The Aleksandrijski kvartet might not be among the best books I've read (mainly because that string which would subjectively connect me to the work was lacking), but I've definitely never read anything like it, and that's why I give it the highest rating. For a month, I kept company with the characters, and it was impossible not to get attached to them. Could it have been shorter with fewer grandiose passages and descriptions? Absolutely, but then it wouldn't be the work it is.
The quartet is a complex, all-encompassing work, mystical, poetic, philosophical, and very psychological. I think it was a smart move by the publisher to combine everything into one book. At first, I struggled with Justine and read her part the longest, but with Baltazar, I started to devour it (as much as is possible with Darel's layered style, endless descriptions, and explanations), and I think the second book is the best for me. The moment when our unreliable narrator from Justine in Baltazar confronts the facts that were unknown to him and that shed new light on the characters and the plot was phenomenal. In Mauntolivu, which was a bit more political, the reader learns about additional conspiracies behind the scenes. And finally, Klea (my favorite character), the conclusion that is at times like a carefree flight and at times as heavy as a burdensome afternoon.
Lorens Darel approaches truth and its fragility, all the shadows of human beings, the lowest and highest impulses, in an incredible way. Above all, he approaches love from all angles – passion, sex, infatuation, idealization, what it is that attracts us to the opposite or the same sex, where the limit of our learning is, do we love the person or our own idea of them... There is a lot of decadence, horror, but also transformation and redemption in his work. He writes about the life of one city that is the life of all his characters, and it's very palpable; it feels autobiographical. Some might say that in this case, the work is greater than its themes, and I agree.
Because of the importance of the topography, at times I felt as if I were back on Krk, probably also because of the Darel family's connection to that island, and perhaps because that place is dear to me as it is to the narrator Aleksandrija, and because I can always imagine myself there (returning to Krk is like some eternal return to oneself).
And finally, a note to all English-language publishers - how far will they assume that we all know French and that we don't need a translation of randomly inserted sentences in that language? There are novels with clichéd expressions and simple sentences that I can understand thanks to my knowledge of other Romance languages, but there is also the Aleksandrijski kvartet where everything is complex, and so is the French language.

Book: Alexandria Quartet
Author: Lawrence Durrell
Publisher: The Tower
Translation: Khaterah Kordkari
Summary of the book

I had expected this book to be filled with numerous exciting events. However, to my disappointment, it dedicated page after page to describing the woman with whom the protagonist has an affair in overly flowery language.

This excessive focus on the description of the woman seemed to overshadow the actual story progression.

Moreover, the few events that were incorporated into the narrative were presented in a disorderly manner. As a result, I frequently found myself in a state of confusion, struggling to make sense of the sequence of events and how they related to the overall plot.

It was quite frustrating as I was looking forward to a more engaging and coherent story, but instead, I was left with a jumbled mess of descriptions and disjointed events.

I hope that future books by this author will have a better balance between description and action, and will present the story in a more logical and understandable way.

Even though it took me an incredibly long time to finish this massive read, the eloquence and the elegancy of the prose truly blew me away.

I absolutely adored the fact that the plot was non-linear, at least during the first 3 books. This unique structure added an element of mystery and excitement, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

Whilst the landscape descriptions were mesmerizing and haunting. They painted a vivid picture in my mind, making me feel as if I was actually there, experiencing the beauty and the darkness of the settings.

This is definitely an unparallel piece of art, full of philosophical reflections and beautifully written passages about love. It made me think deeply about the nature of love, its power, and its complexity.

Yes, one day I found myself writing down with trembling fingers the four words (four letters! four faces!) with which every story-teller since the world began has staked his slender claim to the attention of his fellow-men. Words which presage simply the old story of an artist coming of age. I wrote: "Once upon a time…" And I felt as if the whole universe had given me a nudge! This moment was truly magical, as if I had been touched by something greater than myself. It made me realize the power of words and the importance of storytelling.

For a long time, I was troubled by the fact that almost everything I read I liked and always had something good to say. I felt that perhaps I was always biased and a yes man, and that something was wrong with my ability to think critically. However, after reading this book, this concern was fortunately disproven.

I don't think any book has ever bored me more. It was an attempt by the author to depict the city of Alexandria in the first half of the 20th century through a story told from the perspective of four different people. Among these and many other characters, there is intrigue, drama, erotic scandals, envy, hatred, and many other cliched words.

In general, in some places, the author did achieve his goal. There were some beautiful descriptions that really depicted this city in a vivid and beautiful way. However, this alone was definitely not enough to carry a thousand-page book (in its defense, it is four separate books, but in the end, it's the same whether you read them together or separately).

