What do you think?
Rate this book
The Revolt of Aphrodite #2
Nunquam
Will a desperate scientist’s mastery of technology save him—or be his undoing?
The ominous and compelling sequel to Durrell’s Tunc finds gifted inventor Felix Charlock called upon by the sinister international firm, Merlin, to apply his scientific prowess to a seemingly impossible project. He must literally reinvent his lost lover, Iolanthe, in the form of a living, breathing replica. Merlin’s dark project leads Felix on a fantastic undertaking. In recreating his former love, Felix knows that he will either find what he had thought lost, or the technology—his very life’s blood—will be the end of him.
The ominous and compelling sequel to Durrell’s Tunc finds gifted inventor Felix Charlock called upon by the sinister international firm, Merlin, to apply his scientific prowess to a seemingly impossible project. He must literally reinvent his lost lover, Iolanthe, in the form of a living, breathing replica. Merlin’s dark project leads Felix on a fantastic undertaking. In recreating his former love, Felix knows that he will either find what he had thought lost, or the technology—his very life’s blood—will be the end of him.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
8 people are currently reading
235 people want to read
About the author
Lawrence Durrell
324 books891 followersLawrence George Durrell was a critically hailed and beloved novelist, poet, humorist, and travel writer best known for The Alexandria Quartet novels, which were ranked by the Modern Library as among the greatest works of English literature in the twentieth century. A passionate and dedicated writer from an early age, Durrell’s prolific career also included the groundbreaking Avignon Quintet, whose first novel, Monsieur (1974), won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, and whose third novel, Constance (1982), was nominated for the Booker Prize. He also penned the celebrated travel memoir Bitter Lemons of Cyprus (1957), which won the Duff Cooper Prize. Durrell corresponded with author Henry Miller for forty-five years, and Miller influenced much of his early work, including a provocative and controversial novel, The Black Book (1938). Durrell died in France in 1990.
The time Lawrence spent with his family, mother Louisa, siblings Leslie, Margaret Durrell, and Gerald Durrell, on the island of Corfu were the subject of Gerald's memoirs and have been filmed numerous times for TV.
The time Lawrence spent with his family, mother Louisa, siblings Leslie, Margaret Durrell, and Gerald Durrell, on the island of Corfu were the subject of Gerald's memoirs and have been filmed numerous times for TV.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 10, 2013
Originally published on my blog here in January 2004.
The completion of The Revolt of Aphrodite begins, like its predecessor Tunc, with a section which is poetic and hard to read. Yet its purpose is the opposite; Tunc is intended to lure the reader with mystification while Nunquam illuminates what was previously obscure. So here the difficult prose has a rationale which is soon revealed to the reader: it is a kind of journal written by Felix Charlock (the narrator of both novels) while he is being treated in a mental hospital after killing his own son believing the boy to the the fruit of his wife's suspected infidelity with the mysterious Julian.
The sort of revealing detail that Durrell includes in Nunquam is exemplified by the moment when the narrator describes writing "Felix amat Benedicta", and the reader suddenly realises that this is not just a pretentious way for him to express his love for his wife but also a pointer to an allegorical role for these two characters, as it reminds him/her that their names mean "happy" and "blessed". It didn't occur to me to think of the characters in this way until this point (though arguably it should have done), and this it was a sentence which transformed my understanding of both novels. The two characters are unusual allegorical figures, of course, because their experiences and natures leave them in an almost permanent state of seeming neither happy nor blessed. The Revolt of Aphrodite is revealed to be a sardonic, cynical, symbolic drama.
The plot of Nunquam, once Felix is judged cured and able to return to his work for Merlin, is basically a retelling of Frankenstein. Felix's former lover, the film star Iolanthe, is dead, but Merlin decides to use her as a prototype in a project to create a mechanical being, aiming to recreate her appearance, memories and personality. This part of the story also clearly fits into some kind of symbolic and satirical picture of modern society, even if its precise meaning is not so clear. (The purpose of this section is more obviously satirical than most of the rest of the pair of novels, though the whole is about the emptiness of modern capitalism.) Durrell uses his update of the Frankenstein story to paint a pretty negative view of science; for example, Felix imagines the laboratory complex as looking rather like Belsen, and its name evokes the idea that the engineers are just playing (their motivation for recreating Iolanthe is indeed quite vague).
