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El Círculo Mágico
Ariel recibe en herencia unos viejos manuscritos de gran valor que encierran un importante secreto relacionado con los objetos sagrados de las tribus de Israel. Quien consiga descifrarlos será depositario de una sabiduría tan antigua que se pierde en la memoria de la humanidad, será capaz de encontrar el origen de los mitos, los ritos, las creencias y los símbolos de todas las grandes culturas de la historia y descifrará las claves para la interpretación del futuro.
688 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
342 people are currently reading
2553 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Neville
35 books1,409 followersKatherine Neville is an American author. Her novels include The Eight, A Calculated Risk, and The Magic Circle. She was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and she previously worked as a photographer, a model, a consultant at the Department of Energy, and a vice president of the local Bank of America.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 350 reviews
September 10, 2009
Oh, this book was so disappointing. I had big hopes after really enjoying The Eight. The central character, Ariel, was suppose to be a nuclear expert and a super code cracker but her character really lacks the mental strength required for both. Also, it felt like she was lead from event to event and never really took the lead herself. Plus the whole convoluted family inbreeding situation that unraveled over the course of the story was disturbing. The "ick factor" was too much for me. Then trying to weave together something about magical objects, Jesus, an earth power grid, astrology, Hitler, etc., etc., it really did not work at all. The story tried to accomplish too much and ended up grossing me out and irritating me by dishonoring history, especially the holocaust, all at once.
June 29, 2024
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Several authors unknowingly benefit from disregarding reviews. Lyn Hamilton, Karen White, and Katherine Neville became my favourites! Only Andrew Davidson researches cultures as profoundly and severally as Katherine and further dazzles us with well connected plot intricacy. “The Eight” sparkles with 5 stars among my all time favourites. “The Magic Circle” collected a few criticisms in 554 pages but 4 star praise is high. Finished back in January 2022, I am ready to summarize my appreciation of such a rich, vast tome.
Ariel Behn, a toxic waste surveyor in modern 1989, 9 years from this book’s release, is related to colourful people. We travel across the Middle East and Europe and learn historical intrigues that are real, little-known facts. I love things like that. To illustrate the variety of archives collected by Ariel’s family and how fortunate their survival is through millennia of political evil, we sample snapshots of history. It understandably felt nice to meet Jesus and his supporters, before the Last Supper. Besides His section, the flashbacks took too much time for mere historical colour. The modern action was focused. Relatives gave Ariel their secrets, which enlightened her about herself; the most gratifying portions for me. Regular, dramatic pronouncements of people being Siblings or Grandparents were a sheer delight!
Ariel mainly dashes from thieves. Have generations of people been after the archives? I disliked the unlikely cliché of the group being found in dense, Aboriginal-guided forest. She eventually gets to study the collection but the mystery comprised who chased her, not on exploring the mystical possibilities the documents described. The story was about journeys, history revelations, growth, and building bonds; which were all immensely creative. Intelligent women rule Katherine’s pages and so did an amazingly helpful, agile cat! Vienna holds significant provenance that I could not have contemplated.
Several authors unknowingly benefit from disregarding reviews. Lyn Hamilton, Karen White, and Katherine Neville became my favourites! Only Andrew Davidson researches cultures as profoundly and severally as Katherine and further dazzles us with well connected plot intricacy. “The Eight” sparkles with 5 stars among my all time favourites. “The Magic Circle” collected a few criticisms in 554 pages but 4 star praise is high. Finished back in January 2022, I am ready to summarize my appreciation of such a rich, vast tome.
Ariel Behn, a toxic waste surveyor in modern 1989, 9 years from this book’s release, is related to colourful people. We travel across the Middle East and Europe and learn historical intrigues that are real, little-known facts. I love things like that. To illustrate the variety of archives collected by Ariel’s family and how fortunate their survival is through millennia of political evil, we sample snapshots of history. It understandably felt nice to meet Jesus and his supporters, before the Last Supper. Besides His section, the flashbacks took too much time for mere historical colour. The modern action was focused. Relatives gave Ariel their secrets, which enlightened her about herself; the most gratifying portions for me. Regular, dramatic pronouncements of people being Siblings or Grandparents were a sheer delight!
Ariel mainly dashes from thieves. Have generations of people been after the archives? I disliked the unlikely cliché of the group being found in dense, Aboriginal-guided forest. She eventually gets to study the collection but the mystery comprised who chased her, not on exploring the mystical possibilities the documents described. The story was about journeys, history revelations, growth, and building bonds; which were all immensely creative. Intelligent women rule Katherine’s pages and so did an amazingly helpful, agile cat! Vienna holds significant provenance that I could not have contemplated.
