Possession cover art

Possession

A Romance

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Possession

By: A. S. Byatt
Narrated by: Samuel West
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About this listen

Winner of the Booker Prize 1990

Possession is an exhilarating novel of wit and romance, at once a literary detective novel and a triumphant love story. It is the tale of a pair of young scholars investigating the lives of two Victorian poets.

Following a trail of letters, journals and poems they uncover a web of passion, deceit and tragedy, and their quest becomes a battle against time.

Cover illustration © Aitch.

©1991 A. S. Byatt (P)2019 Audible, Ltd Classics Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Fiction Heartfelt

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All stars
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A great pleasure to delve into this story. Depth and twists and turns. I get a sense of the 19th century events and feel the grumpiness of the 80’s again.
Samuel West delivers the story perfectly.
I would give more stars if available. Enjoy.

Intricately woven story, superbly read

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Really enjoyed Sam West’s sensitive and expressive reading of Possession. I liked this complex novel when I first read it almost 30 years ago. Then I found the poetry quite difficult though and it sometimes slowed the story too much - but this time listening to the poetry made it so much more alive. SW’s voicing of the dialogue is also pretty much spot on and nicely revealed the subtleties that Byatt writes into all the characters. There is a central mystery gradually revealed which keeps you wanting to know more. Really loved the way the Victorian and 20th century lives are compared through the interweaving of the plot too.

Great to revisit this fascinating book

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This is an intricate and expertly constructed novel with writing that is rich and substantial. There is a love story, (actually more than one), suspense and mystery with beautiful poetry, woven into the prose and I felt myself enveloped by events, as she reconstructs a Victorian age, flashing between the current and the past. The writing both challenges and respects the reader; a hard copy would be easier, and initially I had to put together a list of characters so that I could follow the structure better. The narration is excellent.

I was enveloped by this novel !

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A superb novel magically read. The most satisfying book I have listened to. Thank you.

Magic

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It captures so much....Victorian gentility, the absurdities of academics, the pathos of unhelpful fate. A very satisfactory end.

Brilliant and touching

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A vast novel, but worth listening to every minute. Brilliantly narrated.
A wonderful, partially feminist storyline, with lots of surprises

A wonderful story

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Sam West’s narration of this incredible book is nothing short of miraculous. I will be looking for more books narrated by this actor. Possession is a worth winner of the Booker Prize. Such imagination, such style and such a wonderful and complex love story spanning a century. I shall definitely be listening to this title again in the future, it is so rich and sumptuous to listen to.

Superb narration of a superlative novel

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Don’t be put off by the few negative reviews - why do we always give them more weight than multiples of great ones?
I wasn’t sure if this audiobook was going to be for me, based on some of the reviews. I’m not particularly literary and worried “all the poetry” would be beyond me but I needn’t have worried. Samuel West’s narration is exceptional, carrying me away to mythical lands and back to tide pools in Yorkshire.
I’ve a hole in me now that the book has ended.

Genius writing complimented by marvellous narration

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I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book, I got it on a 2 for 1 and was going to exchange it but gave it a go and got really immersed in it. Admittedly I fell in and out a bit, as there is some poetic writing and a lot of letters (which I enjoyed but couldn't follow sometimes), but by the end I was hooked emotionally and was sad for it to end. Well worth persevering with a beautiful and satisfying end. Brilliantly read, moving and moreish!

Brilliantly read, moving and moreish!

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Having read this book 3 or 4 times already, wanted to try listening. Not disappointed at all, Samuel West narrates beautifully.

great

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