There was still a lot I didn't fully understand about The Revolt of Aphrodite (for three reasons: some things are deliberately left obscure; others will become clear only on a second or third reading; and others require background I do not have, particularly of Spengler's The Decline of the West on which the novels are a commentary in fictional form). Nevertheless, Tunc and Nunquam have both had a deep effect on me, and are going to remain with me for a long time.
The completion of The Revolt of Aphrodite begins, like its predecessor Tunc, with a section which is poetic and hard to read. Yet its purpose is the opposite; Tunc is intended to lure the reader with mystification while Nunquam illuminates what was previously obscure. So here the difficult prose has a rationale which is soon revealed to the reader: it is a kind of journal written by Felix Charlock (the narrator of both novels) while he is being treated in a mental hospital after killing his own son believing the boy to the the fruit of his wife's suspected infidelity with the mysterious Julian.
The sort of revealing detail that Durrell includes in Nunquam is exemplified by the moment when the narrator describes writing "Felix amat Benedicta", and the reader suddenly realises that this is not just a pretentious way for him to express his love for his wife but also a pointer to an allegorical role for these two characters, as it reminds him/her that their names mean "happy" and "blessed". It didn't occur to me to think of the characters in this way until this point (though arguably it should have done), and this it was a sentence which transformed my understanding of both novels. The two characters are unusual allegorical figures, of course, because their experiences and natures leave them in an almost permanent state of seeming neither happy nor blessed. The Revolt of Aphrodite is revealed to be a sardonic, cynical, symbolic drama.
The plot of Nunquam, once Felix is judged cured and able to return to his work for Merlin, is basically a retelling of Frankenstein. Felix's former lover, the film star Iolanthe, is dead, but Merlin decides to use her as a prototype in a project to create a mechanical being, aiming to recreate her appearance, memories and personality. This part of the story also clearly fits into some kind of symbolic and satirical picture of modern society, even if its precise meaning is not so clear. (The purpose of this section is more obviously satirical than most of the rest of the pair of novels, though the whole is about the emptiness of modern capitalism.) Durrell uses his update of the Frankenstein story to paint a pretty negative view of science; for example, Felix imagines the laboratory complex as looking rather like Belsen, and its name evokes the idea that the engineers are just playing (their motivation for recreating Iolanthe is indeed quite vague).
There was still a lot I didn't fully understand about The Revolt of Aphrodite (for three reasons: some things are deliberately left obscure; others will become clear only on a second or third reading; and others require background I do not have, particularly of Spengler's The Decline of the West on which the novels are a commentary in fictional form). Nevertheless, Tunc and Nunquam have both had a deep effect on me, and are going to remain with me for a long time.
June 2, 2008
This book took me totally by surprise. I picked it up because the hardback version I have looked impressive with it's racing green cloth cover and gold lettering, and the name was intriguing.
It turns out this is one of the most engaging books I've ever read, It's the sort of book that draws you in, leading you to empathise with all those concerned as the characters are developed into deep, solid creations. At times confusing, at times disturbing, it's always interesting, and incredibly well written. I highly recommend this one!
It turns out this is one of the most engaging books I've ever read, It's the sort of book that draws you in, leading you to empathise with all those concerned as the characters are developed into deep, solid creations. At times confusing, at times disturbing, it's always interesting, and incredibly well written. I highly recommend this one!
June 24, 2021
‘Don’t judge a book by today’s values’ they say. Well, it was really difficult not to.
I spent most of the time confused (granted, not always a derogatory quality) and a bit disgusted - I was not a fan despite the sporadic moments of great writing.