October 18, 2017
Ιστορικες συνομωσιες.οικογενειακες συνομωσιες,θρησκευτικες συνομωσιες μου αρεσουν οι συνομωσιες αλλα κουραστηκα!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 20, 2007
The Magic Circle - NR
Kathleen Neville - 3rd book
Snake River, Idaho, 1989--Ariel Behn, a toxic materials expert at a remote nuclear site, finds her well-ordered life shattered when her cousin is slain by an unknown assassin. His shocking death leaves Ariel sole heir to a family legacy: a sinister cache of manuscripts that sweeps her into the deadly center of international intrigue--and a mystery that spans the centuries. . . .
Jerusalem, 32 AD--During the last week in the life of Christ, as the world stands on the brink of a new two-thousand-year cycle, Emperor Tiberius works desperately to decipher the tantalizing clues to an age-old enigma. He will not be the only one. For whoever assembles and interprets these cryptic clues will possess the power to control the fate of the world. . . .
Now, At the center of this circle of ancient riddles stands the one woman who can pull the strands together: Ariel Behn. What strange powers lie hidden within the manuscripts? As Ariel races across continents to reveal the dark secrets buried in her family's past, she begins to unlock the chilling truth of the coming millennium.
You've heard of one-hit wonders in music? Unfortunately, it appears Ms. Neville is a one-hit wonder in writing--and this book isn't the hit! It is appalling bad. The plot is chaotic mess. The character relationships are so complex, I ended up having to graph them out -- talk about taking the reader out of the story. By the time I slogged my way to the end of the book, I not only didn't care about it but was angry at the writer, and myself, for the waste of my time. I loved Ms. Neville's book "The Eight" which was her hit. This one simple left me wondering where were the editors to let it be published.
Kathleen Neville - 3rd book
Snake River, Idaho, 1989--Ariel Behn, a toxic materials expert at a remote nuclear site, finds her well-ordered life shattered when her cousin is slain by an unknown assassin. His shocking death leaves Ariel sole heir to a family legacy: a sinister cache of manuscripts that sweeps her into the deadly center of international intrigue--and a mystery that spans the centuries. . . .
Jerusalem, 32 AD--During the last week in the life of Christ, as the world stands on the brink of a new two-thousand-year cycle, Emperor Tiberius works desperately to decipher the tantalizing clues to an age-old enigma. He will not be the only one. For whoever assembles and interprets these cryptic clues will possess the power to control the fate of the world. . . .
Now, At the center of this circle of ancient riddles stands the one woman who can pull the strands together: Ariel Behn. What strange powers lie hidden within the manuscripts? As Ariel races across continents to reveal the dark secrets buried in her family's past, she begins to unlock the chilling truth of the coming millennium.
You've heard of one-hit wonders in music? Unfortunately, it appears Ms. Neville is a one-hit wonder in writing--and this book isn't the hit! It is appalling bad. The plot is chaotic mess. The character relationships are so complex, I ended up having to graph them out -- talk about taking the reader out of the story. By the time I slogged my way to the end of the book, I not only didn't care about it but was angry at the writer, and myself, for the waste of my time. I loved Ms. Neville's book "The Eight" which was her hit. This one simple left me wondering where were the editors to let it be published.
October 3, 2017
Old rate. Read on 2002. As good as The Eight.
Post-College favorite genre
Post-College favorite genre
May 16, 2020
"Resulta imposible plasmar en palabras lo que sólo puede adivinarse a través de la experiencia..."
Por supuesto superar el anterior libro que leí de esta autora, iba a ser bastante difícil. Resultó ser un libro muy interesante. Pero a diferencia de El ocho, me pareció un poco complejo y en algunos puntos un poco pesado.
La historia comienza con una introducción histórica dando saltos en el tiempo, pero se centra principalmente en la época de Jesucristo y de sus apóstoles. De aquí, llegamos al presente, donde Ariel, recibe una herencia de un primo, en la que se encuentran unos misteriosos manuscritos que encierran un gran misterio. En la búsqueda de las pistas, la perseguirán los malvados con el fin de hacerse con el misterio, parte de su familia, misteriosos alemanes, algunos soviéticos… ya ven hay de todo… como para aburrirse!
Y mientras Ariel viaja a por Europa en busca de todas las partes de la misteriosa herencia, descubrirá el círculo vicioso en el que se encuentra envuelto su extraña familia.
En este libro la autora, vuelve a mezclar cosas del pasado remoto con la actualidad, pero de una manera mucho más enrevesada y en una familia bastante disfuncional. Mezcla varias culturas y tiempos con el fin de demostrar que todo en esta vida es cíclico.
Existen muchísimas críticas negativas de este libro, pero yo lo disfruté, porque si hay algo que me gusta es leer con un poco de "ficción" la historia antigua del mundo con algunas aventuras coladas en medio.