In other words, aside from some nice descriptions, the remaining 900 pages of the book were characterized by dull dialogues, wine philosophies, some other very cringe descriptions that nullified the few good descriptions, and in general, a cheesy and corny atmosphere.

The plot, too, aside from being uninteresting, was rather convoluted for what it was and moved incredibly slowly. I have no problem with a book with an incredible plot being complex, nor with a book with a lot of information moving slowly. However, this book had neither an incredible plot nor a lot of information, and therefore the fact that it took 200 pages to have an interesting development was definitely a negative.

What ultimately disappointed me the most was the pompous writing style and the author's reasoning. The author's reasoning seemed incredibly contrived to me. I didn't feel at all that the story, the descriptions, or the thoughts flowed naturally from within him, but rather that he was trying way too hard. It was as if I was reading a book written by an amateur and not by a respected author. As if someone who thinks that calling Alexandria "princess and whore" or describing every other page the "exotic, tall, and imposing minarets of Egypt" makes him a poet. As if he knew the theory perfectly and had a wealth of knowledge, but in practice, it just didn't come out naturally.

I don't want to be absolute because, of course, in front of a recognized and extremely successful author like Lawrence Durrell, I and my opinion are just two small bugs. However, for me, in the end, this was a book that only managed to present a somewhat interesting and vivid image of Alexandria at that time. In other respects, the contrived writing style of the author, the uninteresting and slow plot, the dull dialogues and descriptions, and the continuous perhaps cheesy but ultimately uninteresting wine philosophies that won't stay with you, make this book, in my opinion, a bad read that I would not recommend to anyone.

I believe that there are many other books out there that can offer a more engaging and satisfying reading experience.

It's important to note that everyone's reading preferences are different, and what may not work for me might be a great read for someone else.

However, based on my own experience with this book, I can't help but feel disappointed.

Vejam. The book, which consists of 1,100 pages, I have liked but also consider that its high literary level has been a great challenge for me. Let's be honest. The complex story around a series of fantastic and well-created characters in Alexandria in the 30s-40s (with all the ins and outs) is a wonder since it is created in 4 books/4 characters and manages to square the perspective of the 4 in a masterful way and with a very beautiful but understandable literary expression. However, in the various descriptions, internal debates, diatribes, personal thoughts, or some dialogues, etc. around art, politics, morality, love, etc., there are passages of 10-15 pages or more where one gets lost and my cultural level does not reach. It can be a bit boring. Five stars for the extraordinary literary work that it is and three for my satisfaction in reading it. Average 4.

- Have you liked Lawrence Durrell?

- Well, yes, the truth is that I have!

- Will you read any more books by him?

- I don't think so.

NÃO, ainda não li a totalidade das mais de 900 páginas.

Confuso. Foi como me senti, percorrendo as primeiras 209 páginas deste Quarteto de Alexandria. Senti uma enorme imaturidade literária (não sei sequer se isto fará sentido) ao ler este livro.

“Justine”, um dos pináculos da ficção inglesa, que retrata o amor. O amor aqui apresentado nas mais variadas formas (apaixonado, platónico, atrofiado, não correspondido).

Uma experiência de leitura…diferente!

“Justine” decorre em Alexandria, no Egito, um pouco antes da Segunda Guerra Mundial.

Este primeiro romance deste Quarteto começa intrigantemente com um narrador sem nome, que vive numa ilha também ela sem nome. Nesse primeiro enquadramento, o narrador está com um filho que ele identifica como sendo filho de Melissa, uma ex-amante, entretanto falecida. Nesse cenário algo sombrio, inconclusivo, diria até que “mutilado”, o narrador recorre e enquadra imagens de Alexandria e explora um círculo de indivíduos, ao qual ele pertencia. Numa fase inicial, um círculo invulgar, onde apenas conhecia cada um de seus membros “apenas de vista”.

As cenas vão-nos surgindo de modo desordenado, mudando frequentemente. As personagens são referenciadas casualmente e apenas “introduzidas” muito mais tarde. O narrador identifica o tempo apenas no sentido mais vago (expressões como: uma vez, muito mais tarde, ele contou-me.… E eu as conheci muitos meses antes de nos conhecermos...).

Uma prosa, sem dúvida, com imensa qualidade, mas que foi para mim uma leitura sufocante, que teve algo de claustrofóbico (não consigo explicar por quê). Uma escrita onde as personagens (me) surgem como meras figuras, dando a sensação de um autor desprovido de emoção.

