Justine: Amazon.ca: Lawrence Durrell: Books

Product Description

From AudioFile

[Editor's Note: The following is a combined review with BALTHAZAR, MOUNTOLIVE, and CLEA.]--The four linked novels that comprise English author Lawrence Durrell's masterpiece, THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET, are set in Alexandria, Egypt, around the time of WWII. The four novels explore the city's polyglot society, full of intrigue, mystery, and sensuality, telling essentially the same story from different points of view. JUSTINE focuses on the beautiful Jewish wife of a wealthy Copt. Her story is told by Darley, her English lover. In BALTHAZAR, Darley reconsiders and retells the story he told in Justine, using information from a mysterious new character, Balthazar. In MOUNTOLIVE, as war begins to loom, British Ambassador David Mountolive enters the intrigues of the interwoven community of characters. In CLEA, Darley returns to a war-fevered Alexandria as the stories of the many characters move toward conclusion. Narrator Nigel Anthony provides a brilliant reading, keeping the variety of voices--English, French, Egyptian--distinct throughout. He offers a one-man play, conveying the passions, disappointments, and triumphs of the complex cast. The classical music interludes that delineate sections of this beautifully produced and packaged set help transport the listener to back- streets of Alexandria. R.E.K. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Ingram

The first volume of The Alexandria Quartet, four interlinked novels set in the sensuous, hot environment of Alexandria just before World War II. Justine's emotional and sexual wildness fuels a highly-charged atmosphere which caught famously by Durrell's poetic language, made this set of novels both a critical and popular success. 2 cassettes. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars A Tease or an Indulgence?, Jul 6 2001

By	Lee Crase "~Lee" (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews

I finish Durrell's first book of the Alexandrian Quartet- "Justine" and rush to my keyboard in search of the perfect words or phrases that would do this masterpiece justice. Nothing. Is this to signify writer's block? Or perhaps Durrell has already written of women what I would like to say of his book? Out of self-pride, and the highest of praises, I opt for the latter. Durrell has done himself the justice he deserves as one of the greatest writers of all times. Of an erotic story I once wrote, a friend/critic remarked that it is often better to tease than indulge. Being the brash young man that I was (still am to some degree) I had a hard time understanding that a slight tease can sometimes be more fulfilling than a deep indulgence. I picked up "Justine" with the understanding that a tease was all that would be offered. What I found upon completion was a desire for more rather than a smug satisfaction. That is the difference between a tease and an indulgence.

"Justine" begins with pages upon pages of beautiful poetic prose. Initially, I found it difficult to become immersed in the book, but as the story unraveled, I found myself more entwined. Upon further thought, I have concluded (and this is open to interpretation, as with anything) that Durrell was trying to paint a picture of a time and place that escapes everyday language. Rather than succumb to hum-drum limitations, he uses poetic prose as a painter would use layers of colors to achieve a desired effect. What the reader is left with is a sort of anxiety, as one would experience in an actual unknown world, where black and white only exist as stepping stones for more magnificent colors of experience. After all, experience is ultimately left to the individual; the successful writer offers an alternate path for such experiences. Only by reading this book can you truly understand what I am trying to say. My words about his book mean nothing without the book itself to provide the avenues for meaning.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Not my literary taste....., Aug 10 2003

By	F.M.Brewster (ORINDA, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you like Proust , you will like Durrell. A master of painting with words,somehow the characters pale compared to the description of the scenery ,which in the case of Alexandria is breathtaking. Novels are not all timeless , and the few that are make College Litt-1.Not my taste , but then I do not like Proust either and file him under'forced reading'

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1.0 out of 5 stars Nine thumbs down, Jan 24 2002

By	Sarah Schuster "janetfromanotherplanet" (Albuquerque, NM United States) - See all my reviews

I wish I had read this book before recommending it to my book group. Of nine avid readers, only one person besides me finished the book. It seems to have lost its power over the 45 years since its publication. The prose is thick, and sometimes impressive, but rarely gratifying. The characters as they are portrayed are not full humans, so it is difficult to care what happens to them. The misogyny and racism in the writing are more offensive than they may have been in the 50s.

I only read Justine, the first book in the Alexandria Quartet. People who read the four books long ago and loved them assured me that Justine stands on its own, and that it is not necessary to read all four volumes. After finishing Justine, I doubt this. Descriptions I have read of the Quartet mention a political subtext, as well as resolution to some of the confusing events and characters, which are not present in Justine.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Magical
Durrell does a brilliant job of conveying the mystery and alienness of Cairo and the orient through the eyes of his narrator. Read more

Published on Jul 5 2001 by J. Gilmore

4.0 out of 5 stars Seductive and lovely in parts
There are times when reading Justine that I thought I'd discovered my new favorite writer. It didn't last though. Read more

Published on May 31 2001 by Brian Hunt

2.0 out of 5 stars Overrated
Durrell is often celebrated for the beauty of his prose. But compared to, say, Virginia Woolf or Proust, Durrell's writing often seems strained and self consciously arty. Read more

Published on April 22 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars haunting, beautiful, and thought provoking
The descriptions of place, in colors and lights, make me want to paint the beauty. The symbolism and literary devices are like plums to pick from a tree. Read more

Published on Nov 26 2000 by Colleen Davenport