Por supuesto superar el anterior libro que leí de esta autora, iba a ser bastante difícil. Resultó ser un libro muy interesante. Pero a diferencia de El ocho, me pareció un poco complejo y en algunos puntos un poco pesado.
La historia comienza con una introducción histórica dando saltos en el tiempo, pero se centra principalmente en la época de Jesucristo y de sus apóstoles. De aquí, llegamos al presente, donde Ariel, recibe una herencia de un primo, en la que se encuentran unos misteriosos manuscritos que encierran un gran misterio. En la búsqueda de las pistas, la perseguirán los malvados con el fin de hacerse con el misterio, parte de su familia, misteriosos alemanes, algunos soviéticos… ya ven hay de todo… como para aburrirse!
Y mientras Ariel viaja a por Europa en busca de todas las partes de la misteriosa herencia, descubrirá el círculo vicioso en el que se encuentra envuelto su extraña familia.
En este libro la autora, vuelve a mezclar cosas del pasado remoto con la actualidad, pero de una manera mucho más enrevesada y en una familia bastante disfuncional. Mezcla varias culturas y tiempos con el fin de demostrar que todo en esta vida es cíclico.
Existen muchísimas críticas negativas de este libro, pero yo lo disfruté, porque si hay algo que me gusta es leer con un poco de "ficción" la historia antigua del mundo con algunas aventuras coladas en medio.
January 1, 2013
Okay, I read "The Eight," by this author, and I have to say, it was one of my favourite books, hands down, ever. "The Magic Circle," really really really fell short of that. Now, granted, I listened to it abridged on four audiocassettes, but it just didn't... flow.
Basically, the tale is thus: Ariel Behn, daughter of a really complex family structure, inherits something when her half-blood cousin (maybe) is killed, and that something might get her killed. So when her gypsy/german/rom/aryan/aboriginal/you-name-it various half-incest-inbred-orphan relatives come out of the woodwork to try and stop her / lie to her / mislead her / confuse her / rob her / seduce her, she's left confused.
So is the reader. By the third time you find out that the people she thought were her grandparents aren't, or that her lover is actually the half-brother of her cousin's uncle, who raped his maid before forcing her to marry him... yadda yadda yadda. It gets old, fast. And the notion of the various texts and manuscripts that Ariel is researching that might lead to some astounding knowledge just don't get enough play-time. In "The Eight," it was the pieces of the chess set, and the rich history, that was interesting. In "The Magic Circle," it just didn't work.
If you like multigenerational family (melo)dramas, it might be your thing, but for me, this just fell a little flat.
Basically, the tale is thus: Ariel Behn, daughter of a really complex family structure, inherits something when her half-blood cousin (maybe) is killed, and that something might get her killed. So when her gypsy/german/rom/aryan/aboriginal/you-name-it various half-incest-inbred-orphan relatives come out of the woodwork to try and stop her / lie to her / mislead her / confuse her / rob her / seduce her, she's left confused.
So is the reader. By the third time you find out that the people she thought were her grandparents aren't, or that her lover is actually the half-brother of her cousin's uncle, who raped his maid before forcing her to marry him... yadda yadda yadda. It gets old, fast. And the notion of the various texts and manuscripts that Ariel is researching that might lead to some astounding knowledge just don't get enough play-time. In "The Eight," it was the pieces of the chess set, and the rich history, that was interesting. In "The Magic Circle," it just didn't work.
If you like multigenerational family (melo)dramas, it might be your thing, but for me, this just fell a little flat.
September 25, 2010
I thought this would be an enjoyable if silly read, but I had to abandon it after about fifty pages because my sensibilities could no longer stand the nonstop assault of trite bestseller/romance novel prose that passes for "writing" in its pages. I should have put it down when she mentioned a character's "mane of golden hair" on the first page, but I soldiered on. The section on ancient Rome set off all my History Professor alarms but, hey, it's just a novel. Still, when the main character falls in love at first sight with some Eurotrash Lothario that appears at her work, and he is described as having "the Macedonian profile that one associates with heroes," I had to toss the book aside and mourn the brief time I had lost to swallowing the first fifty pages of this drivel.
April 14, 2017
Sinceramente no se porque lo intente de nuevo con esta autora, se enrolla muchisimo y un libro que empieza de una forma interesante se convierte en un rollo interminable ... con un exceso de datos, lios, vueltas y mas vueltas... uffff. A lo mejor soy yo pero definitivamente no volvere a leer nada de Neville.