I spent most of the time confused (granted, not always a derogatory quality) and a bit disgusted - I was not a fan despite the sporadic moments of great writing.
February 3, 2024
Me a few pages in: "WTF!"
Me finishing the book: "Okay ... wtf..."
Quotes that caught my eye
You see, anxiety is only a state of deadly heed, just as melancholia is only a pathological sadness. (23-24)
Moreover “if integrally and radically the woman leaves the passive role and enters the active, she abdicates her sex and becomes man, or rather, such a transformation being physically impossible, she attains affirmation by a double negation, placing herself outside both sexes like some sterile and monstrous androgyne.” (42)
And even while the poor fool is waving his arms and talking about freewill he is being subtly grooved by his culture, formed by it—money, fashions, architecture, laws, machines, foods. At what point can he really say that he stands free and clear away from the pattern in which he was cradled and by which he was formed? (89)
Technology in every age is simply the passive miracle which flows of our attitude to nature, helping the chrysalis to turn itself into the butterfly. It has nothing to do with the worry about raping nature—you can’t: because nature will round on you and punish you for transgressions of this sort. (92)
The leaden pull of the grave on the one hand and these huge towering structures in stone or paper which he has built to keep out the thought, the unbearable thought of his disappearance. (93)
I watched him with curiosity, still consumed by a feeling of unreality; as much as I could see of him, that is, for the glasses shielded his eyes. “Always the passion for disguise, Julian” I said, somewhat rudely I suppose. “It has always puzzled me.” He looked round at me and quickly looked away again. “It shouldn’t really” he said. “I have always been terribly ... shy; but apart from that I have a thing, I suppose Nash would regard it as a complex, about faces. They seem to me quite private things. I do not see why we have to walk about with them sticking out of a hole in the top of our clothes, simple because convention decrees it. (111)
The long desolate galleries grew awake and attentive as they watched us come walk, walking in this warm bubble of candleshine; watched us pass and then slipped back into the anonymity of darkness behind us. (125)
... habit grooves the sensibility.... (141)
The forest had still some edges left which were a help in judging our general direction—as if someone had spilled Indian ink over a lace shawl. (142)
... he had returned from his gambling bender both poorer and richer—for the fever had left him abruptly as it so often did for months at a time. it was like an underground river this illness, appearing and disappearing, now above ground now below—never constant. (146-47)
Machinery has this peculiar tug on the crude affections of the human race; why else do men christen their cars and sailing-boats? (147)
In other words, the embalmer’s work is really an art based on a calculated judgement of a given situation. both under-embalming and over-embalming result from inaccurately judged drainage-control. With over-embalming you get wrinkling, leatherising and dehydration in low-resistance areas; with under-embalming you risk premature decomposition areas of high resistance. Scylla and Charybdis, my friends, that is what you might call it! Ah! (158-59)
... brandishing each his sterile and desexualized penis ... the big tepid biblical turd of our culture which lay under the vine-shoots f modern history, waiting to be.... (175)
“Freud says that all happiness is the deferred fulfilment of a prehistoric wish, and then he adds: ‘That is why wealth brings so little happiness; money is not an infantile wish.’ .... I have been studying the demonic of our capitalistic system through the eyes of Luther—a chastening experience in some ways. He saw the final coming to power in this world of Satan as a capitalistic emblem. For him the entire structure of the Kingdom of Satan is essentially capitalistic—we are the devil’s own real property, he says: and his deepest condemnation of our system is in his phrase ‘Mondy is the word of the Devil, through which he creates all things in exactly the way God once created the True Word.’ In his devastating theology capitalism manifests itself as the ape of God, the simia dei. (177-78)
“I am worried about the young, Mr. Felix. They are all studying economics. They are all taking degrees in it—you can get them anywhere now. Now you know and I know that economics isn’t really a subject at all. But the mental evolutions necessary to study it can easily fix one at the anal stage for the rest of one’s life. And people fixed at the anal stage are a danger to humanity, Mr. Felix. Is it not so?” (193)
And the ideas all neatly laundered and folded by courtesy of Freud. (215)
In fields and arbours where the jackals come out by moonlight to scavenge the muscat grapes; or in glass-penned coffee houses suspended over flowing water where the hubble-bubbles clear their throats in rose water. (278)
Me finishing the book: "Okay ... wtf..."
