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A review by shoshzee
Babel Tower by A.S. Byatt
4.0
this is a re-read. I decided to re-read the entire Frederica Quartet.
It's a little over long. I also wonder how many people who got this when it came out who loved Possession, not realizing it was third in a series and not nearly as accessible. (Although that's definitely the appeal for me even if it involves lookng up a fair # of the references I probably missed the first time.
When I read this the first time a major response was that I clearly needed to read Howard's End. Which is something I also re-read recently because I doubt I understood much the first time around.
It's not my favorite of the three (I somehow never got up to a Whistling Woman) and it's over long at points but I love the literary word Frederica thrives in. I also relate a lot more to her being trapped in a marriage where she couldn't be herself.
Also I could feel a glimmer of what it must have been like without no fault divorce and how it had to be for any woman trying to get a divorce where there's such an imbalance of power.
The twin Ottokers reminded me a bit of Murdoch's The Flight From the Enchanter.
Also it felt like we were back in mid-century England. Of course I wouldn't necessarily know how accurate that is not having lived there but Byatt manages to imbue the narrative in such a way that makes me feel I can understand it somehow.
It's a little over long. I also wonder how many people who got this when it came out who loved Possession, not realizing it was third in a series and not nearly as accessible. (Although that's definitely the appeal for me even if it involves lookng up a fair # of the references I probably missed the first time.
When I read this the first time a major response was that I clearly needed to read Howard's End. Which is something I also re-read recently because I doubt I understood much the first time around.
It's not my favorite of the three (I somehow never got up to a Whistling Woman) and it's over long at points but I love the literary word Frederica thrives in. I also relate a lot more to her being trapped in a marriage where she couldn't be herself.
Also I could feel a glimmer of what it must have been like without no fault divorce and how it had to be for any woman trying to get a divorce where there's such an imbalance of power.
The twin Ottokers reminded me a bit of Murdoch's The Flight From the Enchanter.
Also it felt like we were back in mid-century England. Of course I wouldn't necessarily know how accurate that is not having lived there but Byatt manages to imbue the narrative in such a way that makes me feel I can understand it somehow.