Alexandria Quartet: Complete boxed set [B1312]

1961, Four Dutton MM paperbacks in a boxed set. The books are seemingly unread, their spines are faded, and the slip-box shows shelf wear. Lawrence Durrell's series of four novels set in Alexandria, Egypt during the 1940s. The lush and sensuous series consists Justine (1957) Balthazar (1958) Mountolive (1958) Clea (1960). In the first three novels, Justine , Balthazar and Mountolive use their varied viewpoints to relate a series of events in Alexandria before World War II. In Clea , the story continues into the years during the war. One L.G. Darley is the primary observer of the events, which include events in the lives of those he loves and those he knows. In Justine , Darley attempts to recover from and put into perspective his recently ended affair with a woman. Balthazar reinterprets the romantic perspective he placed on the affair and its aftermath in Justine, in more philosophical and intellectual terms. Mountolive tells a story minus interpretation, and Clea reveals Darley's healing, and coming to love another woman.

From recent MIXED Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Four volumes written in the 1960s setup in Alexandria just before and during the 2nd world war. Love is the central theme, with a complex political plot in the background, while the story is told through the eyes of 4 characters (1 for each volume). Absolute masterpiece, beautifully written (and yes, sometimes overwritten) and truly fascinating reading. I had never heard of it before and this was a magnificent discovery."; "This series is not a light read-it demands patience and attention-but the reward is immense. It's a literary mosaic that leaves you pondering long after the final page. The Alexandria Quartet is for readers who revel in rich prose, complex characters, and stories that challenge the boundaries of fiction. For me, Alexandria was the most pleasant part-the city's pulse, its enigmatic aura, and its light remain long after the story ends. Durrell invites you into a world of beauty and ambiguity, and once you step into Alexandria, you may never truly leave."; "DNF. Pretentious writing style by a self indulgent misogynist."; "I wish I could knock all of you big readers over the head with this mammoth that deserves its place alongside "The Brothers Karamazov," "Moby Dick," or "Don Quixote," a book as memorable as Proust's "In Search of Lost Time." Durrell's characters-Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive, Clea, Nessim, Narouz, Pombal, Melissa, Pursewarden, ah, my dear Pursewarden! How could I ever forget them?! I feel so attached to them, to their longings, to their weakness for poetry and mysticism and romance, to their many fates all bracketed between sand and sea, and to the city of Alexandria which for them, and me, would become many worlds."