Renowned British novelist A.S. Byatt, known for her Booker Prize-winning novel "Possession: A Romance," has passed away at the age of 87, according to her publisher. Byatt, whose literary career spanned nearly six decades, was described as one of the most significant writers and critics of our time by her publisher. She died peacefully at home surrounded by her close family. Byatt, the sister of novelist Margaret Drabble, drew comparisons with the Brontes, although she tended to spurn the comparison.

The great AS Byatt has died. She wrote this, inspired by King Lear, about her little boy, who was killed by a drunk driver. I first saw it when my own yellow-haired little boy had cancer. Few writers can reach you when you are feeling unreachable. She was extraordinary. pic.twitter.com/kzsXlLTOUo

— Celia Richardson (@CeliaRichards0n) November 17, 2023

Born in Sheffield in 1936, Byatt attended a Quaker school in York before studying at Cambridge and Oxford. She began her writing career in 1964 with her debut novel "Shadow of a Sun," and went on to produce numerous works, including "Possession" in 1990, which propelled her to literary fame. The novel, a captivating academic treasure hunt, won the prestigious Booker Prize for Fiction and was adapted into a feature film starring Gwyneth Paltrow. Byatt courted controversy in 2003 with her criticism of the popular Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, stating that it lacked a place for the numinous. Over the course of her career, Byatt received numerous awards and honors, including a CBE and a DBE. Her books, described as jewel-boxes of stories and ideas, will continue to captivate readers for generations to come, according to her publisher.