November Group Read (2017) - Possession by A.S. Byatt

[Paula]

This is only the second novel I own in which I have underlined, taken margin notes and written lengthy lists on the back cover. Byatt's characters researching and digging for nuggets of gold stirs the "information junkie" in me. Since this is a re-read (for me), I know things get moving soon, but the beginning doesn't bog me down at all. In fact, I wish I could be Roland and Maud!

[WndyJW]

I am struggling to keep going. I appreciate the work; Byatt created fairly fleshed out characters, a sense of place in the various locations, and she certainly shows a thorough knowledge of Victorian prose and poetry (I say knowing nothing about Victorian poetry.) I am impressed that she wrote these epic poems for a novel, but the number of letters and journals reporting on daily life is bogging the story down for me. I feel like she put everything she ever wanted to write about in this book. I hope if takes a turn soon or I fear I will not be finishing it.

[M]

WndyJW wrote: "I am struggling to keep going. I appreciate the work; Byatt created fairly fleshed out characters, a sense of place in the various locations, and she certainly shows a thorough knowledge of Victori..."
I will say Wndy that from about page 340 ish it became much less rough-going! Also second the epic poems thing, that was true dedication. They were enjoyable to read, although I did get the sense, from having read the Brownings, that we were reading a third-rate mixture of the two, but they were still pleasant odes to two of the greatest poets who have ever lived, so I think one of the merits of the book.

[Sophie]

Paula wrote: "This is only the second novel I own in which I have underlined, taken margin notes and written lengthy lists on the back cover. Byatt's characters researching and digging for nuggets of gold stirs ..."

That's a great idea, I think I'm going to start annotating as there is just so much to absorb in this novel! I'm enjoying it so far, but keep getting a wee bit lost in the sheer amount of information.

[WndyJW]

After much skimming, checking back that I didn't miss anything, I finally finished. I can only give it 3 ⭐️. I think the plot and characters and sense of place, along with the mystery and outrunning the other scholars, and the surprise ending would have been great fun if not bogged down by letters and journals that weren't essential to the plot. Although I know they were in some way essential. I know the fault lies with me, not Ms Byatt, because it was quite an accomplishment on her part. I'm glad to have read it though.

[Hugh]

I disagree - if the letters, journals, poems, fairytales, digressions and everything else that gave this book such wonderful depth were omitted, the result would be much diminished and far less interesting.

[WndyJW]

I don't disagree with that Hugh. It all worked together to create the story and the relationships and the story would not have been as rich. I was just impatient with them. I know its a reflection on me, not the book that I couldnt relax into the story and just go where it took me.

[Neil]

I'm with Hugh on this. I think the "non-essentials" add a lot to the book.

[Maxwell]

I would agree with Neil & Hugh that those elements are essential to the story. But I also agree with WndyJW that they bogged it down for me. I think it's a matter of personal preference. I found them often difficult to get through, and only in hindsight did I see the value they added to the whole story. Not really sure what Byatt could've done to make me care about them more, which is why I think it's just a matter of taste.

[Paula]

Hugh wrote: "I disagree - if the letters, journals, poems, fairytales, digressions and everything else that gave this book such wonderful depth were omitted, the result would be much diminished and far less int..."

The letters especially add to the development of the two characters. Because they existed in the past, we need some device to help us understand them. So I'm finding some redeeming value here.

[WndyJW]

The letters were essential to the unfolding of the relationship and the journals were needed to move the mystery along, and I think for serious fans of the Victorian era reading Ellen Ash's concerns and chores would be very interesting. I see how essential it all was so I can't offer a strong defense of my impatience.

[Michiko]

This is such a great book because it could have so easily been just a love story, but it isn't. My favorite part of the story is Professor Mortimer Cropper. It seems ridiculous to have a villain in a book like this (an AMERICAN villain at that) yet there he is. I love when serious books have a fun side and vice versa. I like to imagine Byatt sitting at a desk, carefully writing pages and pages of poetry, and at the same time coming up with these ridiculous caricatures of people like Cropper, Fergus and Leonora. What did everyone think about all of the stereotypes (of Americans, Brits, scholars, feminists, etc.)?

[Dan]

”Michiko wrote: “I like to imagine Byatt sitting at a desk, carefully writing pages and pages of poetry, and at the same time coming up with these ridiculous caricatures of people like Cropper, Fergus and Leonora. What did everyone think about all of the stereotypes (of Americans, Brits, scholars, feminists, etc.)?”

Michiko, your rendering of Byatt at her desk is lovely. I thought that the caricatures were great fun. One of beauties of Possession is that Byatt succeeded in mixing humor, satire, romance, and serious commentary together into a single, cohesive, readable novel. 

