Possession is a heartfelt mystery containing a beautiful sync of double-plots. Two researchers are getting to the bottom of a secret love affair between two Victorian poets. One is a spiritual Darwinist (if that's not an oxymoron) and the other is a devout lesbian (if that's not another oxymoron!). Along the way they decipher old letters that pose enigmas behind the secret relationship, while trying to maintain distance from the corrupt establishments that are hot on their trails in the wake of their discovery. As the novel progresses, they discover new feelings about their own relationship as well. The two plots mesh fantastically at the end, as all the mysteries come to a satisfying conclusion, with several ironies to wit. There is a twist, and it's kind of predictable, but that doesn't detract this from being a phenomenal book. It's one of those books that are perfect for cuddling up with near a fire on a cold, wet day. The intermittent snippets of poetry and letters fit in perfectly throughout the book (I can see how this might bother those who are only interested in researchers' plot). The poetry is fantastical, epic, and beautiful. The letters, while being highly revelatory, are incredibly diverse in prose, as Byatt writes from the perspective of numerous peoples past and present. There are convincing themes of "biological feminism" that recalls the mythology of Gaia while the fringe science of the Darwinist era still attempted to reason from spiritualism. There is also a strong emotional undertone of familial congruence that blossoms delightfully, like all the vast species of flowers Byatt recalls throughout the book. I highly recommend this to intellectuals, lovers of mythological poetry, romantics, and people who don't mind a massive amount of detail in describing quaint, petite settings. This didn't win the 1990 Booker Prize for nothing, I promise you.
No comments:
Post a Comment