September 23, 2016
Συνήθως αποφεύγω να αναφερθώ στα βιβλία που δεν κατάφεραν να με κερδίσουν, αλλά αυτή τη φορά θα κάνω την εξαίρεση. Μάλλον φταίει ότι ξεκίνησα να διαβάζω τον “Μαγικό κύκλο” με προσδοκίες, μιας και το “Οκτώ” μού είχε φανεί εξαιρετικό.
Δυστυχώς όμως αυτή τη φορά η Neville χάνει πανηγυρικά το στοίχημα. Το μοτίβο των υπέρ-μυστικών που υπάρχει έντονο σε κάθε σελίδα του βιβλίου το περίμενα και δε με αιφνιδίασε, αλλά νομίζω ότι μπλέκονται πάρα πολλά και πάρα πολύ αναμεταξύ τους. Υπάρχουν ένα σωρό ενδιαφέρουσες πληροφορίες που τελικά όμως έτσι χάνουν τη δύναμή τους, αφού ο αναγνώστης δεν ξέρει πού να πρωτοεστιάσει.
Κι όμως. Ως εδώ τα πράγματα δεν είναι τόσο άσχημα όσο φαίνονται. Το ανωτέρω απλώς “μπουκώνει” το βιβλίο δίχως λόγο και είναι σχεδόν συγχωρητέο.
Εκείνο που αντιθέτως δεν κατάφερα να συμπαθήσω με τίποτα στον Μαγικό Κύκλο ήταν η ιστορία γύρω από την οικογένεια της πρωταγωνίστριας. Η οποία δεν είναι ένα απλό γέμισμα της ιστορίας. Ουσιαστικά, είναι η ίδια η ιστορία. Τα πάντα στην πλοκή υποκινούνται μέσω αυ��ής. Και εδώ είναι που γίνεται ο κακός χαμός. Όλοι έχουν παντρευτεί με όλους, και έτσι έχουν δημιουργηθεί ένα σωρό περίεργοι συνδυασμοί αδερφών, σταυραδερφών, ετεροθαλών αδερφιών, ξαδερφιών και δε συμμαζεύεται. Και παρότι το “γιατί συνέβησαν όλα αυτά” αιτιολογείται πειστικά από τη συγγραφέα, ο αναγνώστης δεν πείθεται τελικά για το πιο απλό, ότι όλοι αυτοί οι άνθρωποι θα σύναπταν όλες αυτές τις σχέσεις ακόμη κι αν “έπρεπε” σε αρκετές περιπτώσεις. Εμένα αυτή η κατάσταση με κούρασε ήδη από την διακοσιοστή σελίδα περίπου, αλλά παρότι τότε πίστεψα ότι τα είχα διαβάσει πια όλα για την εν λόγω οικογένεια, το κακό συνεχίστηκε μέχρι τέλους. Κυριολεκτικά.
Όσο για το τέλος αυτού καθεαυτού; Καινούργια ένσταση κι εδώ. Δεν μπορώ να γράψω τίποτα χωρίς να προδώσω την πλοκή, πέρα του ότι εμένα μου φάνηκε ως… μη-τέλος!
Μιλάμε ωστόσο για ένα παγκόσμιο best seller εδώ πέρα, οπότε καλό είναι η μικρή αυτή αρνητική κριτική μου να συγκριθεί και με κάποια από τις θετικές.
Δυστυχώς όμως αυτή τη φορά η Neville χάνει πανηγυρικά το στοίχημα. Το μοτίβο των υπέρ-μυστικών που υπάρχει έντονο σε κάθε σελίδα του βιβλίου το περίμενα και δε με αιφνιδίασε, αλλά νομίζω ότι μπλέκονται πάρα πολλά και πάρα πολύ αναμεταξύ τους. Υπάρχουν ένα σωρό ενδιαφέρουσες πληροφορίες που τελικά όμως έτσι χάνουν τη δύναμή τους, αφού ο αναγνώστης δεν ξέρει πού να πρωτοεστιάσει.
Κι όμως. Ως εδώ τα πράγματα δεν είναι τόσο άσχημα όσο φαίνονται. Το ανωτέρω απλώς “μπουκώνει” το βιβλίο δίχως λόγο και είναι σχεδόν συγχωρητέο.