[Corey]

Started this yesterday and am really enjoying it! The poems and letters aren't bothering me too much right now and I really love the writing.

[Paula]

Michiko wrote: "This is such a great book because it could have so easily been just a love story, but it isn't. My favorite part of the story is Professor Mortimer Cropper. It seems ridiculous to have a villain in..."

I enjoy the way Byatt gives each one a distinctive voice, caricature or not. Interesting the way Ash speaks to his wife so differently in his letters to her from the way he writes to Christabel. That's another reason to read the letters and journals and poems, etc. I'm almost halfway through and liking it as much as the first time.

[Corey]

Just finished and I think I'm in agreement with most people here. I enjoyed reading it and thought the writing was good. While I didn't think the letters and poems weighed me down, I was much less interested in them than I was the story. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would definitely read more Byatt.

Did anyone feel the overall impact of the novel was weakened by the inclusion of so many poems and letters? I mention this because I finished the book not really invested in or having formed any connection to any of the characters. Though I do agree with some comments here that the novel would not have worked as well without the "sources." Perhaps it is a case of the journey being what's important and not the end result? The reader's experience of navigating the path of the novel may have been Byatt's goal.

[Paula]

With the "I finished it" coming last week, I needed to let my thoughts simmer on a burner for a while before writing a review. Here it is.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
At least, I hope the link takes you there. Glad we put this one under our belts.

[Paula]

WndyJW wrote: "I'm finding it sort of a slow start. if not for all the accolades and others saying it picks up I'd probably put it down again.
This raises the question how many pgs do you read before you give up ..."

That happened to me with "The Stories of John Cheever." I was determined to finish it because I was reading all the Pulitzer winners for fiction. But I had to put it down and return to it later. Perhaps it was my mood or what went before and I needed a 'pick-me-up' book to make things brighter.

[Michiko]

In response to Corey's question... I wonder if the amount of letters and poems was meant to give the reader a of taste how academics work. They have to dig and dig through all sorts of source material without knowing if all of it is relevant to their research or not. I'm not sure if every single poem was important (or if Byatt even intended for them to be) but I think it's important that we as readers weren't just told what happened between Ash and LaMotte. We had to discover it ourselves almost as if we were the ones doing the actual detective work.

[Corey]

Michiko wrote: "In response to Corey's question... I wonder if the amount of letters and poems was meant to give the reader a of taste how academics work. They have to dig and dig through all sorts of source mater..."

I agree, Michiko! Reading the book was very much an experience and I think Byatt made sure readers would get that feeling.

[Paula]

Michiko wrote: "In response to Corey's question... I wonder if the amount of letters and poems was meant to give the reader a of taste how academics work. They have to dig and dig through all sorts of source mater..."
Michiko, that's an astute observation about how we may have purposely been, by the author, put in the position to enter the search and experience exactly what would be entailed in their actual day-to-day work. As for the poems, the much more important ones to Ash and LaMotte turned out to be the ones which helped me see their personalities and character more clearly. Aside from the main four, each of the other characters in the novel could be called supporting parts or even bit actors in the "play." I don't know the history of how she wrote this particular work, but I believe Byatt took the time necessary to think this one through

[WndyJW]

Byatt definitely took us on a literary quest with her characters. She did not spoon feed the love stories to us. I don't know if the journals and letters weakened the impact because it wasn't meant to be a fast read. I think she intended to cover a lot of ground-feminism, academia, the slow pace and attention to detail required in the life of a scholar, Victorian life, etc. I was surprised by the ending in spite of the dense journey and slow reveal.

[WndyJW]

I'm listening to a 1998 interview with A.S. Byatt about Possession. She said publishers wanted her to cut a lot of the letters and journals, but she insisted that readers have the right to skim, that she expected readers to skim a lot of the journals & letters to get to the end and hoped that then they would go back and read them. That's interesting because it sounds like that is what most readers have done.
She said she is good reader because she's a good skimmer.

[Dan]

WndyJW wrote: "I'm listening to a 1998 interview with A.S. Byatt about Possession. She said publishers wanted her to cut a lot of the letters and journals, but she insisted that readers have the right to skim, th..."

Could you post a link to the interview? Thank you.

[WndyJW]

Dan wrote: "WndyJW wrote: "I'm listening to a 1998 interview with A.S. Byatt about Possession. She said publishers wanted her to cut a lot of the letters and journals, but she insisted that readers have the ri..."

Yes, sorry, I posted the comment from my phone at work. Here's the link.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/b...

You're probably all aware of the BBC Radio4 podcast Bookclub. It's on there along with loads of excellent interviews.