whoopsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kregbrb's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
lizziemason's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual violence and War
bookish_5280's review against another edition
1.75
i'll give it that extra .75 stars for a few pretty metaphors and turns of phrase. otherwise, absolutely awful. just not the type of book I enjoy--overly pretentious, over-the-top language and repetitive subject matter. Not emotional at all. If you're going to read a Durrell, pick Gerald, not Lawrence.
Unfortunately, this is a book club book (and we decided to read both Justine and Balthazar). So, here we go for the second time.... :( ugh
Unfortunately, this is a book club book (and we decided to read both Justine and Balthazar). So, here we go for the second time.... :( ugh
steven_nobody's review against another edition
5.0
Justine. She is an object of worship instead of a real woman, and I'm sure that was meant to be. One character talks about his father's second wide who was literally a large rubber doll he would fill with hot water, dress up, and take out. That's basically all Justine is.
This novel is unique and truly mysterious.
I paused part way through the second book in order to reread Justine all the way through... twice in one week. It's amazingly complex and with such vivid images I'll never forget, and I plan to read the Alexandria Quartet again next year.
This novel is unique and truly mysterious.
I paused part way through the second book in order to reread Justine all the way through... twice in one week. It's amazingly complex and with such vivid images I'll never forget, and I plan to read the Alexandria Quartet again next year.
juliana_aldous's review against another edition
5.0
Woke up in the middle of the night and decided to finish this. This is my second Durrell book--I read his travel memoir Bitter Lemons of Cyprus which I adored. The prose in this book which is the first of the Alexandria Quartet is breathtaking. I had my Kindle highlighter on and running.
I posted this one the other day which sums of the kind of prose and imagery you will find: "In a grocer's window I saw a small tin of olives with the name Orvieto on it, and overcome by a sudden longing to be on the right side of the Mediterranean, entered the shop: bought it; had it opened there and then: and sitting down at a marble table in that gruesome light I began to eat Italy, its dark scorched flesh, hand-modelled spring soil, dedicated vines."
This was a good book to read with a Kindle-I found both the dictionary as well as the X-Ray of the book helpful to track characters.
And thank you Internet--I was able to listen to a portion of this audio of Lawrence Durrell speaking at UCLA in 1972. In the audio he talks about his friendship with Henry Miller and other writers. https://youtu.be/4ZTajhgR82M Also sort of fun--this audio at first sounds like it could have been recorded recently until the questions start. At about 17:40 some idiot poet starts off calling those around him intellectual facists, mentions he isn't allowed on campus during the day for political reasons, whines that poets should be able to make money, and then goes on to demand Durrell read him because he is "quite good." Something you could only find on campus between the late sixties and early seventies.
I posted this one the other day which sums of the kind of prose and imagery you will find: "In a grocer's window I saw a small tin of olives with the name Orvieto on it, and overcome by a sudden longing to be on the right side of the Mediterranean, entered the shop: bought it; had it opened there and then: and sitting down at a marble table in that gruesome light I began to eat Italy, its dark scorched flesh, hand-modelled spring soil, dedicated vines."
This was a good book to read with a Kindle-I found both the dictionary as well as the X-Ray of the book helpful to track characters.
And thank you Internet--I was able to listen to a portion of this audio of Lawrence Durrell speaking at UCLA in 1972. In the audio he talks about his friendship with Henry Miller and other writers. https://youtu.be/4ZTajhgR82M Also sort of fun--this audio at first sounds like it could have been recorded recently until the questions start. At about 17:40 some idiot poet starts off calling those around him intellectual facists, mentions he isn't allowed on campus during the day for political reasons, whines that poets should be able to make money, and then goes on to demand Durrell read him because he is "quite good." Something you could only find on campus between the late sixties and early seventies.
charlibirb's review against another edition
2.0
Am I totally worthless for hating this book? Maybe I'm just too literal for all the hidden meanings etc, but there didn't seem to really be a plot in this book, and it skipped around so much, I had little to no idea what was happening. Not finishing the series. I'm a cultural wasteland, look at me! So give me more SciFi, I guess, cause that makes more sense to me.
sotweedfactor's review against another edition
4.0
Ornate language and interesting messages on love. A book to return to in a couple of years