A generalidade das personagens são do tipo cosmopolita, com formação superior e com alguns traços em comum – deprimidos, desiludidos, infiéis e numa constante luta e discussão sobre Deus. Um grupo estranho, frustrante, mas que definitivamente se compreende bem.

O narrador surgiu-me como alguém apático e um verdadeiro fracasso nas relações públicas.

Justine, surge como alguém cercado pelos seus filósofos, cercada por medicamentos, garrafas, seringas. No entanto, é retratada como uma mulher em que “…os homens soubessem imediatamente que se encontravam na presença de uma mulher a quem não podiam aplicar, para julgá-la, o mesmo critério que utilizavam com as outras.” Uma verdadeira self-made muse. Uma personagem contraditória e com uma irritante e persistente necessidade de se desculpar, de justificar a sua conduta, de justificar os seus amantes.

Justine, surge aqui com um evidente paralelismo com a cidade - "ambas têm um sabor forte, mas sem um carácter real."

Melissa surge como a antítese de Justine. É delicada e carinhosa, sendo tratada com desdém.

Depois, encarreiram-se uma série de personagens:

- Nessim, marido dedicado de Justine, cuja consciência da sua infidelidade o envia lenta e dolorosamente até ao fundo do poço;

- Pursewarden, um célebre autor de uma série de livros intitulados Deus é um humorista;

- Balthazar, um professor filósofo;

- Clea, uma artista e celibatária;

- Mnemjian, um barbeiro anão e corcunda;

- Pombal, um mulherengo francês;

- Capodistria, mais um duende do que um homem…

…

Um enredo com uma série de subtramas entrelaçadas e alguma ironia.

A dada altura o narrador é recrutado para os Serviços Secretos, um camelo é massacrado e desmembrado na rua, homens morrem sós, algumas prostitutas são crianças, … Uma obra que abarca tanta coisa, tornou-se para mim assustador tentar ter uma leitura agradável. Tentei, mas não consegui!

Terminada esta primeira obra deste quarteto, sigo para a segunda (um dia destes...).

I cannot possibly convey the depth and power of this magnificent tetralogy.

It took me a very long time to read all four books, and the only reason is that it deserved to be savored.

Durrell's prose is truly exquisite, lyrical, and sensual.

As I was reading, I felt as though I had lived, or at least extensively visited, Egypt.

The entire British colonial period, with all its conflicts, impacts, and deviousness, is vividly exemplified by the characters of both British and Egyptian origins.

The reader is seduced by the language that is as poetic as it is descriptive, equal to Dickens in its descriptiveness yet far surpassing that master of language in its lushness and exotic flavor.

This is probably a function of the times and life experience of the author, yet in a way it is also a comparison of cultures.

Dickens' London is dank, dark, and malodorous, while Durrell's Egypt is textured, mysterious, and sensual.

I guess I love reading both, but if I had to choose, I would most like to visit Durrell's Egypt.

It is an immense reading project, but it is definitely well worth it!

With its non-linear structure, sensuous prose, and a cast of characters buffeted and beleaguered by love, this tetralogy stands as one of the masterpieces of the twentieth century. It remains the finest work of literature to emerge from Alexandria.

Durrell jotted notes for his "Alexandria novel" in the tower of the Ambron Villa. In 1953, in Cyprus, he began writing Justine, initially called his "Book of the Dead." Soon after arriving in Cyprus, his second wife, Eve Cohen, became depressed and then psychotic. Durrell had her confined in a German hospital and brought his mother to Cyprus to help with their daughter, Sappho. Rising at 4:30 am, he wrote in longhand to avoid waking Sappho before leaving to teach at 7. He typed out his week's work on weekends. In a letter to Henry Miller, he noted, "never have I worked under such adverse conditions," yet also commented, "I have never felt in better writing form."

Justine investigates its characters by presenting scenes and moments with little regard for chronology. Like a mosaic, the pieces link up to form a whole. This broken, cluttered style mirrors the love lives of the characters, who are constantly floundering in relationships: deceitful, forlorn, exhausted, and cynical. Justine, the central character based on Eve and dedicated to her, is the most fully developed, though there are no caricatures in the Quartet. The prose is miraculous, with fresh metaphors and ideas and images crushed together to create an angular beauty.

Eve left Durrell before he finished Justine, but he soon met Claude Vincendon, who grew up in Alexandria. Inspired by her love and memories, he completed Justine and conceived the idea of a series of books "using the same people in different combinations." Balthazar is equal to Justine in imagery and character investigation; these two are closest in spirit. Mountolive, more traditional in storytelling, relates the love affair between David Mountolive, a British civil servant, and Leila, a married Copt. Clea, an homage to Claude and dedicated to her, moves forward in time. Darley, the narrator of Justine, returns to Alexandria after the war, falls in love with Clea Montis, and they reminisce about their acquaintances. Less successful than the previous three in some ways, it still contains vivid scenes and delicious writing.

