Simply brilliant. I cannot express how jealous I feel of Byatt's writing style - this is exactly how I want to write! Her prose is so intricate, so expertly crafted that I can't help but be in awe of the author's talent. Bravo!

I'm giving this book 5 stars not because I didn't have any problems with it (I did), but because it enthralled me so much. I felt like I was reading a Victorian scrapbook, arranged by the hands of a perspicacious young lady. Everything is so neatly interwoven here, so splendidly tied together.

As many have pointed out, The Conjugial Angel is much weaker than Morpho Eugenia. It is still incredible, mind you, but I found it much harder to read because I wasn't that familiar with Swedenborgian philosophy and the poetry of Alfred Tennyson. The numerous poetic quotations also wore me out. But the overall message is one I appreciated a lot, and chapter X nearly brought me to tears with its poignant ruminations on love and grief.

There is only one thing I can say - this book is really something special.