Justine is the first volume in The Alexandria Quartet, four interlinked novels set in the sensuous, hot environment of Alexandria just before the Second World War. Within this polyglot setting of richly idiosyncratic characters is Justine, wild and intense, wife to the wealthy business man Nessim, a mari complaisant. Her emotional and sexual wildness fuels a highly-charged atmosphere which, caught famously by Durrell's poetic language, made Justine (1957), and three novels that complete the Quartet - Balthazar (1958), Mountolive (1958), and Clea (1960) - both a critical and a popular success.
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"Terrific writing. Durrell makes the environment of the ancient city of Alexandria the protagonist in this literary novel. He has insight into how our environment defines us in ways that are subtle and in contrast to the prevailing idea, at least here in the U.S., that man shapes his environment and not the other way around." — Lemar (4 out of 5 stars)
"Terrific writing. Durrell makes the environment of the ancient city of Alexandria the protagonist in this literary novel. He has insight into how our environment defines us in ways that are subtle and in contrast to the prevailing idea, at least here in the U.S., that man shapes his environment and not the other way around."
" This is the best of the Quartet. Much mystery, later explained somewhat disappointingly, by the sequels. "
" The Alexandria Quartet is a great read for a book club: lucid, beautifully written, sophisticated and hedonistic, and completely wrapped up in building and tearing down characters rather than Watch! What! Happens! "
" Exotic and cool, but a simile every half a line! Trying a bit too hard. I'd like to read the other 3 in the quartet but don't know if I'll get around to it. "
" Read this in the late '60s on my daily bus/subway ride to work in Philadelphia. Wonderful writing, takes some concentration though. "
" Inspired by Kraut to reread. Read just for the sheer pleasure of rich language. Sample: "But Melissa was a sad painting from a winter landscape contained by dark sky; a window-box with a few flowering geraniams lying forgotten on the window-sill of a cement factory." The cement cracks me up! "
" I'll never stop reading this book. And the other three, though I like this one the best. Good vocabulary builder too. "
" Certainly not one of my favorites, but the book was decent. It has excellent plot twists despite the lag towards the middle of the read. Overall it was a very thoughtful and contemplative read the perspectives and theories about Love, Lust and, Friendship were certainly fascinating. "
" Posiblemente cinco estrellas, dependiendo de las tres partes restantes. "
" I've never read a more poetic book. Durrell wrote with near-musical prowess. But keep a dictionary at arms length. His vocabulary is extensive. Five and six syllable words abound. That said, the book is beautiful, a richly rewarding read. "
" I have rarely been so conflicted about a book. To more or less equal extents, I found it fabulous and ridiculous. (One fabulous thing: Durrell's translations of Cavafy.) I will probably read the next three-fourths of the Quartet in the near-ish future, just to see if I can make up my mind. "
" I always wondered why I had never read any books by this author. Now I know. "
" The first book in the "Alexandria Quartet". "
" poetry as mans feeble attempt at the artificial insemination of the muses. "
" One story has always many sides... "
" I will need to reread this again, perhaps, if I am smart, after I finish the fourth volume... "
" This simply takes your heart away....Part of the Alexandria Quarter...Egypt "
" not to my taste at all "
" i just know i'm going to read this again, sometime, with a pencil and a highlighter and a notepad (and, in my daydreams, maps and reference books scattered around me on the floor of the library in my daydream house). "
" What to even say about this book? It's goddanged something. (More later.) "
" Durrell's travel writing feels like fiction and his fiction feels strangely like nonfiction. "
" Best of the four. Altogether, a great reading adventure in the year or so we lived with Baby Anise in Paris. "
" baaaaaaaaaaaaarfI hated this book. I finished it just out of spite. "
" I read this and enjoyed it, fully intending to read the other three but have never revisited them. I will try though. "
" Beautifully written, but so boring "
" Title in portuguese: JUSTINE – Lawrence Durrell (trad_Daniel Gonçalves ) Ulisseia ed., 1969 Lisboa - Book to reread for pure pleasure. - The first book of the Alexandrian' quartet. notes. Justine by Lawrence Durrell (1957) "
" mezmerizing poetic imagery, rich historical and cultural context; obsessive interior landscapes; "pursuit of knowledge leads mostly to the boudoir"; gorgeous. "
" Have found a small gem to savor "
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