After reading "Possession," I truly do not have a clue why I've never read the author A.S. Byatt before. This is the first novel in a long time that has left me begging for more. I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that Byatt has reminded why I'm so in love with the written word.
Now that I've sung its praises, I should explain what "Possession" is about. The novel follows Roland Michell and Maud Bailey, two scholars of Victorian poets Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel Lamotte, who are thrown together unexpectedly when Roland discovers letters that link Ash and Lamotte. Through further investigation, Roland and Maud uncover that Ash and Lamotte were having a secret affair despite Ash being married and Lamotte having a lesbian lover. Knowing full well what a revelation of this kind would do to the world of academia, Roland and Maud set out to find as much as they can of Ash and Lamotte's letters, determined to see how their love story ended.
The beauty of this novel is that it crosses so many genres in its 555 pages. Even though Ash and Lamotte are fictitious poets, Byatt includes selections of their poetry and stories throughout "Possession." Letters and journals of various characters also pepper the book's pages. Despite "Possession" being a hefty read, it doesn't feel that way with the variety in writing style.
I couldn't put this book down until I finally found out what happened to Ash and Lamotte. Despite "A Romance" being in the novel's title, it also had all the traits of a good mystery as well. Male readers, don't be deterred! You may be happily surprised.
P.S. Some of you may be familiar with the movie version of "Possession" that was made in 2002. Although I think the novel is far superior, it's worth checking out.
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| Jennifer Ehle as Lamotte & Jeremy Northam as Ash |
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