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viimetinka's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nolegirl's review against another edition
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
muuske's review
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
elicel99's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
deegee24's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is a dense, slow-paced, 400+ page novel that is exclusively about white middle-class intellectuals in Britain and is packed with allusions to English literary history, so it is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But once I became familiar with the characters and setting, I found it riveting and very rewarding. The main character is an 18-year old girl, Frederica, who attends an elite school in a quiet town in Britain, right around the time of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She wants desperately to lose her virginity and thinks she is in love with an older man, who has written a verse drama that is about to be performed in a lavish community theater production (with her in a starring role). It turns out that quite a few students are having sexual encounters with their much older teachers or mentors, which is disturbing to read yet plausible for this setting. The book is about many things, but on one level, it can be read as a very direct counter to the romantic treatment of sex by authors like D. H. Lawrence. Byatt is interested in all of the social obstacles and psychological dilemmas around sex that make it so difficult, painful, and awkward at times, however desirable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
angelabeth995's review
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
lupercalia's review
3.0
Плотный, насыщеный, при этом очень читабельный роман, в котором конечно же очень чувствуется эрудированность Байетт, но чрезмерно чувственный для меня. в романе часто вспоминается лоуренс, которого я честно не читала, но представляю себе примерно так же - все вздыхают, много думают и много ебутся.