Reviews

Creation by Gore Vidal

scipio_africanus's review against another edition

If you are interested in the civilizations and time period in this book you are better off reading non-fiction books unless you are into super boring conversations about bronze age politics and religion without any action, drama, or plot interesting points. Got well over half way hoping it would get better but it doesn't. Moving in to better things.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Animal cruelty, and Animal death

warrenl's review against another edition

3.0

For me Creation did not live up to its exciting premise. In fact, by the end there had been far too little Creation and far too much recounting of the petty intrigues of a bunch of obscure despots and kings in India and Cathay. There were moments of brilliance, like sparks bursting from the slumbering embers of Vidal's talent, but much of the book dragged, sometimes interminably. Cyrus Spitama barely rose off the paper, nor did any of the remarkable figures Vidal placed before him. The book only sputters into life at the court of Darius, and Atossa was to me the only character to show any depth and vitality. The narrative is loose, the dialogue is pedestrian, and the prose ordinary. Creation is a lost opportunity. It might have been brilliant.

sozh's review against another edition

4.0

Ancient Persia, Greece, India and Cathay (China) come to life in Gore Vidal's delicious historical fiction.

You also get the chance, through the narrator's shoes, to meet with the Buddha, Confucius, and others.

andrejt's review against another edition

3.0

A colossal historical novel set in a curious era during which philosophy arose independently in three different regions: Greece, India, and China. Socrates, Democritus, Anaxagoras, Buddha, Mahavira, Laozi, and Confucius were more-or-less contemporaries, and lived not long after Zoroaster. Needless to say, they all appear in this book.

Why not more than 3 stars? The book is not as witty as Vidal's Julian, which is a masterpiece of historical fiction. Although Creation is well researched, it often reads like a Philosophy 101 textbook. If you have some basic knowledge of Buddhism and have read Herodotus once or twice, you will find little new in this novel. The pages are filled with stars, but only a couple of them (most notably, Xerxes and Confucius) got more than a little cameo from master Vidal.

izumen's review against another edition

Наричат го "Оскар Уайлд" на XX-век, при това съвсем заслужено. Известен със скандалните си бисексуални връзки, светкавичния си ум и писателска умелост, Гор Видал може да прави каквото си поиска. Може да напише съвременна критика на американското общество, да разгледа наболели социални проблеми или да изгради един съвсем точен образ на древния свят.

"Сътворението" е крайъгълен камък за всеки, който се интересува от история. В романа са разбъркани имената на Питагор, Сократ, Перикъл, Буда, Дарий, Ксеркс и много др., които си взаимодействат като нормални човешки същества. Ще имате възможността да се потопите в техния свят, с всичките му битовизми и нелепи религиозни вярвания. Ще се впуснете в едно главозамайващо търсене на Началото, което всеки разбира различно и има своя теория по въпроса.

Бих предупредил, че по средата на романа има две глави за Индия и Китай, които лично на мен ми бяха скучни, но за сметка на това всичкото действие в Персия и Гърция беше превъзходно.

gaia76's review against another edition

5.0

Romanzo storico, ambientato nel 4°secolo AC, dalla Persia di Dario e Serse all'antica India, fino alla giovane Grecia. Il protagonista, Ciro Spitama, racconta al nipote Democrito la sua vita di ambasciatore e viaggiatore di tutto l'Oriente e dei suoi incontri con Budda, Confucio, Anassagora, Erodoto e Socrate. Un romanzo ben documentato oltre che ben scritto e che spinge il lettore a rivedere molte sue certezze e l'idea occidentale di cultura. "Democrito pensa che Atene sia meravigliosa. Il fatto è, figliolo, che non hai visto il resto del mondo. Spero che un giorno potrai viaggiare e andare oltre la tua grecità". E' questo uno dei pochi romanzi che io abbia letto che ammetta l'esistenza di un mondo PRIMA dei greci e che va anche oltre: "Creazione" è un'opera fondamentale per comprendere che "la saggezza non è nata in Attica, Democrito, ma forse è lì che morirà". Un libro cardine nella mia formazione e che rimarrà per sempre dentro di me.

xfajardo's review against another edition

4.0

Con evidente maestría, Vidal logra tejer una elaborada novela que aporta no sólo en investigación histórica, sino en la trascendental búsqueda del ser humano por contestar la antiquísima pregunta "¿de dónde venimos?".

colinhdempsey's review against another edition

3.0

this is how every one of my undergrad classics courses felt. zero context, flat resolution, everything in between just happens but damn is it fun to hear about these boys.

davenash's review against another edition

3.0

This a good idea but the narrator gets tedious and the drive for secularism is heavy handed.

chug's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0