For today’s post, I have decided to do a review of the book Possession by A.S. Byatt. I just recently decided to pick up this incredible work of fiction to re-read it. It is a book that is delightful with each and every re-read!
The story follows academics Roland and Maud as they research a here-to-undiscovered link between Victorian poets Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte. Roland is an aspiring expert on the works of Ash and Maud is the foremost expert on the works of LaMotte. The two meet after Roland makes a discovery of two early drafts of a letter from Ash to an unknown female poet. These letters intrigue Roland as they do not sound like Ash’s usual correspondence.
This leads him to meet Maud and both of them on a whirlwind adventure to put together the mystery of the romance between Ash and LaMotte! The book is layered with much poetry, and history of the Victorian period, and tells the story of two sets of lovers, one in 1986 and the other in Victorian England. There is also a lot of knowledge of the Norse myths, a great subject of the fictional Ash, and the story of the faery Melusina, whom the fictional LaMotte wrote an epic poem about. Finally, I greatly adore the references to Victorian Spiritualism practices. It is an intriguing way to tie together the whole complex tapestry of this book!
I hope that you have enjoyed this short review. I highly recommend this amazing book to anyone with a love of great literary romance or literary theory. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is the cover of the book. I found the image on https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41219.Possession.
Further Reading
- Possession: A Romance by A.S. Byatt
White Rose of Avalon 