The Magus

[chopinbabe]

Has anyone read The Magus by John Fowles?

I'm finding it hard going and very different to the only other one of his that I have read, 'The Collector.'

Any tips?

Does this link help?

You can almost see him rolling his eyes and sighing in a world weary fashion writing that letter, can't you? the grumpy fucker

I haven't read it since I wrote a very long essay on it at university many years ago. Funnily enough, I was looking at it on the shelf just a few days agoa and thinking I must read it again. Daniel Martin is also on my shelf, unread so maybe I'll read that, too. I think I'll always prefer FLW though.

I love The Magus, but I think it can be very different with each reading of it. You can read into it what you choose, if you like.

One idea is that Conchis is the conscience. I always wonder what happened with Nicholas' predecessor...

I loved it when I read it, raced through it on a a holiday in Greece - of course!, but remember feeling unsatisfied at the end, like it didn't live up to its page-turning promise. I'd like to reread it to see what I make of it now, but it needs to join the queue (see former bookworms thread).

French lieutenant's woman I found less enjoyable, but also bloody weird, in its way. The Collector I think is very good, read it when I was 18, but I could never read it again I don't think, I shudder at the thought of it!

I think the ending was a bit unsatisfying quirky but I saw that as deliberate. We chase dreams, which we believe will fulfil us and make us happy but in the end, we might be happier, more fulfilled, with what we already had. Alison was all that Nicholas needed, but he had to realise that for himself. She is less glamorous, less exciting than Lily, but his love for her is an illusion (as shown when he cannot distinguish her from Rose - he loves the image, not the person) whereas Alison really loved him and, I believe, the implication is that in understanding that, he will appreciate and love her in a way he couldn't before.

Hadn't realised, till I just googled it to check on Lily;s name that it was Fowles first book. Thought it was much more complex than The Collector which, although chilling, is, if I remember rightly, something a one idea book

I remember finishing this and thinking 'I need to read this again'. So twisty and turny and so many high-blown concepts being expounded, it's all hard to take in properly.

I really enjoyed it though. I love books with twists and this had them in abundance!