Εκείνο που αντιθέτως δεν κατάφερα να συμπαθήσω με τίποτα στον Μαγικό Κύκλο ήταν η ιστορία γύρω από την οικογένεια της πρωταγωνίστριας. Η οποία δεν είναι ένα απλό γέμισμα της ιστορίας. Ουσιαστικά, είναι η ίδια η ιστορία. Τα πάντα στην πλοκή υποκινούνται μέσω αυ��ής. Και εδώ είναι που γίνεται ο κακός χαμός. Όλοι έχουν παντρευτεί με όλους, και έτσι έχουν δημιουργηθεί ένα σωρό περίεργοι συνδυασμοί αδερφών, σταυραδερφών, ετεροθαλών αδερφιών, ξαδερφιών και δε συμμαζεύεται. Και παρότι το “γιατί συνέβησαν όλα αυτά” αιτιολογείται πειστικά από τη συγγραφέα, ο αναγνώστης δεν πείθεται τελικά για το πιο απλό, ότι όλοι αυτοί οι άνθρωποι θα σύναπταν όλες αυτές τις σχέσεις ακόμη κι αν “έπρεπε” σε αρκετές περιπτώσεις. Εμένα αυτή η κατάσταση με κούρασε ήδη από την διακοσιοστή σελίδα περίπου, αλλά παρότι τότε πίστεψα ότι τα είχα διαβάσει πια όλα για την εν λόγω οικογένεια, το κακό συνεχίστηκε μέχρι τέλους. Κυριολεκτικά.
Όσο για το τέλος αυτού καθεαυτού; Καινούργια ένσταση κι εδώ. Δεν μπορώ να γράψω τίποτα χωρίς να προδώσω την πλοκή, πέρα του ότι εμένα μου φάνηκε ως… μη-τέλος!
Μιλάμε ωστόσο για ένα παγκόσμιο best seller εδώ πέρα, οπότε καλό είναι η μικρή αυτή αρνητική κριτική μου να συγκριθεί και με κάποια από τις θετικές.
March 13, 2017
I read this one before I read The Eight, and this book alone is the reason for my ardent desire of visiting Vienna, and an even bigger love for the Sachertorte!
Again, a great mix of historical novel, family matters, romance and secrets from the philosophical to the ethical. Quite a rollercoaster of a read!
----
Now re-read in 2017, it has lost nothing of its depth and all the Nazi references seem to be even more dire!
Again, a great mix of historical novel, family matters, romance and secrets from the philosophical to the ethical. Quite a rollercoaster of a read!
----
Now re-read in 2017, it has lost nothing of its depth and all the Nazi references seem to be even more dire!
May 7, 2023
What an amazing book and story, I couldn't put it away.
It really takes you away into a totally different universe!
Not an easy read, but worth every second!
It really takes you away into a totally different universe!
Not an easy read, but worth every second!
February 23, 2021
Trata de llevar la misma fórmula de el libro de "El ocho" a un nuevo texto y no convence. Los giros son los mismos, las asociaciones y deducciones muy traídas de los pelos,... Mal.
January 23, 2025
Menudo despropósito.
January 8, 2025
3/5
[Review in Spanish further down | Reseña en español más abajo]
The Magic Circle had a lot of potential which to me personally was ruined by the family drama.
Without spoiling it too much: tons of incest and inbreeding. Yup :/
To me it even seemed as though the author had a weird fixation on this particular point, as she didn’t spare us of it at all. I genuinely recommend to anyone reading this book to have a pen and paper at hand because the family tree is complicated and it is easy to get lost.
There are two timepoints from which the book is told – at first I really liked that dichotomy between historical and contemporary fiction with a thread of mystery that linked them together, but by the end, I wondered whether some of the events in the historical time-point were necessary as the plot sometimes carried on for too long.
Now, my main issue: there were several portrayals of favourable opinions for very questionable views which made me think of dropping reading this book all together. Ethnic cleansing, human sacrifices…
So you might be wondering, why did I give this book a 3 star review?
The answer is pretty straightforward: the author redeemed herself by the end and also gave a coherent ending for a complex plot.
I cannot give it 4 stars though, as I feel there are important issues with the novel (the ones I explained previously) which made this read non-enjoyable.
~~~
El Círculo Mágico tenía mucho potencial que para mí personalmente fue arruinado por el drama familiar.
Sin hacer mucho spoiler: mucho incesto y mucha endogamia. Sip :/
Incluso llegué a pensar que la autora debía tener alguna especie de fijación extraña con el tema, pues no escatimaba en el uso de estas situaciones. Realmente recomiendo a cualquier persona que vaya a leer este libro tener un papel y bolígrafo a mano, ya que el árbol genealógico es complicado y te puedes llegar a perder.
Hay dos espacios temporales en la historia – al principio me gustó mucho la dicotomía entre ficción histórica y contemporánea, ligadas por un hilo de un mismo misterio, pero hacia el final, me comencé a preguntar si algunos de los eventos narrados en el espacio temporal histórico eran necesarios, pues alargaba la trama sin necesidad.
Ahora hablaré de mi mayor problema con esta novela: se presentaban opiniones favorables de temas más que cuestionables, que me hicieron considerar dejar de leer el libro. Limpieza étnica, sacrificios humanos…
Si has leído hasta aquí seguramente te estés preguntando, porque le he puesto una calificación de 3 estrellas.
