(2009) is an intricately woven, highly detailed epic tale of a number of interconnected families, starting in the latter years of Queen Victoria’s reign and concluding just after the First World War. The critical praise for the novel has been echoed by literary accolades and the book won Byatt the James Tait Memorial Prize as well as an entry on the shortlist for the 2009 Booker Prize. Newspaper reviews were generally positive and the novel was also on the shortlist for
The Timesand W. H. Smith 50 best paperbacks of 2010.
The Children’s Book is loosely based on the life of the Fabian author Edith Nesbit and her family. Edith’s character can be seen in the portrayal of the charming and beautiful Olive Wellwood (Shilling, 2009; cf. Byatt interview with McGrath,
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Citation: Miller, Emma Victoria. "The Children's Book". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 01 April 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=26510, accessed 25 November 2024.]
