her craft, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

A truly ghastly accident occurred at a printer in Kent. This unfortunate incident led to a rather strange outcome. As many as 1,000 copies of Tennyson's renowned work In Memoriam were printed with a peculiar error. On every verso side, instead of the expected content related to Tennyson's poem, pages from Tom Clancy's work were found.

When this strange discovery was brought to the attention of AS Byatt, she reacted in a rather thoughtful manner. Stroking her chin, she said, "Well hold on a minute. What have we got here..."

This incident not only raised eyebrows but also left many wondering how such a mix-up could have happened at the printer. It surely added an unexpected twist to the printing process and the fate of those 1,000 copies. Video review

This book is everything that a Booker prize winner should be, by which I mean it's pretentious and impenetrable.

A S Byatt is an incredibly clever and talented author, but this book just reads like a vehicle for her to show us exactly how clever she is. After about 120 pages I just gave up. I read this on a Kindle and when it told me that I was going to spend the next 2 hours reading a chapter consisting entirely of turgid, purple correspondence between two 19th century poets, I was faced with a difficult choice. I could either put the book down or resort to self-harm. Naturally, I chose the former.

Consider this sentence, picked at random: "It is done. BY FIAT. I spoke Thunder - and said - so it shall be - and there will be no questions now - or ever - and to this absolute Proposition I have - like all Tyrants - meek acquiescence." This kind of overly flowery and convoluted language goes on for pages. I don't consider myself to be easily defeated when it comes to difficult books, but reading this was like trying to march through custard. It was slow, laborious, and just plain frustrating. And it really shouldn't take 2 pages to describe a bathroom.

The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is... nope. Scratch that. I can't think of one. It really deserves only 1 star. This book is a prime example of style over substance, and it's a real disappointment.

It is truly astounding how naturally and fluidly this book progresses.

It traverses through past centuries and present ages of poetry and literature, serving as a remarkable record.

The people of the present have an unquenchable need to know the passions that drove those of before.

Everyone desires to understand what happened in their own unique way, to fathom the person behind the particular passage that touched their heart and shaped their future.

The ending is exquisitely balanced. Although the old love was not fully realized, it bore fruit generations later in a new love.

This new love amazes me with its comprehensive understanding of all aspects of the 'romance' issue.

And let's not forget the poetry. The quality of it is simply incredible.

I would give anything to have more of Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte beyond the confines of this story.

Since that is not possible, I shall have to reread it on numerous occasions in the future.

And, of course, I will update this review accordingly.

Unreadable. I had to stop.

The characters were blah and the story moved at a snail's pace. There are so many more books to read I couldn't waste any more time on this one.

Still reading...

It started out pretty good, set in London. Roland, a young research assistant, is looking at musty old books in the London library and finds a letter written by a famous 19th century poet (named Ash) to an unknown woman. What then ensues is a literary quest to discover the woman for whom the letter was intended, all the while hiding the existence of the letter from other colleagues in the field who are studying the poet.

Now about 200 odd pages in (out of 550), I find the plot slowing as the main character has now discovered who the letter was to (a reclusive female poet of the same era named Christabel) and has teamed up with a woman, Maud, who has made her academic life out of interpreting the supposed female-centric, sexual overtones of Christabel's writing. The academic duo have now found a collection of the poets' entire correspondance and are reading them together.

An inordinate amount of pages was devoted to describing Maud's glorious golden hair and how it is a symbol of her rampant and vulnerable sexuality that she tries to hide by keeping it imprisoned in a large head scarf except for those moments when her hair is needed to further the tepid romance between her and Roland.

So far I am feeling.. Eh.

Another work of fiction in my series, but it's a rather ambiguous one.

You can easily view this work as an historical source as well. Of course, it's not a real one; this book was written in 1990. However, it evokes the Victorian period in such a realistic manner that it's almost like a document from the middle of the 19th Century. I know it's tricky, but I'm still willing to defend this claim.

Byatt has recreated the lives of two fictional Victorian poets with an abundance of detail and conviction. These "creatures" truly come to life, and along with them, they evoke the entire world they inhabited, both the real and the imagined (both are relevant). We get to experience the Victorian age as if it were our own.

At the same time, Byatt cleverly illustrates the relativity of all historical work. In her novel, she also portrays some literary historians from the end of the 20th Century as fictional characters. These historians boast about their perfect knowledge of the two Victorian poets. But as more and more sources surface, they have to admit that there were vast and fundamental aspects of the lives of these two people that they knew nothing about. And so, all their ambitious conclusions about the poets' work turn out to be almost worthless. The epilogue of the book clearly shows that you can never truly know the past as it actually was.

