A. S. Byatt, The Children's Book

This was a very challenging read which, though rewarding towards the end, does require a great deal of commitment. However, it can definitely be said that your perseverance pays off.

The sheer quantity of characters that populate the narrative is daunting at first, but there is never a single one whose actions are not clear and even expected to the reader. This, in my opinion, is the greatest strength of Byatt's work, a fully realised world of people who make understandable choices which result in tragedy.

One downside is that, at times, Byatt tends to show her research by collecting together factual notes into a single chapter, which can drag a little. However, this by no means detracts from the narrative as a whole, and the book remains a perfectly formed story which deals with the effects of the actions of adults on their children.