A. S. Byatt has a new one out called The Children's Book. Cooksin loves Possession by her, but as far as I know hasn't gotten around to reading this one. Here's a not-so-glowing review from Publishers Weekly:
Byatt's overstuffed latest wanders from Victorian 1895 through the end of WWI, alighting on subjects as diverse as puppetry, socialism, women's suffrage and the Boer War, and suffers from an unaccountably large cast. The narrative centers on two deeply troubled families of the British artistic intelligentsia: the Fludds and the Wellwoods. Olive Wellwood, the matriarch, is an author of children's books, and their darkness hints at hidden family miseries. The Fludds' secrets are never completely exposed, but the suicidal fits of the father, a celebrated potter, and the disengaged sadness of the mother and children add up to a chilling family history. Byatt's interest in these artists lies with the pain their work indirectly causes their loved ones and the darkness their creations conceal and reveal. The other strongest thread in the story is sex; though the characters' social consciences tend toward the progressive, each of the characters' liaisons are damaging, turning high-minded talk into sinister predation. The novel's moments of magic and humanity, malignant as they may be, are too often interrupted by information dumps that show off Byatt's extensive research. Buried somewhere in here is a fine novel.
Do any of you other readers like Byatt? Have any of you read this one?
7 comments:
I'm almost afraid to say this is on my list, too.
Can I pick 'em, or what!
You can pick 'em. I'm definitely adding this to my "to read" list!
I gotta say - it sounds pretty chewy. Gnaw.
I read "Angels & Insects" and liked it. my sister went to hear her speak in Sacramento, and said she was very interesting.
Yay, I feel loved. I like all of her books. They made a great movie out of Angels & Insects, but I became a Gwenyth Paltrow hater when I saw her version of Possession. This latest endeavor is at the top of my Christmas list.
Don, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to find your question! Eric and I are both happy there's two more books in the Wheel of Time series. There was no way in "beep" they could have ended it well in one book.
Post a Comment