Reviews for Babel Tower

The average rating for Babel Tower based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2014-06-16 00:00:00 Derrick Eason I am revisiting and expanding this review because I am currently reading The Blind Assassin, which reminded me of this book. I recommend the Frederica quartet to any serious reader with enough time to read it, and this, the third volume, is probably the best. As always with Byatt, it is brimming with ideas and erudition, but she never loses track of her characters and their development. Frederica has escaped from her disastrous marriage, and is now working in publishing. As in The Blind Assassin, much of the story takes the form of a book within a book - a fantasy set in a utopian community which becomes the subject of an obscenity trial. There is also quite a lot about education, and how education policy is formed by liberal committees - this subplot is explored in more depth in the final part of the quartet A Whistling Woman, and allows Byatt to create some entertaining caricatures, particularly the pop poet. The first two parts of the quartet are The Virgin in the Garden and Still Life

Review # 2 was written on 2016-06-20 00:00:00 Kristopher Ferguson Description: Babel Tower follows The Virgin in the Garden and Still Life in tracing Frederica Potter, a lover of books who reflects the author's life and times. It centers around two lawsuits: in one, Frederica -- a young intellectual who has married outside her social set -- is challenging her wealthy and violent husband for custody of their child; in the other, an unkempt but charismatic rebel is charged with having written an obscene book, a novel-within-a-novel about a small band of revolutionaries who attempt to set up an ideal community. And in the background, rebellion gains a major toehold in the London of the Sixties, and society will never be the same. Frederica has given up her care-free, independent Cambridge lifestyle. Will settling down bring happiness? Stars Indira Varma. Daniel gets an urgent phone call about his daughter and has to face up to the consequences of his actions. Stars Shaun Dooley. Frederica's fraught marriage is put under even greater strain when she makes a shocking discovery. Nigel goes in search of Frederica, who has left, taking Leo with her. But was that the correct decision? Stars Mark Bazeley. Frederica visits the doctor and makes a major decision. Daniel learns the identity of his mystery caller. Stars Shaun Dooley. Frederica's estranged husband Nigel demands to see his son Leo and she finds a new love interest. The day of Frederica's divorce finally arrives and she learns whether she has won custody of her son, Leo.