Well, apart from one of the poems (the one about the seance), the poetry is more a way of exploring the characters than explicating plot. But if you're getting bored with the letters (the high point of the book, as far as I'm concerned, apart from the fairy-tales), you're probably just as well off walking away.

Regardless of what they explore, the poetry still bores me. It's...bloody poetry.

The letters are definitely more readable, but overall this book requires some persistence. I'm still reading because there are a few small hooks I want to follow, but the whole thing seems overwrought and...in love with itself.

I must confess that the male poet is not convincing to me as a character. I just dont believe that a man would behave as he does (except in the fantasies of a woman, i.e. the author).

There is a scene later in the book that makes the male character's behavior a lot more explicable. But, like I said, I LIKE poetry, so I'm probably not a good guide as to whether this is a book worth reading for you.

There is only one poem I like, by some French guy whose name escapes me.

Otherwise I find it a bit boring. One thing that does amuse me is the "commentary" on academics inferring personality by studying letters and works, and how easy it is to get things totally wrong by imposing one's own biases on the person being studied.

Imagine if, in the future, people tried to figure us out by reading our blogs. Hah.

Tom Stoppard's Arcadia is awesome on the same subject - you see events happening in the 19th century, and then historians trying to piece together what happened in the 20th, and of course they get it all wrong. Great play.

(Mind you, I went to see it because a woman I had a crush on was working backstage, but it's still a great play).