Mountolive

novel by Durrell

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July 20, 2026

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Mountolive is the third novel in Lawrence Durrell's tetralogy, The Alexandria Quartet. Set in Alexandria, Egypt, during the 1940s, the series consists of Justine (1957), Balthazar (1958), Mountolive (1958), and Clea (1960). Unlike the other three books, Mountolive is written in the third person, offering a more objective narrative of events. The first three novels explore a series of occurrences in Alexandria before World War II from different perspectives, with the fourth novel continuing the story into the war years. The overarching theme of the quartet is the relativity of truth, explored through the subjective experiences of the characters, primarily L.G. Darley.12

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The Alexandria Quartet
(1957), Balthazar (1958), Mountolive (1958), and Clea (1960), is set in Alexandria, Egypt, during the 1940s. Three of the books are written in the first person, Mountolive in the third. The first three volumes describe, from different viewpoints, a series of events in Alexandria before World War II;…
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(1957), Balthazar (1958), Mountolive (1958), and Clea (1960), is set in Alexandria, Egypt, during the 1940s. Three of the books are written in the first person, Mountolive in the third. The first three volumes describe, from different viewpoints, a series of events in Alexandria before World War II;…
Read More