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A review by savvylit
Possession by A.S. Byatt
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
At 550 pages, Possession is an absolute tome of a novel. Not only that, but it is a dense work of historical metafiction. In writing this book, A.S. Byatt created an entire oeuvre of poems by two distinct authors. Also included within the story of Possession is a plethora of letters and journals of yet even more characters of Byatt's own creation. I understand now why this book is considered to be a masterpiece. The skill and dedication it must have required to realistically portray the writings and emotions of multiple fictional people... Well, it is unfathomable to me.
All that being said, I did not actually enjoy reading Possession. Most characters were underdevolped stereotypes. The worst offender was feminist scholar Leonora Stern whose portrayal is frankly both bi- and lesbophobic. Additionally, I think that this novel was incorrectly marketed as a romance. It is not a romance in the typical sense. In fact, the actual expression of romantic love in Possession is few and far between. And, like the characters, what little there is falls flat. If anything this book is a love letter from Byatt to the scholarship of literature. Perhaps that is what was meant by the full title "Possession: A Romance."
Ultimately, though, what bothered me most was the disjointed flow of the book. This was due to the sheer amount of metatextual inserts into the overarching "mystery." Just when I began to feel invested in a character or storyline, I was dropped into a lengthy Victorian poem or a series of melancholic journal entries. I considered not finishing this book at only 200 pages into the story. However, I decided to continue out of some sense of needing to suffer at the expense of experiencing true art (TM). I will add Possession to the list of masterpieces that I read but will not revisit or recommend. (i.e. War & Peace and Infinite Jest).
All that being said, I did not actually enjoy reading Possession. Most characters were underdevolped stereotypes. The worst offender was feminist scholar Leonora Stern whose portrayal is frankly both bi- and lesbophobic. Additionally, I think that this novel was incorrectly marketed as a romance. It is not a romance in the typical sense. In fact, the actual expression of romantic love in Possession is few and far between. And, like the characters, what little there is falls flat. If anything this book is a love letter from Byatt to the scholarship of literature. Perhaps that is what was meant by the full title "Possession: A Romance."
Ultimately, though, what bothered me most was the disjointed flow of the book. This was due to the sheer amount of metatextual inserts into the overarching "mystery." Just when I began to feel invested in a character or storyline, I was dropped into a lengthy Victorian poem or a series of melancholic journal entries. I considered not finishing this book at only 200 pages into the story. However, I decided to continue out of some sense of needing to suffer at the expense of experiencing true art (TM). I will add Possession to the list of masterpieces that I read but will not revisit or recommend. (i.e. War & Peace and Infinite Jest).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Biphobia, Lesbophobia, Suicide, Body shaming, and Infidelity