The abridged version of events in "Balthazar" can be quite challenging to understand without some prior knowledge of what occurred in "Justine." Thus, it is advisable to read my review of that novel, which serves as a "sibling companion" to "Balthazar," for a more comprehensive appreciation of both works. This review, however, does contain plot spoilers for both novels.

"Balthazar" continues the narrative that began in the first volume of the Alexandria Quartet, "Justine." This time, we are presented with many of the events from "Justine" but from the perspective of the psychiatrist Balthazar. His account unceremoniously disrupts and complicates our understanding of the events. A few years after the events in "Justine," the narrator, whose name we finally learn is Darley, has moved to an island with the child that Melissa had with Nessim. Here, Balthazar drops off what he calls his "interlinear," a literary recounting of the previous events from his point of view. Darley spends much of the novel reading and reflecting on this account, which completely undermines his previous understanding. We learn that Justine was actually in love with the novelist Pursewarden and used Darley as a decoy to cheat on her husband. We also read about Scobie, a mutual friend of many of the characters, who is killed while in drag, possibly while trying to pick up a sailor for a trick.

In "Balthazar," Durrell draws the reader's attention to the meta-fictional aspects of the story in at least two ways. Firstly, Balthazar's "interlinear" reconfigures Darley's understanding of the events in the previous volume, presenting a Rashomon-like series of perspectival takes, none of which can be considered the whole truth. Secondly, Durrell uses Pursewarden as a cipher to shed light on the plight of the novelist or, more broadly, the artist's task. This ambiguity, which can sometimes seem heavy-handed, mirrors Durrell's views on love and erotic relationships in general. He suggests that they are a series of shadows, lies, deceptions, and figments of our fragile imaginations. As with the first volume, the language in "Balthazar" is stunning, filled with wonderful ambiguities and mysteries that wholly capture the essence of Alexandria and its residents for Durrell.

To my first, belated encounter with Lawrence Durrell and his "Alexandria Quartet". I quickly devoured the subsequent volumes as Durrell masterfully weaves a story, carefully maintaining the tension necessary to hold the reader's attention.

In addition to this, the unforgettable characters, both primary and secondary, are meticulously drawn, and the breathtaking panorama of multicultural Alexandria is astonishingly multifaceted, considering the author's nationality and class origin.

This is how I felt after the first volume, but the subsequent ones showed me the true power of this novel.

Durrell, by giving voice to the various characters, develops the previously only signaled threads and presents the previously described events from a different side, expanding the reader's perspective and even赋予 the facts a different meaning. The writer challenges the reader to think about what truth is and convinces that everyone can have their own version of it.

I think that if I had reached for the "Quartet" in high school or during my studies, it would surely have become one of my favorites. Now, the theme that is the essence of this story, the engine and motif of the actions of almost all the characters, both annoys and amuses me. Because the "Alexandria Quartet" is a story about love, passionate, full of betrayals, lies, justifying the mistreatment of others. Four volumes that are the apotheosis of desire, glorifying sexual impulse. My life experiences indicate that people who are young or not fully emotionally mature seek love thus defined.

Nevertheless, I recommend it to everyone, even those who, like me, are "jaded" and seeking intellectual relaxation. Because Durrell is a fantastic "storyteller" guaranteeing great entertainment far from kitsch, and the narrative construction in the "Quartet" is truly first-class.

I am re-reading these for the first time in years.

It's truly a remarkable experience to revisit these pages after such a long hiatus.

I've always had a special affinity for this book.

Unlike Justine, which can be a bit more challenging to follow, this one is a lot easier to read.

The plot unfolds in a much more straightforward manner, allowing the reader to easily grasp the story's essence.

As I turn each page, I find myself getting drawn deeper into the narrative.

The characters come alive in my mind, and I can vividly picture the scenes and settings described.

It's as if I'm being transported back to the time when I first discovered this wonderful book.

Re-reading it now has given me a new perspective and a greater appreciation for its charm and simplicity.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the story progresses and how it will continue to captivate me until the very end.

Not tonight.

This second book in The Alexandria Quartet has to "soak" for a while in this read of it again after many years.

It didn't feel to me as if Balthazar tore apart the story of Justine with his "Interlinear" as much as the story suggests. Instead, it just added depth and perspective to what was perhaps a naive, infatuated, self-serving view.

Stories of colorful and enigmatic secondary characters emerged here. Strangely, I'm not sure I have a clear understanding of who Balthazar is as a character/person in the story. He was not a major character in Justine.

Wiki tells me Pursewarden is modeled on the British novelist Wyndham Lewis. Justine drew inspiration from Eve Cohen, Durrell's second wife.

The biggest joy in reading was probably the lush descriptions. I found myself wondering at Durrell's imagination as he created so many surprising similes and metaphors. Sometimes they did seem a bit strained, as if his outpouring just overflowed and his mind couldn't rethink, rewrite, observe and critique itself. But I also saw bits of humor this time, amidst the ordinary, the squalor, the deaths, the perturbations of the erotic, and the luxury of wealthy lives.

Overall, it's been an interesting and thought-provoking read, and I look forward to seeing what the next book in the quartet has in store.

This is the second book in the Alexandria Quartet.

The four books within this quartet tell the same story but from different perspectives. It delves deep into the themes of love, relationships, and jealousy.

In the first book, our focus was on the unnamed narrator's overwhelming love for Justine. However, in this second book, we discover that what he believed might not be true.

We spend a significant amount of time with the narrator's reminiscences, and we finally learn his name. We also uncover more details about Justine and her numerous relationships.

The major highlight of this book is an intriguing description of Carnaval. There is a murder and a mystery, all intertwined with a wide variety of philosophical musings.

It's important to note that this is not a standalone book. Justine must be read first for this one to make any sense. I do appreciate the creativity that the author has put into this work, but it's not going to appeal to everyone.

The reader will require a great deal of patience due to the flowery language and the nonlinear storyline. As in Justine, towards the end of this book, we find a thin thread of a plot, but there is no sense of a proper conclusion. It simply... ends.

I actually liked this one more than Justine and I'm determined to continue reading the quartet. I'm planning to take my time as I can only digest these books in small portions. Next up on my reading list is Mountolive.

I liked this part more than Justine, perhaps because it delved deeper into the details of the characters in the quartet.

The story seemed to come alive as I read through this section. The author's ability to bring out the nuances of each character was truly remarkable.

It made me feel as if I knew them personally, their hopes, dreams, and fears.

I found myself completely immersed in their world, eagerly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

This part of the narrative added a new layer of depth and complexity to the overall story, making it even more engaging and enjoyable.

I can't wait to see how the story progresses and how the characters continue to develop.

It's safe to say that this section has become one of my favorite parts of the entire book.

I am just a refugee from the long slow toothache of English life. It is truly terrible to love life so much that you can hardly breathe! The monotony and predictability of it all can wear one down.

However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. A fattened, more comprehensive and wheezing approach will occur when I finish the Quartet. This quartet holds the promise of something greater, something that will break free from the constraints of the ordinary.

Perhaps it will be a new beginning, a chance to explore different emotions and experiences. It could be a journey that takes me to places I have never been before, both in my mind and in the world around me.

As I look forward to completing the Quartet, I can feel a sense of anticipation building within me. It is like a storm cloud gathering, ready to unleash its power and transform everything in its path.

I cannot wait to see what this new approach will bring and how it will change my perspective on life. Maybe it will be the cure for the long slow toothache that has plagued me for so long. Only time will tell.

Life is not long. We owe it to ourselves to seek a path to happiness.

Sometimes there is nothing crueler than frankness.

In a certain sense, he was precisely the man she needed; but, as she must know, one of the laws of love is that the "suitable" person always arrives either too early or too late.

After that, he made her laugh - the most dangerous thing one can do with a woman because, after passion, it is laughter that they most cherish. Fatal!

They went out together and headed for the car, and suddenly Justine felt very weak, as if she had been torn from the abysses of the ocean and left on the surface of the waves.

"To begin with," writes Pursewarden, "we try to fill the void of our personalities with love, and for a brief moment we enjoy an illusion of fullness. But it is only an illusion. Because the strange creature who made us believe she was capable of uniting us with the body of the Universe actually manages to separate us from it completely. Love unites before it separates. If it were not so, how could we grow?"

**From Another Angle**

Balthazar, the second novel in Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet, presents a less intimidating read compared to its predecessor, Justine. The author reveals that the first three novels (Justine, Balthazar, and Mountolive) all overlap in time, offering different perspectives on the same events, while only the fourth book, Clea, is a true sequel. However, it is crucial to read Justine first as the greater clarity and expansiveness of Balthazar rely on the reader's prior knowledge of the characters and events.

The setup is straightforward. The narrator, now named Darley, receives a surprise visit from Balthazar, the doctor who had a secondary role in Justine. Balthazar brings with him the manuscript of Justine that Darley had sent for comment, along with his own interleaved notes and marginalia. After returning it, Darley is left with a significant volume of new material, which he calls "the great Interlinear." This forces him to retell the story, sometimes quoting Balthazar directly and sometimes reimagining it in his own voice.

In several aspects, Balthazar is clearer than Justine. Durrell uses fewer unexplained foreign words, though he still peppers the text with French. The chapters are shorter and more distinct, and the narrative focuses more on a few connected characters or a linear sequence of events. There are also more action set-pieces, such as Nessim's ride into the desert and the street festival of Sitna Mariam. The addition of a second narrator, Balthazar, enriches the story by presenting different perspectives and allowing other characters to develop greater individuality. While not all characters become more likable, it is easier to understand them. The use of direct speech also adds depth to the characters, especially the two older British characters, Pursewarden and Scobie.

Despite these improvements, Durrell's descriptive language remains rich and cadenced, perhaps a little overdone but full of surprising word choices and sharp observations. His writing effectively captures sounds, as seen in the quoted passage. This writing no longer overwhelms the narrative but rather enhances and propels the action, making the four-book sequence seem less like an outré experiment and more like a true novel of impressive scope.

Conclusion
In conclusion, Balthazar offers a more accessible and engaging read than Justine, while still maintaining the unique style and depth of Durrell's writing. The addition of a second narrator and more action set-pieces enriches the story, and the descriptive language continues to be a highlight. As the Alexandria Quartet progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that Durrell is crafting a complex and ambitious novel that explores the themes of love, loss, and identity in a vivid and unforgettable way.

Serge's second book, Balthazar, is a work that deepens the first book, Justine, and allows us to see the characters and events in a multi-dimensional way. Although it has a more flowing tempo and is easier to read than the first book, I found it one step behind Justine in terms of taste. There is no doubt that the presence of multiple sections and, although they are connected, the effect of the fragmented structure it creates. Of course, these are elements that can be considered details. The pleasure I took while reading and the fact that this pleasure took place on the fine line between reading and postponing the pleasure of finishing quickly is very impressive.

There was a book that seemed never-ending and that I really struggled to finish. I could never truly enter the world within the book. Although it wasn't a book that I would say I enjoyed reading, I also didn't regret reading it. It wasn't a waste of time, but it didn't have a significant impact on me either.

I found myself constantly pushing through the pages, hoping to find something that would engage me. However, the story just didn't seem to grab my attention. Maybe it was the writing style or the plot that didn't resonate with me. Nevertheless, I persisted in reading it, thinking that there might be something hidden within the words that would make it all worthwhile.

In the end, I did manage to finish the book, but it felt more like a chore than a pleasure. I'm not sure if I would recommend this book to others, as everyone's reading preferences are different. Some might find it captivating, while others might have the same experience as I did. Overall, it was an interesting but somewhat underwhelming reading experience for me.

This is a review of the audiobook, which I received in exchange for an honest review from Brilliance Audio.



I first delved into the second book of the Alexandria Quartet back in 2009 but unfortunately, I didn't manage to complete the quartet. This year, I'm determined to make it through all four books. However, the audio version is definitely making the process slower. The narrator, Jack Klaff, tries hard to distinguish between characters. But sometimes, this makes me really dislike the time spent with some of them. For example, Scobie with his whistled "s" is just unbearable when I'm in the car, especially since he has a rather large section near the beginning.



What I truly love about this book is the way it fills in the gaps left in Justine. It offers the reader an entirely new perspective on the characters and events. We discover the real reason why Justine marries Nessim, and it's not what one might expect. It also delves deeper into the espionage aspect, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Additionally, the author takes a step back to reflect on love and life. Durrell's writing is so beautiful that hearing the passages again is like revisiting a favorite poem.



Another interesting aspect unique to this volume of the quartet is the inclusion of two additional texts referenced in different ways. The novel begins with Balthazar visiting the author, bringing a pile of marked-up pages the author had written about Justine, hoping to share the facts and background he never knew. There's also a novelist named Pursewarden who has passed away. Although I don't specifically remember him being mentioned in Justine, he plays a key role in this book.



I also had a moment of reading synergy when I read The Butterfly Mosque: A Young American Woman's Journey to Love and Islam by G. Willow Wilson while listening to this novel. Wilson details her conversion to Islam in the early 2000s and her cultural shift as she marries an Egyptian. Durrell is描绘ing Egypt, with a focus on Alexandria, as a character in itself, just as colonial rule is waning and a power shift is on the horizon. Wilson describes a much more modern and Islam-dominant Egypt. However, between 1958 and 2010, there are still some elements of Egyptian cultural practices that remain. In fact, after reading Wilson's account, I felt I had a better understanding of Durrell's Alexandria, especially when it comes to approaches to love and the many definitions of marriage. Durrell aimed to write about "modern" love, but the non-British characters in Balthazar view it from a completely different perspective that he may not have fully grasped.



I was surprised that my original review contained no quotations, so I'll include some here.



"It is not enough, perhaps, to respect a man's genius - one must love him a little, no?"



"Are we then nourished only by fictions, by lies?"



"We live by selected fictions."



"At first" writes Pursewarden, "we seek to supplement the emptiness of our individuality through love, and for a brief moment enjoy the illusion of completeness. But it is only an illusion. For this strange creature, which we thought would join us to the body of the world, succeeds at last in separating us most thoroughly from it. Love joins and then divides. How else would we be growing?"