by A. S. Byatt
First published 1992
In 1860s England, a young woman is taken in by a wealthy family after her father's death. As she settles into their grand estate, she becomes enthralled by the family's scientific obsessions - from Darwinian theories of sexuality to the capture and classification of exotic butterflies. But beneath the veneer of Victorian propriety, a darker drama unfolds, one that blurs the line between the natural and the supernatural. Byatt's lush, intelligent prose weaves fact and fiction, reality and romance, into a captivating exploration of the human condition.
Genres: fiction, romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, academic
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family, supernatural-elements
Setting: England
Period: 1860s
292 pages · Paperback · Vintage