My grade: B-
It goes without saying that this book is incredibly talented and very well-written. I won't even bother to say that Fowles has incredible control and skill as a writer. Rather, I will stick to the story and plot itself, wherein lies my problem with this novel/masterpiece. I, too, found the idea initially tantalizing: a magus, a series of unexplained strange events, strange people, etc. And I'll even admit that I remained well captivated through a good three-quarters of the book. But then it got boring. And just a bit (or a lot!) absurd/ridiculously over-the-top. I have to likewise admit: due to my poor knowledge of Greek mythology, many of the allusions were sadly lost on me. In this case, it would have definitely been of a lot of help, if not absolutely crucial to understanding this story.
I likewise found the ending disappointing. I wanted more, needed more. So many pages of mystery, to never really get a full answer. One almost gets the impression that Fowles himself got tired and bored with the story, and slapped an ending on there that wouldn't arouse too many questions; the ending itself is just as mystifying as the story. Perhaps you mythology experts out there could shed some light on all of this.
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