Possessed

Have finished Possession by A.S. Byatt.

An incredible, gorgeous, sumptuous, dive-right-in-and-wallow novel. Such fun to read.

I loved the structure of this book - it reminded me very much of A Suitable Boy (another novel on the list - one of my all-time favourites) in the author's use of epigrams and literary sophistication. I admire an author who can go from prose to poetry and back again. It only enhances the reading experience.

The parallel tales of Randolph/Christabel and Roland/Maud were touching, profound and deeply romantic. These romances were treated with dignity, subtlety and the appropriate amount of longing - at no point did either romance seem trite or salacious.

The idea of possession is woven throughout the novel - who possesses who, who possesses what, what belongs to one person and not another, etc. The idea of possession brings out the best and worst in these characters...but it is possession and not obsession. Two very different things.

A line that Christabel speaks (in the diary of her cousin) affected me deeply, and seems entirely fitting to my ultimate goal. Her cousin speaks of a longing to be a good writer, and Christabel replies that to be a good writer, one must practice and practice and have patience - the writing will come. Indeed.

Next up: The King Of Torts by John Grisham. Yes, John Grisham. Hmmm.