This is a novel I originally picked up because it is was on my banned book list.......also the cover is amazingly gorgeous. It took me about 50 pages to even care what was happening, then I would deviate between engrossment and blind with boredom.
The book is a totally fictional account of two Victorian era poets being studied by two modern day scholars through letters written by the poets. Many parts of the book are amazing! It is amazing that Byatt was able to conjure up these two poets from imagination, plus their writings......some of which are terribly interesting.........some are hideously boring (I am possibly too daft to know any better). Byatt is also carrying off multiple story lines in multiple eras. I ended up enjoying the present day scholars more than the poets........R.H. Ash and Christabel Lamotte.
There are also completely fictitious fairy tales written by the Ash or LaMotte. These were superb. This book has been called a fabulous work of literature by others..........so I feel slightly stupid not enjoying it. As of yet I cannot complete the book. I will keep trying until the library comes calling. I have already started and finished 3 other books since the time I started reading this one.
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