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The Game by A.S.Byatt

Julia is a writer. Her books depict the domestic difficulties of women. But her daughter and husband feel that she complains about them- a lot - in her books.

Her sister Cassandra is a don at Oxford. She is leading a strict, academic, nun like life with little contact with people.  The sisters meet at their home when their father is sick. They try to revoke childhood memories and friendship.

Cassandra was a difficult sister to grow up with. She was bossy almost tyrant with Julia, who was submissive and weak. For any misdeed Cassandra would punish her so much that even now, after all these years Julia can not come out of the fear of her sister.

To make things worse Julia had got involved with Cassandra's friend Simon. When Cassandra came to know about this, she completely severs all ties with both. This guilt always haunts Julia.

To break herself lose from her sister, Julia write a novel, about a lady don of a university. She portrays many friends of Cassandra in the book. The book though intended to free Julia, instead bares Cassandra for all to see.

A.S. Byatt is the famous author of Possession , which I had not liked much. I like this book better.

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