Adina ( not enough time )’s review of Possession > Likes and Comments
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Thanks for this review. This goes off my list then. Because I was already doubting my choice of adding it at the time, but now that you've warned me about the poetry, I'll just.. not even try, haha.
Evelina | avalinah wrote: "Thanks for this review. This goes off my list then. Because I was already doubting my choice of adding it at the time, but now that you've warned me about the poetry, I'll just.. not even try, haha."
I am happy that I could be of assistance. :)
An honest review. I loved this book, and I am not a good poetry reader either, and I will freely admit to having skim-read the poems in it rather than trying to understand them properly.
I agree that Byatt's writing is an acquired taste, but for me it is the layers of detail that makes her creations so rich - she can't resist sharing her interests and enthusiasms.
Hugh wrote: "An honest review. I loved this book, and I am not a good poetry reader either, and I will freely admit to having skim-read the poems in it rather than trying to understand them properly.
I agree t..."
Maybe too honest.
Although I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would, I did not give up on Byatt. I read an excerpt from the Children's Book and I might try to read that at some point.
In the circumstances, I think you gave a very fair review, and I'm glad it didn't put you off Byatt altogether.
I wasn't hugely enamoured of this (I admired aspects of it, but didn't enjoy it a great deal). The Children's Book has similarities, but I found it much, much more enjoyable. Good luck!
I haven't read this book yet but have read The Children's Book twice now. I'm interested in your thoughts for that time I do get to read Possession. I like poetry, but not all poetry by any means. This is a very clear and honest review about how you feel.
Cecily wrote: "In the circumstances, I think you gave a very fair review, and I'm glad it didn't put you off Byatt altogether.
I wasn't hugely enamoured of this (I admired aspects of it, but didn't enjoy it a g..." Thank you. I thought about reading The Children's book first, i even glanced through some pages and enjoyed what i read. I regret that i chose Possesion first. I will try the author again but not right now.
Sue wrote: "I haven't read this book yet but have read The Children's Book twice now. I'm interested in your thoughts for that time I do get to read Possession. I like poetry, but not all poetry by any means. ..." Thanks. I plan to read the Children's Book as well in the future.
This is a helpful review, Adina, I appreciate it. Not sure if I should pursue reading this one now…
Jennifer wrote: "This is a helpful review, Adina, I appreciate it. Not sure if I should pursue reading this one now…" well, it depends on how much you like poetry….
Terrific (and funny) review, Adina!! And thanks for the advice! I'm not much of a poetry fan, so I think I'd better avoid this particular Byatt.😉
I do like (some) poetry but also had mixed feelings about this book. What bothered me the most was the characterization of the secondary characters and the sudden switch to an omniscient narrator which spoiled all the fun of discovering the Victorian poets through their own writing.
Curious that this popped up in my feed with comments 8years old🤷🏻♀️ I am not enthusiastic about most poetry either but somehow I fell in love with this book. I was so absorbed by the romantic mood, and it felt a little reminiscent of Austen or the Brontes. Those are the backdrops I was imagining. Somehow never followed up with other works. It's been over a decade since I read it.
It was the literary investigation that appealed to me as well, but I suspect that the version presented here is more romantic and exciting than the real thing.
Oh, I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I, too, never read poetry -- but I adored this book, not just for the complicated investigation, but because it was an investigation focused on literature!
Jodi wrote: "Terrific (and funny) review, Adina!! And thanks for the advice! I'm not much of a poetry fan, so I think I'd better avoid this particular Byatt.😉" Maybe start with another.
Jeroen wrote: "I do like (some) poetry but also had mixed feelings about this book. What bothered me the most was the characterization of the secondary characters and the sudden switch to an omniscient narrator w..." I do not remember but It probably bothered me to a point.
Xina wrote: "Curious that this popped up in my feed with comments 8years old🤷🏻♀️ I am not enthusiastic about most poetry either but somehow I fell in love with this book. I was so absorbed by the romantic mood..." You can take it a sign to re-read the novel or something else by the author. And to answer your question, I reposted the review because I got a comment on it. Since not everybody gets notifications anymore, I am trying to make my answers more visible and maybe the person I am answering to sees my comment. I also sometimes repost reviews i modify, although it was not the case here.
path wrote: "It was the literary investigation that appealed to me as well, but I suspect that the version presented here is more romantic and exciting than the real thing." Exactly! Too romantic.