Quotes that caught my eye
You see, anxiety is only a state of deadly heed, just as melancholia is only a pathological sadness. (23-24)
Moreover “if integrally and radically the woman leaves the passive role and enters the active, she abdicates her sex and becomes man, or rather, such a transformation being physically impossible, she attains affirmation by a double negation, placing herself outside both sexes like some sterile and monstrous androgyne.” (42)
And even while the poor fool is waving his arms and talking about freewill he is being subtly grooved by his culture, formed by it—money, fashions, architecture, laws, machines, foods. At what point can he really say that he stands free and clear away from the pattern in which he was cradled and by which he was formed? (89)
Technology in every age is simply the passive miracle which flows of our attitude to nature, helping the chrysalis to turn itself into the butterfly. It has nothing to do with the worry about raping nature—you can’t: because nature will round on you and punish you for transgressions of this sort. (92)
The leaden pull of the grave on the one hand and these huge towering structures in stone or paper which he has built to keep out the thought, the unbearable thought of his disappearance. (93)
I watched him with curiosity, still consumed by a feeling of unreality; as much as I could see of him, that is, for the glasses shielded his eyes. “Always the passion for disguise, Julian” I said, somewhat rudely I suppose. “It has always puzzled me.” He looked round at me and quickly looked away again. “It shouldn’t really” he said. “I have always been terribly ... shy; but apart from that I have a thing, I suppose Nash would regard it as a complex, about faces. They seem to me quite private things. I do not see why we have to walk about with them sticking out of a hole in the top of our clothes, simple because convention decrees it. (111)
The long desolate galleries grew awake and attentive as they watched us come walk, walking in this warm bubble of candleshine; watched us pass and then slipped back into the anonymity of darkness behind us. (125)
... habit grooves the sensibility.... (141)
The forest had still some edges left which were a help in judging our general direction—as if someone had spilled Indian ink over a lace shawl. (142)
... he had returned from his gambling bender both poorer and richer—for the fever had left him abruptly as it so often did for months at a time. it was like an underground river this illness, appearing and disappearing, now above ground now below—never constant. (146-47)
Machinery has this peculiar tug on the crude affections of the human race; why else do men christen their cars and sailing-boats? (147)
In other words, the embalmer’s work is really an art based on a calculated judgement of a given situation. both under-embalming and over-embalming result from inaccurately judged drainage-control. With over-embalming you get wrinkling, leatherising and dehydration in low-resistance areas; with under-embalming you risk premature decomposition areas of high resistance. Scylla and Charybdis, my friends, that is what you might call it! Ah! (158-59)
... brandishing each his sterile and desexualized penis ... the big tepid biblical turd of our culture which lay under the vine-shoots f modern history, waiting to be.... (175)
“Freud says that all happiness is the deferred fulfilment of a prehistoric wish, and then he adds: ‘That is why wealth brings so little happiness; money is not an infantile wish.’ .... I have been studying the demonic of our capitalistic system through the eyes of Luther—a chastening experience in some ways. He saw the final coming to power in this world of Satan as a capitalistic emblem. For him the entire structure of the Kingdom of Satan is essentially capitalistic—we are the devil’s own real property, he says: and his deepest condemnation of our system is in his phrase ‘Mondy is the word of the Devil, through which he creates all things in exactly the way God once created the True Word.’ In his devastating theology capitalism manifests itself as the ape of God, the simia dei. (177-78)
“I am worried about the young, Mr. Felix. They are all studying economics. They are all taking degrees in it—you can get them anywhere now. Now you know and I know that economics isn’t really a subject at all. But the mental evolutions necessary to study it can easily fix one at the anal stage for the rest of one’s life. And people fixed at the anal stage are a danger to humanity, Mr. Felix. Is it not so?” (193)
And the ideas all neatly laundered and folded by courtesy of Freud. (215)
In fields and arbours where the jackals come out by moonlight to scavenge the muscat grapes; or in glass-penned coffee houses suspended over flowing water where the hubble-bubbles clear their throats in rose water. (278)
Read
January 13, 2014I love English expatriates. It's fun to watch their provincial (and post-Imperial) snobbery erode, as they accept the Wisdom of the Barbarians. Slowly, they learn to dance. Great examples (in writing) are "My Guru and His Disciple" by Christopher Isherwood and "A Passage to India" by E. M. Forster. This book is not in their league, but it's not meant to be. It seems to be written largely for Lawrence Durell, as a repository for his observations of the last few years -- this was 1970 -- many of them about Turkey. The story involves a team of scientists building an artificial woman for a vast multinational corporation known as Merlins. (Durell's idea of "selling out" is to write a science-fiction book with almost no plot and a Latin title.)