Consider these quotes: "There are things that happen and leave no discernible trace, are not spoken or written of, though it would be very wrong to say that subsequent events go on indifferently, all the same, as though such things had never been." And "A man is the history of his breaths and thoughts, acts, atoms and wounds, love indifference and dislike, also of his race and nation, the soil that fed him and his forbears, the stones and sands of his familiar places, long-silenced battles and struggles of conscience, of the smiles of girls and the slow utterance of old women, of accidents and the gradual action of inexorable law, of all this and something else, too, a single flame which in every way obeys the laws that pertain to Fire itself, and yet is lit and put out from one moment to the next, and can never be relumed in the whole waste of time to come." How true they are! I think every serious historian should read this work and be humbled.

One of the masterpieces of the 20th century, an essential and complex work, and at the same time a very satisfying way to get to know one of the best living narrators. This work holds a special place in the literary world. It is not only a display of the narrator's excellent writing skills but also a profound exploration of various themes. Through the vivid description of characters and the intricate plot, readers can be drawn into a unique literary world. The complexity of the story makes it a challenging read, but the satisfaction that comes from understanding and appreciating it is indescribable. It is a work that demands careful study and reflection, and it will surely leave a deep impression on those who have the opportunity to read it.

Love this book!

The first time I read it, I thought it was just okay. However, the next time I picked it up, it completely blew my mind!

This is a truly fabulous book. It has so many wonderful aspects that draw you in and keep you engaged from start to finish.

The story is captivating, filled with interesting characters and unexpected twists. The writing style is engaging and makes it easy to lose yourself in the world of the book.

Whether you're a fan of fiction or just looking for a good read, this book is definitely worth checking out. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a great story.

I can't wait to read it again and discover even more of its hidden gems. ♥

"Possessione - Una storia romantica" is an astonishing and complex novel. It directly falls into the category of metafiction. The author, A. S. Byatt, bases the plot on various levels. The academic Roland Mitchell and Maud Bailey, who seemingly appear to be the main protagonists, actually lead the reader to relive the passionate story of two Victorian poets, Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel Lamotte. These latter are fictional poets, completely invented by Byatt, but her way of telling seems so real that they could have truly existed in mid-19th century England. All this is seasoned with excerpts of poems, fragments of letters, diaries and various correspondences, in order to emotionally involve us, the spectators, in the search for the solution to the mystery.

The narrative follows a continuous crescendo, until it reaches an ending that surely we could not have imagined for most of the reading.

"Possessione" is not a reading for everyone as at the beginning it may seem disorienting and complicated to follow: the writing style is to be considered erudite, rich in descriptions and literary references.

So don't expect a smooth and light reading, but that slowness necessary to fully enjoy the story should be taken into account.

The article was indeed well written.

It had a certain charm that made it both intriguing and romantic to read.

The words seemed to flow smoothly, creating an engaging atmosphere.

However, despite its qualities, it didn't quite manage to stand out for me.

Perhaps it lacked that unique spark or something that would make it truly memorable.

It was good, but not great in my opinion.

There were moments that caught my attention, but overall, it didn't leave a lasting impression.

Maybe with a few more tweaks or a different approach, it could have been more outstanding.

Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable read.

Recommendations for this period! "Passion represents a monumental work in which diaries, letters, and, of course, the Victorian atmosphere are included; the latter has made the reading all the more delicious!

"A home is a great thing."

"And curiosity is an important force in people's lives."

"In our lives, all of us, there are things that we know in this brief and allusive way, deliberately neglecting to explore them."

"Ultimately, letters do not exclude only the reader as a co-author, predictor, or guesser, but also the reader as a simple reader; they are designed, if they are truly letters, for a unique reader."

"This often happens in life. We become consistent and orderly when it is too late, for insufficient reasons and, perhaps, walking in the wrong direction."

This work "Passion" offers a rich and immersive experience. The combination of diaries and letters gives us a peek into the minds and emotions of the characters, while the Victorian atmosphere adds a touch of elegance and mystery. It makes us realize the importance of curiosity in our lives and how we often overlook the things that are right in front of us. The idea that letters are for a unique reader is also quite interesting, as it emphasizes the personal and intimate nature of communication. And finally, the observation about becoming consistent and orderly too late is a reminder that we should not wait until it's too late to make positive changes in our lives.