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jenmcmaynes's review against another edition
3.0
A bit of a mixed bag. The first novella in this collection, Morpho Eugenia, is well-written and plotted. The story of a Victorian man of science and his ill-fated marriage in a well-bred house deals with the Victorian struggles of science vs. religion, classism, and morality (in a "what separates man from beasts?" type way). The metaphors are not subtle; the insects and angels are present on nearly every page. But the story itself cracks along and I couldn't put it down.
The second story, The Conjugial Angel, is much weaker. This one deals with the Victorians' obsession with spiritualism and death. Unlike the first novella, it features multiple narrators, and suffers for it; their voices are too similar. Also, the story revolves around Tennyson's younger sister and a doomed romance with another poet... which meant that A LOT of poetry was quoted. And I prefer my poetry in much smaller doses, and without lengthy digressions into its meaning and each character's reaction to it.
So, 4 stars for Morpho Eugenia and 2 for The Conjugial Angel for an average of 3.
The second story, The Conjugial Angel, is much weaker. This one deals with the Victorians' obsession with spiritualism and death. Unlike the first novella, it features multiple narrators, and suffers for it; their voices are too similar. Also, the story revolves around Tennyson's younger sister and a doomed romance with another poet... which meant that A LOT of poetry was quoted. And I prefer my poetry in much smaller doses, and without lengthy digressions into its meaning and each character's reaction to it.
So, 4 stars for Morpho Eugenia and 2 for The Conjugial Angel for an average of 3.
elaineruss's review
3.0
There are very few authors in my mind that even come close to having the command of language Byatt has and, rarer still, she is an author that credits her reader with as much intelligence as she herself possesses.
That being said, "Angels and Insects" just didn't deliver for me. It's wonderfully written (of course) but it didn't quite enrapture me the way Byatt's other novels and short stories, in particular, have.
There are two novellas within the book which explore, in turn, the Victorian fascination with the rather conflicting ideas of science and spiritualism.
Full review here
That being said, "Angels and Insects" just didn't deliver for me. It's wonderfully written (of course) but it didn't quite enrapture me the way Byatt's other novels and short stories, in particular, have.
There are two novellas within the book which explore, in turn, the Victorian fascination with the rather conflicting ideas of science and spiritualism.
Full review here
camilleisreading24's review
4.0
This collection contains two excellent novellas. The first, "Morpho Eugenia," is about a naturalist, back from a research expedition in the Amazon and staying for a while with an aristocratic family in England. He falls in love with and marries the eldest daughter, Eugenia, and his scientific inquiries blind him to the secrets held by his new family. The tale was pretty good but all of William's writings about insects and religion grew stale. However, a fairytale/myth written by one of the other characters was quite good. As in 'Possession,' A.S. Byatt shows off her knack of creating fictional masterpieces by her characters.
I enjoyed the second tale more and found it easier to get through. In "The Conjugal Angel" a group of spiritualists -- one of whom is the sister of Alfred Lord Tennyson -- awaken a spirit. Perhaps because I love Poe and Tennyson (both of whom are referenced often and quoted prodigiously), I also loved this story. It was resonant and ended on an uplifting note. The only weakness I discern is the reappearance at the very end of a sailor presumed shipwrecked. I didn't find it believable and his continued disappearance was more moving and haunting than this (somewhat trite) ending.
I enjoyed the second tale more and found it easier to get through. In "The Conjugal Angel" a group of spiritualists -- one of whom is the sister of Alfred Lord Tennyson -- awaken a spirit. Perhaps because I love Poe and Tennyson (both of whom are referenced often and quoted prodigiously), I also loved this story. It was resonant and ended on an uplifting note. The only weakness I discern is the reappearance at the very end of a sailor presumed shipwrecked. I didn't find it believable and his continued disappearance was more moving and haunting than this (somewhat trite) ending.
ursulab's review
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
blakeisgreene's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
ccallan's review
4.0
A couple decades ago someone gave me A.S. Byatt's Possession, which I loved. I'd never before or since read a book that was as good a piece of literary history as a whodunnit. And beautifully written. So you'd think I'd have gone through a bunch more of her books since then, but honestly I never touched another one.
Recently I thought I'd remedy that oversight by picking up this one. And it delivered the same magic as the first novel, though this time in the form of the two novellas. I was immediately captured by the first novela, Morpho Eugenia, which returned to her favorite era of Victorian country life. She chose a (now) classic theme of the Darwin-admiring naturalist trying to fit in with proper English society, and having a rough go of it. But as she tells the tale you don't even realize she's sucked you into a Victorian style as well, of polite but keenly observed insights, long sentences with lots of clauses. But these sentences don't make it hard going as much 19th century writing does. Instead, her prose sails along, until at times it culminates in beautiful long lists that I had to stop and read over again slowly just to savor the rhythm and the images portrayed.
"Her shoulders and bust rose white and flawless from the froth of tulle and tarlatan like Aphrodite from the foam." "Under his gaze the whole wood-floor became alive with movement, a centipede, various beetles, a sanguine shiny red worm, rabbit pellets, a tiny breast feather, a grass smeared with the eggs of some moth or butterfly, violets opening, conical entrance holes with fine dust inside, a swaying twig, a shifting pebble." If found it mesmerizing.
The second novela, The Conjugial Angel, then turns to another classic Victorian theme, the seance and Swedenborgian efforts to contact the dead. It's tangentially related to the first tale, but heads off in a different direction. This one required a bit more taste for Victorian poetry than I've got, and I confess to skimming a few pages where a character debates precisely the right image or word for a poem.
So my decades-long wait was rewarded, and hopefully I won't wait so long to read another.
Recently I thought I'd remedy that oversight by picking up this one. And it delivered the same magic as the first novel, though this time in the form of the two novellas. I was immediately captured by the first novela, Morpho Eugenia, which returned to her favorite era of Victorian country life. She chose a (now) classic theme of the Darwin-admiring naturalist trying to fit in with proper English society, and having a rough go of it. But as she tells the tale you don't even realize she's sucked you into a Victorian style as well, of polite but keenly observed insights, long sentences with lots of clauses. But these sentences don't make it hard going as much 19th century writing does. Instead, her prose sails along, until at times it culminates in beautiful long lists that I had to stop and read over again slowly just to savor the rhythm and the images portrayed.
"Her shoulders and bust rose white and flawless from the froth of tulle and tarlatan like Aphrodite from the foam." "Under his gaze the whole wood-floor became alive with movement, a centipede, various beetles, a sanguine shiny red worm, rabbit pellets, a tiny breast feather, a grass smeared with the eggs of some moth or butterfly, violets opening, conical entrance holes with fine dust inside, a swaying twig, a shifting pebble." If found it mesmerizing.
The second novela, The Conjugial Angel, then turns to another classic Victorian theme, the seance and Swedenborgian efforts to contact the dead. It's tangentially related to the first tale, but heads off in a different direction. This one required a bit more taste for Victorian poetry than I've got, and I confess to skimming a few pages where a character debates precisely the right image or word for a poem.
So my decades-long wait was rewarded, and hopefully I won't wait so long to read another.
nunuseli's review
Mira que 'Posesión' es uno de los libros que más quiero, pero no hubo manera de terminar 'Ángeles e insectos' por más que lo intenté. Sin embargo, no descarto volverlo a intentar en el futuro.