The tour de force among writers invented by AS Byatt (and which earned him a Booker Prize)

Antonia S. Byatt (1936-2023) started out as an English professor at University College London and ended up becoming a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, which I don't really know what that is but it sounds important.

In between, he developed a sophisticated, meticulous, and successful literary career that brought him honors, awards, and readers. Especially with this novel, which won the Booker Prize and is an assault on popular literature with weapons similar to those wielded by Umberto Eco with The Name of the Rose .

Impeccably written, ironic, intelligent and ambitious, this story, based on unsent letters found among the books of Randolph Henry Ash, an eminent Victorian and invented by the author, falls into the best hands for our delight: those of Roland Michel, a mediocre graduate in English literature.

Rather than "falling for it," he steals these passionate letters from a stranger because he sees the opportunity of a lifetime as a researcher. The lure presumably leads him to discover that the recipient of these letters is the forgotten poet Chistabel LaMotte, a figure currently championed by feminists and lesbians.

Joining her in her interest is Maud Bailey, a specialist in the life and work of the poet LaMotte.

The amazing thing is that the following hybrid between a research novel and a meta-literary exercise never ceases to be entertaining, while we are amazed at the tour de force that the entire universe of these writers is entirely invented by ASByatt.

AS Byatt Possession​Anagrama Publishing House

Elia Barceló A dangerous lie (Alfaguara)

The Alicante-born author creates hybrid books that blend fantasy and detective fiction in many of her works, and this is one of the few cases where she is recognized in different neighborhoods. Here, she addresses the issue of slander amplified by social media, the helplessness faced with "fifteen letters. One lie. One click that will change everything."

Alicia Giménez Bartlett A good piece Destiny

Six cases of Petra Delicado are six long gulps of narrative solvency and talent, touching all the genre's bases (dialogue, plot, tone, etc.), doing it well and making it seem easy. It isn't. Not at all. As in the case of Elvis, there were many suitors, but only one King.

Robyn Harding The woman in the water RBA Publishing

Critical arguments like a woman living in a car preventing another woman from committing suicide are resolved by knowing how to build characters, manage suspense, and avoid commonplaces and clichés as much as possible.