Justine was an instant critical and popular success upon publication. The Quartet solidified Durrell's reputation and made him a perennial favorite for the Nobel Prize.

To remain in the literary canon (whatever that is these days), a book must presumably withstand the test of time.

In my view, The Alexandria Quartet hasn't. It may rate as a magnificent ruin, and it is certainly a revealing artifact of its time, but its enduring literary merits seem slight.

Durrell claimed the Quartet as a bold exploration of the many faces and meaning of love, but that proves to be the weakest element in all the books. There are lots of sex, adulterous affairs, unfaithfulness, and endless anguished discussions about what it all means. It becomes either tiresome or mildly amusing. Durrell's ambitions betray him with histrionic and unreal characters.

However, Durrell's rich and ornate prose serves him better in his evocation of a mythical Alexandria that probably never really existed. But so what? His descriptions of the Egyptian countryside and rural life, by contrast, are some of the most moving and real moments in the books.

I don't regret the time invested in finally reading something I'd been aware of for years. But for most, I suspect, the Quartet will remain a book more admired in the abstract than ever read again.

Perhaps it's a testament to the changing tastes and expectations of readers over time. Or maybe it's simply that the book fails to resonate with modern sensibilities in the same way it might have in the past. Whatever the reason, The Alexandria Quartet seems to be a work that, while once highly regarded, has now lost some of its luster.

Nevertheless, it still has its merits and can offer readers a glimpse into a different time and place. It may not be a classic in the traditional sense, but it is still a worthy addition to the literary landscape.

Whether or not it will continue to be read and studied in the future remains to be seen. But for now, it stands as a reminder of the power and potential of literature to both reflect and shape our understanding of the world around us.

This was our first read of the year, and an impressive 144 people took part.

I'm not entirely certain how many people continued reading until the end, but there were definitely quite a few!

For many, they adored the writing style and relished in the storyline.

However, for me, it was a somewhat different reading experience.

Before delving into The Alexandria Quartet, I was cautioned that Lawrence Durrell was regarded by some as an orientalist.

I brushed off the comment because I've always held the belief that if one were to explore the personal lives of every author, something off-putting might be discovered.

And let's be honest, if we did that, we would never read at all!

We would miss out on some truly great literature!!

As I read, there were indeed moments that were upsetting, but I told myself to persevere.

I did, and with each novel in The Alexandria Quartet, the stories improved.

You read Durrell for his descriptive prose.

I'm not going to assign a rating to this.

It is what it is.

There are those who will love The Alexandria Quartet because it pays homage to Alexandria.

I know Alexandria well and am very much aware of the uniqueness and vitality of this vibrant city on the Mediterranean.

It was a truly cosmopolitan city that welcomed all who desired to live there.

Durrell missed the mark in describing the true Alexandria.

He did, however, describe his own Alexandria, that narrow slice of life that he experienced while living there, which is fine as that was his personal experience.

For those of us who know Alexandria to be so much more, it was a greater struggle to witness such a narrow vision of the city, its people, and its history.

We were fortunate to have The Durrell Society reading along with us and answering any questions we had.

Check out #Durrell22 #TheAlexandriaQuartet to find the tweets of all our readers who truly enjoyed their reading experience.

My high rating might very well be a case of rank nostalgia. As the old saying goes, when I first came across this book in my youthful and inexperienced days, I didn't just read it - I devoured it as if it were a gnostic eucharist. Set in Alexandria during the final days of the decadent European glory, Durrell's collection of conflicted characters etches themselves firmly upon the imagination. It's true that Durrell is often guilty of over-writing everything, but still, the secret center holds. Connoisseurs might perhaps prefer his Avignon Quintet, but for me, I never managed to get past Monsieur. I truly left my heart in Alexandria.

The vivid descriptions of the city and its people in Durrell's work create a world that is both enchanting and complex. The characters, with their flaws and desires, come alive on the page, making the reader feel as if they are part of their lives. Despite the over-writing at times, there is a certain charm and beauty to Durrell's prose that keeps drawing the reader in. It's as if he is painting a picture with words, and the result is a masterpiece that lingers in the mind long after the book has been put down.

Whether it's the nostalgia for a bygone era or the sheer beauty of the writing, there is something about Durrell's work that speaks to me on a deep level. I may not have made it through the entire Avignon Quintet, but the experience of reading Monsieur and being transported to Alexandria is one that I will always cherish.