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deathofrats's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
scheu's review against another edition
5.0
Update: there is some genuinely beautiful writing here. Crowley crafts images and scenes that for me are exceptionally vivid. A joy to revisit.
When I first read this book (under its original title _Aegypt_) I greatly enjoyed it but I didn't have a mature enough perspective to get the most out of it. I also didn't know there was a sequel, and so when I read the third book in the sequence (_Daemonomania_) I was completely lost.
There is another history of the world, concurrent with the history taught to you in school, and Pierce Moffett seeks to chronicle this secret history (peopled by Giordano Bruno, John Dee, and Will Shakespeare among others). This book is the first part of four in the sequence, so you do get the sense that their journey is only beginning; if you only read this book, though, you're bound to think that the plot's going nowhere. I love occultism, and scholasticism, and rich stories that unfold slowly and gradually, so this (and any other Crowley, really) is perfect fare for me. Patience will be rewarded.
When I first read this book (under its original title _Aegypt_) I greatly enjoyed it but I didn't have a mature enough perspective to get the most out of it. I also didn't know there was a sequel, and so when I read the third book in the sequence (_Daemonomania_) I was completely lost.
There is another history of the world, concurrent with the history taught to you in school, and Pierce Moffett seeks to chronicle this secret history (peopled by Giordano Bruno, John Dee, and Will Shakespeare among others). This book is the first part of four in the sequence, so you do get the sense that their journey is only beginning; if you only read this book, though, you're bound to think that the plot's going nowhere. I love occultism, and scholasticism, and rich stories that unfold slowly and gradually, so this (and any other Crowley, really) is perfect fare for me. Patience will be rewarded.
moirastone's review against another edition
1.0
Tedious, tendentious, and swingingly wildly - sometimes within the same paragraph - between opaque and obvious. I gave up exactly half-way through, which is a detail I imagine the symbol-mad Crowley himself would appreciate. I note this with regret, as I thought Little, Big was remarkable. I imagine I will give this another try one day; perhaps when I am exactly twice as old as I am now, or during the next Cancer-Capricorn polarity, or when I have reached a place of more patience for an author who can write movingly about love in one chapter and spew sexist claptrap about nubile women in the next.
haligon_ian's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
puddleglum1983's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
mark_lm's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting and weird. The idea cannot support the novel.
jonas_gehrlein's review against another edition
4.0
As expected from Crowley this has very beautiful lyrical prose which is the primary star of this book and probably the main reason to read the book as I didn't find the characters being really interesting and the plot is fairly lacking by itself and doesn't really push the book forward and never comes to a conclusion where it very much sets up for a sequel as the central conceit is revealed very late in the book.
The romantic parallel world concept of a romantic world history based on magic primarily astrology and the common rationalistic world is written in an interesting way with the main characters never really fitting for the 'real' world and this disconnect is explored quite well and the prose often descripes their emotional landscape clearly and in novel ways which makes the book worth reading by itself.
The romantic parallel world concept of a romantic world history based on magic primarily astrology and the common rationalistic world is written in an interesting way with the main characters never really fitting for the 'real' world and this disconnect is explored quite well and the prose often descripes their emotional landscape clearly and in novel ways which makes the book worth reading by itself.
ashleylm's review against another edition
2.0
I feel like such an idiot. I read The Crown Conspiracy, thoroughly enjoy it, but take marks off because it isn't quite of a high enough literary standard for prententious moi. Then I read some Georges Perec in translation, and it's a bit rough-going at times, but fascinating, and I'm glad I did it. But when I read something like Aegypt, I feel bewildered. It can't possibly be too difficult for me, can it? My tastes range from early Greek drama (Medea is a favourite) to modern day childrens's books (Wonder, so moving!), but I swear this book put me to absolute sleep.
Little, Big was better but had much of the same tendencies. I'm going to throw in James Blaylock as well--I love the idea, but the execution just is mind-numbingly dull. I'm honestly not sure what I'm reacting to, but it's a struggle. Ten pages in I can't remember what happened five pages before that, and characters show up and I have to rifle back to see who they were again (but I can almost quote in its entirety the first chapter of Vanity Fair, so I have to blame the author in this case).
Not for me. Aggressively dull in writing style, despite a good premise.
Little, Big was better but had much of the same tendencies. I'm going to throw in James Blaylock as well--I love the idea, but the execution just is mind-numbingly dull. I'm honestly not sure what I'm reacting to, but it's a struggle. Ten pages in I can't remember what happened five pages before that, and characters show up and I have to rifle back to see who they were again (but I can almost quote in its entirety the first chapter of Vanity Fair, so I have to blame the author in this case).
Not for me. Aggressively dull in writing style, despite a good premise.
snowmaiden's review against another edition
5.0
I've been reading this book for almost a month, and the plot finally seemed to be getting going, and now it's abruptly over. Of course, I know that there are three more volumes in this series, and since I'm not sure if or when I'll ever get around to them, I'd better review what I've read so far.
This is a lovely introduction to the residents of Blackbury Jambs, New York. (Could you ask for a better fictional place name than that?) The main character, Pierce Moffatt, has taught at universities for years, but somehow is only 34 years old. I guess that makes sense because these are different times (1976, to be exact), when life in academia was much simpler. Since he's been teaching undergrads for so long already, Pierce decides to take a sabbatical in Blackbury Jambs and work on a book that he's already pitched and sold to his ex-girlfriend, Julie, once a university professor herself and now a book editor in New York. The book is to be called AEgypt, which coincidentally (or is it?) is the name of this book that I hold in my hands. The book is, as Pierce describes it, about the magic of history and the history of magic. Just in case we didn't get the point, characters are constantly telling us "There's more than one history of the world."
This book doesn't have the arc of a novel, and really functions as nothing more than an introduction to the characters and situations. And yet I was enthralled for all 390 pages. I guess this is a good thing, because if I choose to continue, I have about another 1200 pages in my future!
This is a lovely introduction to the residents of Blackbury Jambs, New York. (Could you ask for a better fictional place name than that?) The main character, Pierce Moffatt, has taught at universities for years, but somehow is only 34 years old. I guess that makes sense because these are different times (1976, to be exact), when life in academia was much simpler. Since he's been teaching undergrads for so long already, Pierce decides to take a sabbatical in Blackbury Jambs and work on a book that he's already pitched and sold to his ex-girlfriend, Julie, once a university professor herself and now a book editor in New York. The book is to be called AEgypt, which coincidentally (or is it?) is the name of this book that I hold in my hands. The book is, as Pierce describes it, about the magic of history and the history of magic. Just in case we didn't get the point, characters are constantly telling us "There's more than one history of the world."
This book doesn't have the arc of a novel, and really functions as nothing more than an introduction to the characters and situations. And yet I was enthralled for all 390 pages. I guess this is a good thing, because if I choose to continue, I have about another 1200 pages in my future!