Having a Big Mind and a mighty pen (actually, this book feels typed, on a typewriter) Durell could prophesy the future -- the questions of "Who is human and who is a machine?" that I face when I receive notes like:
"Hi can we be friends i have been looking at your page and you seem very nice."
by a person named Chion Celino -- complete with a little picture -- in my Facebook inbox.
Durell also predicted how corporations would become a visionary artform (Google, Apple, Twitter). Julian, the sensitive, doomed CEO of Merlins, is like a reclusive rock star merged with a businessman: Kurt Cobain as Bill Gates.
I bought "Nunquam" for 53¢ at the Housing Works Bookstore in Manhattan. Durell has an obsession with one-word titles: "Clea," "Balthazar," "Mountolive," "Justine." This title means "never." The book is epic, picaresque, cosmopolitan, and a love story. I chose it over the Alexandria Quartet because it was merely one book, which seemed easier. Two-thirds of the way through, I realized it's actually the sequel to ANOTHER book, "Tunc" (which means "then"). Together they are known as "The Revolt of Aphrodite."
Durell drops hints about alchemy throughout "Nunquam." Was he a secret esotericist?
Having a Big Mind and a mighty pen (actually, this book feels typed, on a typewriter) Durell could prophesy the future -- the questions of "Who is human and who is a machine?" that I face when I receive notes like:
"Hi can we be friends i have been looking at your page and you seem very nice."
by a person named Chion Celino -- complete with a little picture -- in my Facebook inbox.
Durell also predicted how corporations would become a visionary artform (Google, Apple, Twitter). Julian, the sensitive, doomed CEO of Merlins, is like a reclusive rock star merged with a businessman: Kurt Cobain as Bill Gates.
I bought "Nunquam" for 53¢ at the Housing Works Bookstore in Manhattan. Durell has an obsession with one-word titles: "Clea," "Balthazar," "Mountolive," "Justine." This title means "never." The book is epic, picaresque, cosmopolitan, and a love story. I chose it over the Alexandria Quartet because it was merely one book, which seemed easier. Two-thirds of the way through, I realized it's actually the sequel to ANOTHER book, "Tunc" (which means "then"). Together they are known as "The Revolt of Aphrodite."
Durell drops hints about alchemy throughout "Nunquam." Was he a secret esotericist?
February 7, 2021
When Benedicta gave birth son to the hero, completely weaning him from the body (the hero, not the baby Mark), Felix had no choice but to merry the work. Sublimation, you know, is the very effective way to relax. And for the creative people it exactly what the doctor prescribe. He is, however, a slave of the lamp, as hi surprise to discover (well, remember that moment Aladdin then the genie in a thunderous voice confesses: "I`m the slave to the Lamp"?)
The unpleasant discovery: signing a contract, you need to carefully read is written in small letters, overtakes the hero at the time, then he want to benefit the women of the planet with the innovative, eco-friendly, fabulously cheap way of washing. And to do this the principle of the internet, which has not been invented, put in the free access. "But no, - says the company, affectionately voice his brother in law, Julian, - All the right of you intellectual property my friend, belong to the Firm for life."