La respuesta es bastante directa: la autora se redimió en las últimas 100 páginas del libro y escribió un final coherente a la complejidad que había alcanzado la trama.
Aun por ello, no puedo darle 4 estrellas, ya que pienso que hay problemas importantes con la novela (los que he presentado anteriormente) que hicieron de esta lectura una experiencia poco agradable.
[Review in Spanish further down | Reseña en español más abajo]
The Magic Circle had a lot of potential which to me personally was ruined by the family drama.
Without spoiling it too much: tons of incest and inbreeding. Yup :/
To me it even seemed as though the author had a weird fixation on this particular point, as she didn’t spare us of it at all. I genuinely recommend to anyone reading this book to have a pen and paper at hand because the family tree is complicated and it is easy to get lost.
There are two timepoints from which the book is told – at first I really liked that dichotomy between historical and contemporary fiction with a thread of mystery that linked them together, but by the end, I wondered whether some of the events in the historical time-point were necessary as the plot sometimes carried on for too long.
Now, my main issue: there were several portrayals of favourable opinions for very questionable views which made me think of dropping reading this book all together. Ethnic cleansing, human sacrifices…
So you might be wondering, why did I give this book a 3 star review?
The answer is pretty straightforward: the author redeemed herself by the end and also gave a coherent ending for a complex plot.
I cannot give it 4 stars though, as I feel there are important issues with the novel (the ones I explained previously) which made this read non-enjoyable.
~~~
El Círculo Mágico tenía mucho potencial que para mí personalmente fue arruinado por el drama familiar.
Sin hacer mucho spoiler: mucho incesto y mucha endogamia. Sip :/
Incluso llegué a pensar que la autora debía tener alguna especie de fijación extraña con el tema, pues no escatimaba en el uso de estas situaciones. Realmente recomiendo a cualquier persona que vaya a leer este libro tener un papel y bolígrafo a mano, ya que el árbol genealógico es complicado y te puedes llegar a perder.
Hay dos espacios temporales en la historia – al principio me gustó mucho la dicotomía entre ficción histórica y contemporánea, ligadas por un hilo de un mismo misterio, pero hacia el final, me comencé a preguntar si algunos de los eventos narrados en el espacio temporal histórico eran necesarios, pues alargaba la trama sin necesidad.
Ahora hablaré de mi mayor problema con esta novela: se presentaban opiniones favorables de temas más que cuestionables, que me hicieron considerar dejar de leer el libro. Limpieza étnica, sacrificios humanos…
Si has leído hasta aquí seguramente te estés preguntando, porque le he puesto una calificación de 3 estrellas.
La respuesta es bastante directa: la autora se redimió en las últimas 100 páginas del libro y escribió un final coherente a la complejidad que había alcanzado la trama.
Aun por ello, no puedo darle 4 estrellas, ya que pienso que hay problemas importantes con la novela (los que he presentado anteriormente) que hicieron de esta lectura una experiencia poco agradable.
July 22, 2022
Ariel Behn is a nuclear waste specialist working at a nuclear waste facility in Idaho. The plot begins w/ her attending the funeral of the only relative she's fond of: her "cousin" Sam, who died mysteriously. Apparently, Sam has left everything to Ariel in his will, including some sort of highly-sought-after manuscript from her grandmother, Pandora. Ariel's family tree is seriously convoluted; she doesn't know much about any of them. We find out that Ariel's family tree is more like the family telephone pole, and it becomes clear (at least to us; never to Ariel) that no one is as they first seem, or present themselves to her.
The book just went downhill from the action-packed beginning. There are "introductory" chapters that begin in the way-back BC at the Sibyllian oracle in Turkey; wend their way through Joseph of Arimathea's and Mary Magdalene's stories; up into the German philosophers and German paganism, and on into Hitler and Nazis. These chapters and the beginning quotes that highlight these chapters are just incomprehensible (to me, anyway) and the author's weaving of the too-intricate plot and trying to torture the story of Christ and also Hitler into a human-must-be-sacrificed-to-bring-in-the-beginning-of-a-new-eon just left me massively confused.
Do yourself a favor: do NOT finish a book just b/c "it might all wrap up in an understandable fashion." This one didn't.
The book just went downhill from the action-packed beginning. There are "introductory" chapters that begin in the way-back BC at the Sibyllian oracle in Turkey; wend their way through Joseph of Arimathea's and Mary Magdalene's stories; up into the German philosophers and German paganism, and on into Hitler and Nazis. These chapters and the beginning quotes that highlight these chapters are just incomprehensible (to me, anyway) and the author's weaving of the too-intricate plot and trying to torture the story of Christ and also Hitler into a human-must-be-sacrificed-to-bring-in-the-beginning-of-a-new-eon just left me massively confused.
