Possession by A. S. Byatt
"Possession" is a novel that interweaves two storylines, one set in contemporary times and the other in the Victorian era. The contemporary plot follows two academics who uncover a secret love affair between two 19th-century poets, while the Victorian storyline presents the clandestine romance itself. As the modern scholars delve deeper into the past, they find themselves falling in love as well, mirroring the historical romance they are researching. The book explores themes of love, passion, and the power of the written word.
The 718th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 532
This book was first published in 1990
29 Lists
- score: 99 -- The 100 Greatest British Novels - 2015 (Weight: 160)
- score: 74 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 140)
- score: 61 -- Finding Comfort in the Classics - 2020 (Weight: 85)
- score: 55 -- Books Of The Century - 1999 (Weight: 150)
- score: 49 -- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time (Runners-Up) - 2026 (Weight: 60)
- score: 32 -- Taking off the Reading Gloves - 1998 (Weight: 90)
- score: 30 -- Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century - 1999 (Weight: 89)
- score: 28 -- The Big Read - 2003 (Weight: 70)
- score: 28 -- My Favourite Book - Australian Big Read - 2004 (Weight: 60)
- score: 13 -- 500 Great Books by Women - 1994 (Weight: 50)
- score: 13 -- NY Times Editors Choice 1990-1999 - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 65)
- score: 13 -- Waterstone's Books of the Century - 1997 (Weight: 40)
- score: 7 -- Readers’ Top 100 Novels Of All Time - 2026 (Weight: 10)
- score: 7 -- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels - 2005 (Weight: 16)
- score: 1 -- Booker Prize - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 7)
- score: 1 -- Edmonton's Top 100 - 1998 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 500 Must Read Books - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Well-Educated Mind - 2003 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 70 Classic Booker Prize-Nominated Novels, Recommended by our Readers - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 - 2008 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Modern Library: The Two Hundred Best Novels in English Since 1950 - 2011 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read, 1963-2013 - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 75 Books Every Woman Should Read - 2008 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 501 Must-Read Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Favorite Novels of Librarians - 1999 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 50 Best-Loved Novels Written by a Woman (United Kingdom) - 2003 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 100 Great 20th Century English-language Works of Fiction by Women - 1998 (Weight: 1)