Господин оформитель
Людей все больше и больше, Бенедикта и мир уже перенаселен. Однако качество, соответственно, снижается. Нет никакого толка от обыкновенных людей. Ничто, помноженное на ничто, так и будет ничто.
О да, добрый мой господин. Мир, впрямь, перенаселен. Что делает непраздным вопрос, к чему еще умножать в нем количество сущностей? Ах, есть необходимость? То есть, бритва Оккама здесь не годится? Что ж, тогда давайте сделаем это.
Создадим андроида по образу и подобию почившей Иоланты, бывшей голливудской суперзвездой, а еще прежде - шлюхой из афинского борделя и любовницей Черлока нашего (не Холмса), героя-рассказчика. До тех пор, пока он не встретил свою безумно притягательную, смертельно опасную и весьма далекую от, хм, психической нормы Femme Fatal Бенедикту.
После, когда Бенедикта родила герою сына, совсем отлучив его от тела (героя, не младенца Марка), Феликсу ничего не оставалось, кроме как забыться в работе. Сублимация, знаете ли, действенный способ релакса, а для творческого человека, так и вовсе то, что доктор прописал. Он, однако, раб лампы, как с удивлением обнаруживает (ну, помните тот момент из Аладдина, когда джинн громоподобным голосом признается: "Я раб лампы"?)
Так вот, неприятное открытие, что подписывая контракт, надобно внимательно вычитывать в том числе и написанное мелкими буквами, настигает героя в момент, когда он хочет облагодетельствовать женщин планеты новаторским экологичным, сказочно дешевым способом стирки. Причем сделать это по принципу не изобретенного еще интернета - выложить в свободный доступ. А вот и нет, - ласково говорит Фирма в лице его шурина Джулиана - все права на твою интеллектуальную собственность, дружок, пожизненно принадлежат Фирме. Остались мы, девочки, без лайфхака.
Вы ж понимаете, что невозможность смириться с Таким (!) отодвигает далеко на задний план и членовредительство жены в припадке помрачения, и самоубийство сына - вина за него косвенным образом лежит на Феликсе, впрочем, там в равной мере поспособствовали матушка, и дядя. В комплексе, когда-то и до нашего скорбно-бесчувственного Черлока дойдет, что в датском королевстве его жизни уже не просто неладно, но прогнило и смердит - соединение всего помещает Черлока в психушку.
Довольно комфортабельную, впрочем, и украденные ключи позволяют свободно перемещаться внутри периметра (салют, "Мастер и Маргарита"). За что люблю Лоренса Даррелла, так это за богатейшую референтность, обращенную как в прошлое: внимательный и неленивый читатель поймает в основной теме не только отсылку к Витюше Франкенштейну, но и к доктору Фаусту, и Просперо с Мирандой словно бы просятся на страницы (свои Ариэль с Калибаном тут тоже имеются). Как в прошлое, так и в будущее - главы, о бальзамировании предвосхитили народную любовь к елизаровской "Земле".
А вскоре компанию ему там составит милая женушка. Любимая, ненавистная, вожделенная, самая близкая и столь же далекая. С аттракционом неслыханной откровенности, которой можно и нужно было избежать. Но инцестуальные мотивы и возможность говорить на эти темы, очевидно, значимы для автора. Если вспомнить часть его биографии, связанную с самоубийством дочери Сапфо, еще и мистическое предвидение. Однако не буду развивать, это хождение по слишком тонкому льду.
Но скажите мне, скажите же мне кто-нибудь, почему, обладая немыслимой возможностью воскресить Марка, они не делают этого сосредоточившись только и исключительно на шлюшке-с-золотым-сердцем Ио? Нет. Умом не одну только Россию не понять, "Бунт Афродиты. Nunquam " принадлежит к числу того же сорта вещей в себе..