Do yourself a favor: do NOT finish a book just b/c "it might all wrap up in an understandable fashion." This one didn't.
October 11, 2014
One of the most tiring books I have ever read. Will not read again, I certainly wouldn't recommend it to someone else.
The points that anoyed me with this book where the following:
1. Random historical names were popping up like daisies, with some vague connection to the story.
2. Backround themes (such as secret meanings) that weren't properely explained.
3. Generic, unintresting heroine that somehow managed to be extremely talented, clever and beautiful (as described by the book) despite her lack of character.
4. Sex (no reason, no backstory, no relationship, just sex).
5. Wrongfull usage of ancient greek words (some of them, with as much reserve as I can muster, I consider made up).
SPOILER ALERT!!!
6. Random family members and sexual relationships between them are uncovered in numbers (more than 10 new relatives and/or family connections between existing characters, as well as close to 20 sexual relationships with absolutely no depth or meaning and certainly without doing some service to the plotline).
7. Bullshit (in my opinion) twist(s).
END SPOILER ALERT!!!
To sum up, the magic circle isn't a book I enjoyed in anyway (even by trying to laugh at it). So many hours lost. Would not recommend.
The points that anoyed me with this book where the following:
1. Random historical names were popping up like daisies, with some vague connection to the story.
2. Backround themes (such as secret meanings) that weren't properely explained.
3. Generic, unintresting heroine that somehow managed to be extremely talented, clever and beautiful (as described by the book) despite her lack of character.
4. Sex (no reason, no backstory, no relationship, just sex).
5. Wrongfull usage of ancient greek words (some of them, with as much reserve as I can muster, I consider made up).
SPOILER ALERT!!!
6. Random family members and sexual relationships between them are uncovered in numbers (more than 10 new relatives and/or family connections between existing characters, as well as close to 20 sexual relationships with absolutely no depth or meaning and certainly without doing some service to the plotline).
7. Bullshit (in my opinion) twist(s).
END SPOILER ALERT!!!
To sum up, the magic circle isn't a book I enjoyed in anyway (even by trying to laugh at it). So many hours lost. Would not recommend.
August 2, 2015
Spannend, spannend, spannend, van begin tot het eind. Je wordt meegenomen in een spiraal van avonturen die zijn weerga niet kent. Ik heb een aantal keer echt tegen de hoofdpersoon gegilt (gelukkig kon niemand mij horen) doe niet zo dom. Heb je dat niet in de gaten?
In deze briljante opvolger van De Acht reist Katherine Neville opnieuw door de tijd - en de wereld - om een verbazingwekkend verhaal te vertellen over de pogingen van de mensheid om de machten van hemel en aarde te temmen.
Wederom twee verhaallijnen door elkaar verweven.
Idaho, 1989: Ariel Behn, een expert op het gebied van nucleair afval, is kapot van de moord op haar neef. Door zijn dood erft zij wel de familieschat: een sinistere verzameling manuscripten, die haar bij een oeroud mysterie betrekt...
Jeruzalem, 32 n. Chr.: Tijdens de laatste week van het leven van Christus probeert de Romeinse keizer Tiberius een eeuwenoud raadsel op te lossen. Wie de aanwijzingen verzamelt en juist interpreteert zal over de hele wereld heersen. Zo begint een fascinerende reis vanaf de opkomst van het Romeinse Rijk tot aan de val van de Berlijnse Muur.
Los te lezen boek. Gaat niet door op De acht, haar eerdere roman.
In deze briljante opvolger van De Acht reist Katherine Neville opnieuw door de tijd - en de wereld - om een verbazingwekkend verhaal te vertellen over de pogingen van de mensheid om de machten van hemel en aarde te temmen.
Wederom twee verhaallijnen door elkaar verweven.
Idaho, 1989: Ariel Behn, een expert op het gebied van nucleair afval, is kapot van de moord op haar neef. Door zijn dood erft zij wel de familieschat: een sinistere verzameling manuscripten, die haar bij een oeroud mysterie betrekt...
Jeruzalem, 32 n. Chr.: Tijdens de laatste week van het leven van Christus probeert de Romeinse keizer Tiberius een eeuwenoud raadsel op te lossen. Wie de aanwijzingen verzamelt en juist interpreteert zal over de hele wereld heersen. Zo begint een fascinerende reis vanaf de opkomst van het Romeinse Rijk tot aan de val van de Berlijnse Muur.
Los te lezen boek. Gaat niet door op De acht, haar eerdere roman.
August 11, 2018
"The Magic Circle" is an ambitious novel, and for that I commend Ms. Neville. However, it was a challenging book to read. I loved the heroine, Ariel, but the family relationships--and there are many limbs on the tree--became increasingly difficult to follow. By the end, I really had no idea who was related to who, and the romantic relationships between 'cousins' left me feeling a bit off-kilter. However, there's such an abundance of history here (lengthy backstory starring Jesus) and an odd side-story involving Hitler, that it's clear that Ms. Neville worked hard on this massive book. My favorite character--Sam--didn't have enough screen time, but Ariel was a strong protagonist, if not a little too-trusting of the men in her life. Ms. Neville is still one of my favorite authors despite my frustrations with this novel.
May 30, 2011
Suffers from what I call "James Michener syndrome", AKA, "look how much research I did for this book!" The historic interludes and pieces of the backstory were interesting, and reminded me how little I actually know about much of world history, but after a while they just got to be tedious, and ultimately I found myself thinking (as I finished the book), "what the hell did *that* have to do with anything?" Plus, the endless convolutions of the various relationships got to be too much to keep track of. I know I read Neville's "The Eight", but while I don't remember much (or anything) about it, I have a sneaking suspicion that it had much of the same style and many of the same faults.
February 8, 2017
I had high hopes for this story when it started with the Sybiline oracles and Jesus, but what a horrible mess this story turned out to be. I slogged through thinking things would somehow tie together at the end, but all I was left with was a thrown together "conclusion" that was completely unsatisfying. Add that to the awful, incestuous romances and weird rationalizations for the Holocaust and you're left with a terrible read. I'm starting to be convinced that she didn't really write "The Eight" which was such a great book.
November 13, 2016
I'm starting to get really pissed about GR losing my reviews...
I should know better than to post them only on GR.
So, suffice it to say that I loved The Eight, and this isn't that. It isn't even a shadow of that.
What's worse, it's ground covered by Dan Brown, and others, and Dan Brown did it better.
September 11, 2011
I wanted to like this book, and while I was not expecting literary genius, this was just bad. BAD BAD BAD. I can read just about anything, but I could NOT get into this book. Shampoo bottles posess better prose.
Beautiful, tragic, intelligent, rich heroine (trust me, her beauty and natural intelligence are mentioned ALOT) who despite posessing all these fabulous qualities, is incapable of making a decision with her brain instead of her vagina. UGH. Maybe fans of Twilight would enjoy it.
Beautiful, tragic, intelligent, rich heroine (trust me, her beauty and natural intelligence are mentioned ALOT) who despite posessing all these fabulous qualities, is incapable of making a decision with her brain instead of her vagina. UGH. Maybe fans of Twilight would enjoy it.
June 1, 2017
While I love this author and her first book (The Eight) is on my all time favorite books list, this book tops that list. The Magic Circle is as intricate and detailed as The Eight, but the subject matter hits me even closer to home. If you like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, you will probably enjoy this book. I highly recommend this to all kinds of people and re-read it about every 2 years (and I don't normally re-read books).
June 18, 2019
Door alle plottwisten en informatie in en rondom het verhaal raakte ik meerdere malen de draad kwijt. Aan het einde werd wel langzaam meer duidelijk, maar nog steeds is het verhaal op bepaalde punten vrij vaag gebleven.
Buiten dat had ik wel de drang om door te lezen. Ik wilde wel weten hoe het eindigde.
Wellicht dat ik het boek nog eens ga lezen en dat het verhaal dan duidelijker wordt, maar voor nu drie sterren.
Buiten dat had ik wel de drang om door te lezen. Ik wilde wel weten hoe het eindigde.
Wellicht dat ik het boek nog eens ga lezen en dat het verhaal dan duidelijker wordt, maar voor nu drie sterren.
January 15, 2015
It's my FAVORITE book of all time. Read this one when really young and felt fascinated by the intrincate back and forth Katherine did with the characters. It's funny when all of them, despite their age, are good looking and stunning but you can forgive easily that. I'm still in love with Dacian Bassarides quotes and understanding of life and humanity.
August 22, 2014
Finally remembered the name of this book I read many years ago! I remember the plot sounded so intriguing on the cover but I was a bit let down by how the story unfolded. It's been too long to remember many details but I do know I liked the book, I just didn't love the book.
March 11, 2021
This was my very first Neville and I esteem it head and shoulders above The Eight. Saying "seeing ritual come alive" was rife speak in the 1980's and here we have allusion to every ritual portrayable under one cover. It's prescrptive.
January 18, 2025
horrible, too many things going on
November 27, 2014
Horroroso. Reseña completa:
http://www.libros-prohibidos.com/kath...
http://www.libros-prohibidos.com/kath...
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