The Alexandria Quartet

Lawrence Durrell has to be one of the most naturally gifted writers ever, though for me, the brilliance of this series peters out a bit in the last volume (Clea). To me, Mountolive is far and away the finest of the bunch. As a descriptive writer, Durrell has almost no peer; indeed, there is some small, aphoristic remark or breathtaking turn of phrase on nearly ever page. However, using his own words to skewer him a bit, sometimes his characters seem a bit more like thoughts in the writer’s head than actual, living, breathing human beings; I also felt the work didn’t cohere quite as much in the end quite as I’d have hoped (I know, it’s supposed to be a kind of patchwork, but…). The work is also, it must be said, casually racist, sexist and even imperialist in places, and it’s sad that a work so magnificent should be so marred. However, as a piece of writing (especially for those who revel in the glories of pure literary “writerliness,” I can’t think of a lot of other works that are its equal. I’m very glad I read it, and – despite the length – will almost certainly embark upon The Avignon Quintet. Here are just a few of the passages I find remarkable:He recognized now that hate is only unachieved love.*A diary is the last place to go if you seek the truth about a person. [ This one makes me smile].*When you pluck a flower, the branch springs back into place. This is not true of the heart’s affections.*No one can go on being a rebel too long without turning into an autocrat.*And, perhaps my very favorite: “One learns nothing from those who return our love.”

I had read "The Avignon Quintet" oh so many years ago and remembered that I had loved it, and so in the mood for something old, I decided to try this quartet. "Justine" was wonderful and interesting and beautifully written. I found parts of "Balthazar" to be wonderful as well, especially the premise behind the book, although parts of it were tedious. I am not a great fan of books that revolve around the angst of love. Then "Mountolive" was different, interesting and a new take on the familiar characters. "Clea" is closure for these characters and at times is really thrilling and at other times, I again found it to be tedious. If you enjoy very well-written books about people and a place, and don't mind their constant discussions about love, you'll love this.

It is hard to read after sixty years , when i and my friends belonged to aAlexandrian passionate cult. So much has been written and said about the Levant and Egypt, so many sexual taboos have been set aaside. I am no longer 20. The writing is exquisite. Durrell is a poet and so is always worth the effort.nevertheless is a fascinating puzzle even today.

Alexandria Quartet is, simply, the best novel I have yet read in modern English. Durrell's masterpiece achieves its greatness first by its construction. He has examined a set of characters in a defined time period from different views, thereby allowing him to develop a large number of characters with great clarity. He also uses the language masterfully to paint his images and people with a completeness unequalled in any other books I have read. If you liked losing yourself in Melville's "Moby Dick" or Mishima's "Sea of Fertility", I think you will especially appreciate Durrell's unique approach to recording his history of Alexandria, Egypt--its unique qualities, how they affect his cast of characters and how he makes you feel like you are there.

new edition combining 4 books of Alexandria Quartet. Hoped for 4 individuals as this is heavy for travelling.In addition, too much margin on left side of pages causing the book to be too tightly bound; Therefore hard tohold book open.

It is very hard to find books to match in poetry., history, romance and much more. Mesmerazing!

In the first of this four-volume series, Justine, it is the author's evocative and symbolic language that kept me going as opposed to the story. The story unfolds ever so slowly and not always clearly. The characters make seemingly profound statements, quote obscure one-liners from famous literati, and have exaggerated traits and behaviors. But it's that complexity and intensity of the characters that is one strength of the book, along with the beautiful, evocative language and the presentation of love in its many manifestations. I found that I couldn't read more than 10 or so pages at a time, the language was that dense. It was strangely compelling. By the second volume, Balthazar, the story began to draw me in, as new layers of perspective were added. I'm almost finished with Balthazar, and am hoping and expecting the next two volumes to add more layers, more perspective. I'm reminded with this novel of one by Elliot Perlman, Seven Types of Ambiguity. If you've read that and liked it, you'll likely enjoy The Alexandria Quartet, though it's more subtle and slower-moving.

I must have read this ten times or more in my life as a reader, each time with a different response.I have loved this book and hated it for its glittering prose and its over the top female characters. but it creates its own world in a convincing way, rich, exotic, intriguing. Some of Durrell's descriptions of the atmosphere of Alexandria, and of the island from where the narrator of the first volume recounts his story, recreating the city in memory, have haunted me for years. All in all, a wonderful read.

This was ordered by my sister so cannot give a review. According to friends it's a super book.

Adoro este cuarteto de Alejandría

Tetralogy constructed on Einsteinian principles with first three novels giving three spatial dimensions of the story & the fourth novel the time dimension. Exquisite use of similes & metaphors.

Gran libro.

This is, without doubt, one of the finest quartet of novels ever written. An absorbing tale told from different views by characters in the first novel (Justine). For those interested, Justine was also made into a less than absorbing movie with Dirk Bogarde playing the part of the English schoolteacher narrator. Buy the book, don't buy the movie!