Fran wrote: "Oh, I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I, too, never read poetry -- but I adored this book, not just for the complicated investigation, but because it was an investigation focused on literature!" I wished it was focused on prose :))
Karine wrote: "I didn't like it either." Sorry about that.
Another grateful GR friend here. I don't read/like poetry and I was REALLY close to click on buy. You just saved me 555 p(ages) and 99 p(ence) :-)
Sergio wrote: "Another grateful GR friend here. I don't read/like poetry and I was REALLY close to click on buy. You just saved me 555 p(ages) and 99 p(ence) :-)" maybe try her other novel, in case you want to read the author. She has some beautiful prose, I do not deny that
Lo lessi anni fa e mi piacque. Successivamente mi capitò di leggere "Il libro dei bambini" e capii che ad essere un capolavoro è quest'ultimo.
I had to laugh as I read your review as I would feel the same way. You are certainly no dummy based on what I have read in your reviews. Some people are very smart or have a good mastery of the English language. I can tell when I pause to look up the words they use and they make sense. At other times I get the feeling they are just being pretentious, as you say. I don't read much poetry as I expect words to rhyme and I am not going to stop and ponder hidden meanings. Life is too short (at my age). Excellent review, Adina.
Oh no! THis is one of my all-time favorites--and I, too, never read poetry!
I didn't need the poetry to love this book. I loved the intertwined timelines, and the literary mystery.
Thanks for an "honest review!"
You've reminded me once again of the great tragedy that has afflicted so many: a deeply flawed education system that has left you and so many others hating poetry. I too was subjected to a series of teachers who devised ways to turn everyone off poetry forever. Some of it was their fault, the rest the fault of a regime that focused on accumulating knowledge instead of learning how to think and reason and dream.
I was fortunate: Just one teacher, at a critical point, took a very different approach; she set aside all the mechanics and arcane terminology and sought to reveal the soul of the poet. I recall that she asked us just to read the 43rd sonnet in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Sonnets from the Portugese" and consider Browning's state of mind when she wrote those 14 lines.
I believe that several in that class "got it."
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Thanks for this review. This goes off my list then. Because I was already doubting my choice of adding it at the time, but now that you've warned me about the poetry, I'll just.. not even try, haha.
Evelina | avalinah wrote: "Thanks for this review. This goes off my list then. Because I was already doubting my choice of adding it at the time, but now that you've warned me about the poetry, I'll just.. not even try, haha."I am happy that I could be of assistance. :)
An honest review. I loved this book, and I am not a good poetry reader either, and I will freely admit to having skim-read the poems in it rather than trying to understand them properly. I agree that Byatt's writing is an acquired taste, but for me it is the layers of detail that makes her creations so rich - she can't resist sharing her interests and enthusiasms.
Hugh wrote: "An honest review. I loved this book, and I am not a good poetry reader either, and I will freely admit to having skim-read the poems in it rather than trying to understand them properly. I agree t..."
Maybe too honest.
Although I did not enjoy this as much as I thought I would, I did not give up on Byatt. I read an excerpt from the Children's Book and I might try to read that at some point.
In the circumstances, I think you gave a very fair review, and I'm glad it didn't put you off Byatt altogether. I wasn't hugely enamoured of this (I admired aspects of it, but didn't enjoy it a great deal). The Children's Book has similarities, but I found it much, much more enjoyable. Good luck!
I haven't read this book yet but have read The Children's Book twice now. I'm interested in your thoughts for that time I do get to read Possession. I like poetry, but not all poetry by any means. This is a very clear and honest review about how you feel.
Cecily wrote: "In the circumstances, I think you gave a very fair review, and I'm glad it didn't put you off Byatt altogether. I wasn't hugely enamoured of this (I admired aspects of it, but didn't enjoy it a g..." Thank you. I thought about reading The Children's book first, i even glanced through some pages and enjoyed what i read. I regret that i chose Possesion first. I will try the author again but not right now.
Sue wrote: "I haven't read this book yet but have read The Children's Book twice now. I'm interested in your thoughts for that time I do get to read Possession. I like poetry, but not all poetry by any means. ..." Thanks. I plan to read the Children's Book as well in the future.
This is a helpful review, Adina, I appreciate it. Not sure if I should pursue reading this one now…
Jennifer wrote: "This is a helpful review, Adina, I appreciate it. Not sure if I should pursue reading this one now…" well, it depends on how much you like poetry….
Terrific (and funny) review, Adina!! And thanks for the advice! I'm not much of a poetry fan, so I think I'd better avoid this particular Byatt.😉
I do like (some) poetry but also had mixed feelings about this book. What bothered me the most was the characterization of the secondary characters and the sudden switch to an omniscient narrator which spoiled all the fun of discovering the Victorian poets through their own writing.
Curious that this popped up in my feed with comments 8years old🤷🏻♀️ I am not enthusiastic about most poetry either but somehow I fell in love with this book. I was so absorbed by the romantic mood, and it felt a little reminiscent of Austen or the Brontes. Those are the backdrops I was imagining. Somehow never followed up with other works. It's been over a decade since I read it.
It was the literary investigation that appealed to me as well, but I suspect that the version presented here is more romantic and exciting than the real thing.
Oh, I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I, too, never read poetry -- but I adored this book, not just for the complicated investigation, but because it was an investigation focused on literature!
Jodi wrote: "Terrific (and funny) review, Adina!! And thanks for the advice! I'm not much of a poetry fan, so I think I'd better avoid this particular Byatt.😉" Maybe start with another.
Jeroen wrote: "I do like (some) poetry but also had mixed feelings about this book. What bothered me the most was the characterization of the secondary characters and the sudden switch to an omniscient narrator w..." I do not remember but It probably bothered me to a point.
Xina wrote: "Curious that this popped up in my feed with comments 8years old🤷🏻♀️ I am not enthusiastic about most poetry either but somehow I fell in love with this book. I was so absorbed by the romantic mood..." You can take it a sign to re-read the novel or something else by the author. And to answer your question, I reposted the review because I got a comment on it. Since not everybody gets notifications anymore, I am trying to make my answers more visible and maybe the person I am answering to sees my comment. I also sometimes repost reviews i modify, although it was not the case here.
path wrote: "It was the literary investigation that appealed to me as well, but I suspect that the version presented here is more romantic and exciting than the real thing." Exactly! Too romantic.
Fran wrote: "Oh, I'm sorry you didn't like this one. I, too, never read poetry -- but I adored this book, not just for the complicated investigation, but because it was an investigation focused on literature!" I wished it was focused on prose :))
Karine wrote: "I didn't like it either." Sorry about that.
Another grateful GR friend here. I don't read/like poetry and I was REALLY close to click on buy. You just saved me 555 p(ages) and 99 p(ence) :-)
Sergio wrote: "Another grateful GR friend here. I don't read/like poetry and I was REALLY close to click on buy. You just saved me 555 p(ages) and 99 p(ence) :-)" maybe try her other novel, in case you want to read the author. She has some beautiful prose, I do not deny that
Lo lessi anni fa e mi piacque. Successivamente mi capitò di leggere "Il libro dei bambini" e capii che ad essere un capolavoro è quest'ultimo.
I had to laugh as I read your review as I would feel the same way. You are certainly no dummy based on what I have read in your reviews. Some people are very smart or have a good mastery of the English language. I can tell when I pause to look up the words they use and they make sense. At other times I get the feeling they are just being pretentious, as you say. I don't read much poetry as I expect words to rhyme and I am not going to stop and ponder hidden meanings. Life is too short (at my age). Excellent review, Adina.
Oh no! THis is one of my all-time favorites--and I, too, never read poetry! I didn't need the poetry to love this book. I loved the intertwined timelines, and the literary mystery.
Thanks for an "honest review!"You've reminded me once again of the great tragedy that has afflicted so many: a deeply flawed education system that has left you and so many others hating poetry. I too was subjected to a series of teachers who devised ways to turn everyone off poetry forever. Some of it was their fault, the rest the fault of a regime that focused on accumulating knowledge instead of learning how to think and reason and dream.
I was fortunate: Just one teacher, at a critical point, took a very different approach; she set aside all the mechanics and arcane terminology and sought to reveal the soul of the poet. I recall that she asked us just to read the 43rd sonnet in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Sonnets from the Portugese" and consider Browning's state of mind when she wrote those 14 lines.
I believe that several in that class "got it."
I like beautiful and interesting writing but Byatt's did not work for me this time.
As regards expecting radio stations to say something interesting there is no much hope. There are very few people that are able to do that nowadays.