The unpleasant discovery: signing a contract, you need to carefully read is written in small letters, overtakes the hero at the time, then he want to benefit the women of the planet with the innovative, eco-friendly, fabulously cheap way of washing. And to do this the principle of the internet, which has not been invented, put in the free access. "But no, - says the company, affectionately voice his brother in law, Julian, - All the right of you intellectual property my friend, belong to the Firm for life."
Господин оформитель
Людей все больше и больше, Бенедикта и мир уже перенаселен. Однако качество, соответственно, снижается. Нет никакого толка от обыкновенных людей. Ничто, помноженное на ничто, так и будет ничто.
О да, добрый мой господин. Мир, впрямь, перенаселен. Что делает непраздным вопрос, к чему еще умножать в нем количество сущностей? Ах, есть необходимость? То есть, бритва Оккама здесь не годится? Что ж, тогда давайте сделаем это.
Создадим андроида по образу и подобию почившей Иоланты, бывшей голливудской суперзвездой, а еще прежде - шлюхой из афинского борделя и любовницей Черлока нашего (не Холмса), героя-рассказчика. До тех пор, пока он не встретил свою безумно притягательную, смертельно опасную и весьма далекую от, хм, психической нормы Femme Fatal Бенедикту.
После, когда Бенедикта родила герою сына, совсем отлучив его от тела (героя, не младенца Марка), Феликсу ничего не оставалось, кроме как забыться в работе. Сублимация, знаете ли, действенный способ релакса, а для творческого человека, так и вовсе то, что доктор прописал. Он, однако, раб лампы, как с удивлением обнаруживает (ну, помните тот момент из Аладдина, когда джинн громоподобным голосом признается: "Я раб лампы"?)
Так вот, неприятное открытие, что подписывая контракт, надобно внимательно вычитывать в том числе и написанное мелкими буквами, настигает героя в момент, когда он хочет облагодетельствовать женщин планеты новаторским экологичным, сказочно дешевым способом стирки. Причем сделать это по принципу не изобретенного еще интернета - выложить в свободный доступ. А вот и нет, - ласково говорит Фирма в лице его шурина Джулиана - все права на твою интеллектуальную собственность, дружок, пожизненно принадлежат Фирме. Остались мы, девочки, без лайфхака.
Вы ж понимаете, что невозможность смириться с Таким (!) отодвигает далеко на задний план и членовредительство жены в припадке помрачения, и самоубийство сына - вина за него косвенным образом лежит на Феликсе, впрочем, там в равной мере поспособствовали матушка, и дядя. В комплексе, когда-то и до нашего скорбно-бесчувственного Черлока дойдет, что в датском королевстве его жизни уже не просто неладно, но прогнило и смердит - соединение всего помещает Черлока в психушку.
Довольно комфортабельную, впрочем, и украденные ключи позволяют свободно перемещаться внутри периметра (салют, "Мастер и Маргарита"). За что люблю Лоренса Даррелла, так это за богатейшую референтность, обращенную как в прошлое: внимательный и неленивый читатель поймает в основной теме не только отсылку к Витюше Франкенштейну, но и к доктору Фаусту, и Просперо с Мирандой словно бы просятся на страницы (свои Ариэль с Калибаном тут тоже имеются). Как в прошлое, так и в будущее - главы, о бальзамировании предвосхитили народную любовь к елизаровской "Земле".
А вскоре компанию ему там составит милая женушка. Любимая, ненавистная, вожделенная, самая близкая и столь же далекая. С аттракционом неслыханной откровенности, которой можно и нужно было избежать. Но инцестуальные мотивы и возможность говорить на эти темы, очевидно, значимы для автора. Если вспомнить часть его биографии, связанную с самоубийством дочери Сапфо, еще и мистическое предвидение. Однако не буду развивать, это хождение по слишком тонкому льду.
Но скажите мне, скажите же мне кто-нибудь, почему, обладая немыслимой возможностью воскресить Марка, они не делают этого сосредоточившись только и исключительно на шлюшке-с-золотым-сердцем Ио? Нет. Умом не одну только Россию не понять, "Бунт Афродиты. Nunquam " принадлежит к числу того же сорта вещей в себе..
