A.S. Byatt's novel The Children's Book is an imaginative masterpiece. Somewhat based upon the life events of famous children's author E. Nesbit, the plot is largely character driven. Byatt introduces readers to the Wellwood family: mother Olive, father Humphry, Aunt Violet, Tom, Dorothy, Phyllis, Hedda, Florian, Robin, and Harry. While their mother writes and their father works at a bank, the children are looked after by their Aunt Violet. Embracing the artist's lifestyle, the Wellwood parents join the Fabian Society, a radical group of socialist artist, which many of their neighbors participate in. Over the course of the book, Byatt describes how Olive's work as a children's author has corrupted her own kids' childhoods and all but destroyed her marriage.
After losing a couple of babies, Olive dedicates herself to her writing. She's convinced that she's making herself useful to her husband by earning a lot of money and that she's providing for her children. When the family visits their relatives in London, they all are removed from their distractions. Olive looks up to see what a mess her relationships have become. This is the aspect of E. Nesbit's life which attracted Byatt's attention. She had read all about how Nesbit's family situation devolved rather rapidly, along with other author's whose children barely survived their childhoods. In the Wellwoods situation, Byatt illustrates how a misinterpretation of a child's needs leads Olive to write obsessively while actually neglecting her own kids. Unfortunately for Olive, by the time she realizes what has happened, she's lost her husband's love and the respect of her children.
