i guess i am a little surprised at how many readers loved morpho eugenia and disliked the conjugial angel. of course morpho eugenia is easier - lusher - more vibrant - byatt's world seems to me always to be intensely colourful. the characters are far more sympathetic too. but conjugial angel is cleverer than morpho eugenia. what is morpho eugenia, when you come down to it. a good plot. and of course conjugial angel gets tedious. and ants are more interesting than spirits. but i like them both and sometimes conjugial better. should really have read this before reading in memoriam. i wonder why none of my friends liked or remember this book. i guess you have to know a bit about tennyson. i want to study tennyson.