August 19, 2022
In my last post on this site I stated that I would read the sequel to Durrell's Tunc, if for no other reason than to try and make sense of this story. Well, now I have done that, and honestly I'm not sure if I'm any the wiser....
Taking up from where Tunc left off, we find Felix in an asylum after being tracked down by Julian. Benedicta comes back into his life, after rejecting Julian and Merlin, and together they nurse themselves back to health. Eventually they both meet Julian (Felix for the first time), and Felix is convinced to rejoin the firm to take the lead on Julian's new project.
That project is to create an artificial Iolanthe, a job in which Julian and Marchant succeed beyond their wildest expectations. Once they bring the simulacrum to life, "she" gives them the slip and leads an independent life, before the final tragedy that leaves Felix in charge of the firm, with a plan to destroy the entire edifice.
That, and a subplot of the death of Jocas, is pretty much the story of Nunquam. Like Tunc there is some wonderful descriptive writing, but again the story is lacking and as I was reading it I got the feeling that at times Durrell was merely time-filling. There are some rants about various things (sexuality is prominent in both books), but I spent a good part of this novel waiting for something to happen. It is a frustrating read, because I feel it could have been better than it is. Although I will add that my reading of this book was interrupted by issues that may have coloured my view of it.
Not one of my favourite reads, but you may have a different view.
Taking up from where Tunc left off, we find Felix in an asylum after being tracked down by Julian. Benedicta comes back into his life, after rejecting Julian and Merlin, and together they nurse themselves back to health. Eventually they both meet Julian (Felix for the first time), and Felix is convinced to rejoin the firm to take the lead on Julian's new project.
That project is to create an artificial Iolanthe, a job in which Julian and Marchant succeed beyond their wildest expectations. Once they bring the simulacrum to life, "she" gives them the slip and leads an independent life, before the final tragedy that leaves Felix in charge of the firm, with a plan to destroy the entire edifice.
That, and a subplot of the death of Jocas, is pretty much the story of Nunquam. Like Tunc there is some wonderful descriptive writing, but again the story is lacking and as I was reading it I got the feeling that at times Durrell was merely time-filling. There are some rants about various things (sexuality is prominent in both books), but I spent a good part of this novel waiting for something to happen. It is a frustrating read, because I feel it could have been better than it is. Although I will add that my reading of this book was interrupted by issues that may have coloured my view of it.
Not one of my favourite reads, but you may have a different view.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2023
А вторая часть ещё более сумбурная и странная. Ничего не предвещало поворота в чистый сайфай с интеллектуальным привкусом, филологическим таким. Очень напомнило Гарланда с его фильмом про совершенного робота. Такое ощущение, что книга рождалась в жутких муках, он уже не знал, как её написать, как все развязать и закончить, и его понесло как бешеную собаку. Скучно
May 28, 2020
A good continuation of and conclusion to Tunc. Perhaps not as fluent but enjoyable. Durrell's language across both novels is often exciting and a joy to read. Worth reading.
October 12, 2011
The first Lawrence Durrell book I've read that has left me feeling slightly disappointed. It was all going so well up until the last 100 pages or so, and with it being the conclusion to a two-book overall story, I was left thinking I must have missed something somewhere.
December 11, 2012
Interesting with a very bizarre set of characters, including a beautiful robot made in the likeness of a deceased movie star. I wonder if the author knew eccentric and disturbed people like his characters or if he just had a very active imagination.
May 17, 2013
My jacket never mentioned that this was a sequel, so although there are lots of references to what happened before, it's hard to see this as a complete narrative in itself. Not a great deal of plot. I'm uncertain how seriously we're supposed to take the divine merde line of argument.
April 5, 2017
One of later novels, his play on language and delving into odd characters makes this a valued book to the Durrell collection.
February 26, 2013
Tunc and Nunquam go together. Different!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews