The Alexandria Quartet: Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive, and Clea

_The Alexandria Quartet_ is brilliant, timeless, and very cleverly constructed - one novel each for the three dimensions of space and a fourth for Einstein's fourth dimension, time. But even THAT masterfully executed literary stroke is but the framework - the matrix - on which hangs an intricate and exotic epic tale that is at once a creditable suspense novel; a bold exploration of the diverse expressions of human love; a chilling record of a crucial moment in the geopolitical history of Europe and the mid-east; a deeply personal history of individuals displaced onto a unique stage, where Durell is able to convincingly argue beyond Freud's "unconscious determinism" and Marx's "economic determinism" - for "geographic determinism", by a city that neither ancient poet nor modernday scholar can pretend to comprehend; and more - much more. Revisiting _The Alexandria Quartet_ time and again, one always discovers "side streets and back alleys", as it were, that cast the whole of it into a new and deeper dimension, beyond, even, its original four. Not for the weaker intellect; not for the prudish; and not for the faint of heart, Durell's "Alexandria".

The writing is exquisitely beautiful and haunting. And the main theme that is developed -- of place being the creator of experience and even personhood -- is unique and intriguing. I fell in love with the characters, who were well developed, yet shifting and changing like shamans throughout the course of this quartet of books, bringing another dimension to the writing -- that of perspective and the power of point of view, an important message for today's world especially. I guess I loved everything about these spellbinding, page-turning books except what I deemed to be, in my point of view, an obsession with egoistic concerns and almost a hedonistic love of pleasure and the senses. For instance, the intrusion of World War II is barely discussed in the books, as if it was a mere nuisance to be endured. That is the quality that came up short as far as making it worthy of being called a classic, like War and Peace or Noah Gordon's The Physician, two deeply philosophical books dealing meaningfully with the great themes of life on Earth. Durrell's writing is powerful and his story epic, but the depth of meaning falls just short of greatness.

Durrell's Alexandria Quartet, a series of novels each of which could stand on it's own, was inspired in its structure by the then new and exciting theory of relativity. That each observer sees the same event from his or her own unique perspective gives the Quartet a 3-dimensional depth and richness and not a few surprises for the reader. The style is fairly flowery, and some readers have complained that their writing styles have been fatally affected by the books. Durrell was a travel writer by trade, so the descriptions of Alexandria and its environs are picture-perfect, and the characters who inhabit this pre-war melange of cultures are brought to life through separate interpretations of the same events. The Quartet is my favorite read when traveling, and I recommend it most highly, especially now that the entire set s available in electronic form. My only complaint is that now I have to transcribe my previous highlights, underlines and marginal comments to my Kindle edition!

Durrell's prose is rich and flowing. The 4 books describe a series of events told from 4 different standpoints, each bringing out more of the full story. These books features a place, Alexandria, that is both the venue for the story and in a way its central character. The first book, Justine, is a one of those books that I reread every few years, enveloped by the lush description and fascinating characters. I'm delighted to now have it on my iPad. The last 3 books add to what superficially is a love story, but which has so many layers. If you haven't read The Alexandria Quartet you're in for a real treat.