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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Loved Morpho Eugenia. Had more trouble with the angels.
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.
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
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.
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
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.
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.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I read Angels & Insects because I quite enjoyed the mid-90's film of the same title, based on the first of the two novellas featured in this book.
Now that I've finished both novellas I feel like I've just returned from a battle. Fatigued, limping, bleeding (if I were smarter I would make an ant analogy here; but I'm not).
This has been quite an unusual experience...whenever I thought I couldn't go on, something would appear and pick my interest enough to go on. I'm talking mainly about The Conjugal Angel here, the 2nd novella. I nearly abandoned the thing cca the first third in.
Morpho Eugenia is a pleasant enough story, quite easy to read, apart from the excerpts from the written work of the characters. I suppose it ads a little...colour, but for me, too little to merit their inclusion.
I saw someone point out in their review, that especially Matty's fairytale towards the end absolutely annihilates the flow of the story. I suppose I do see why the author included it, but at the same time I definitely could have done without it, let alone some those philosophical bits preceding it in the novella (let's just say our hero wasn't a very riveting author...).
The Conjugal Angel was a less enjoyable experience. Reading it I periodically went through bouts of interest and despair. I didn't find the style of the prose (actually different to the one used in ME) easy at all, had to re-read passages and sometimes go way way back.
You see, I'm not a native English speaker. I know of Tennyson, but never read any of the poems (and can't say I'll be hurrying to do it now, to be honest). Hallam I'd never even heard of until this book, and for a while got confused and thought he was Tennyson's brother, and not Emily's. So a mess, partly brought on by my ignorance, partly because the style didn't exactly help people like me, who had barely any knowledge of the basic facts it was referring to.
A note:
But good on Byatt for sneaking some gay into this book. Yay for gay.
Now that I've finished both novellas I feel like I've just returned from a battle. Fatigued, limping, bleeding (if I were smarter I would make an ant analogy here; but I'm not).
This has been quite an unusual experience...whenever I thought I couldn't go on, something would appear and pick my interest enough to go on. I'm talking mainly about The Conjugal Angel here, the 2nd novella. I nearly abandoned the thing cca the first third in.
Morpho Eugenia is a pleasant enough story, quite easy to read, apart from the excerpts from the written work of the characters. I suppose it ads a little...colour, but for me, too little to merit their inclusion.
I saw someone point out in their review, that especially Matty's fairytale towards the end absolutely annihilates the flow of the story. I suppose I do see why the author included it, but at the same time I definitely could have done without it, let alone some those philosophical bits preceding it in the novella (let's just say our hero wasn't a very riveting author...).
The Conjugal Angel was a less enjoyable experience. Reading it I periodically went through bouts of interest and despair. I didn't find the style of the prose (actually different to the one used in ME) easy at all, had to re-read passages and sometimes go way way back.
You see, I'm not a native English speaker. I know of Tennyson, but never read any of the poems (and can't say I'll be hurrying to do it now, to be honest). Hallam I'd never even heard of until this book, and for a while got confused and thought he was Tennyson's brother, and not Emily's. So a mess, partly brought on by my ignorance, partly because the style didn't exactly help people like me, who had barely any knowledge of the basic facts it was referring to.
A note:
But good on Byatt for sneaking some gay into this book. Yay for gay.