Each novel by John Fowles is a sparkling new experiment, and in Mantissa he comes very close to the magical effect of his earlier novel The magus in a wholly novel and original way. The novel may be a startling in it's sexual explicitness. First published in 1982 (this is the first edition) it is so exuberantly like the 1970s. ( )

“Mantissa”, is a meta-fictional curiosity that makes for an interesting read. I enjoyed the symbolic room which brought the reader into the fictional writer's brain. There he conversed, warred and made love with his fictional female character in ping pong fashion. One minute he had the upper hand, the next moment she did; back and forth it proceeded until, in the end, they both fell helplessly into each other’s arms. Her character changed repeatedly, from a Goth boi to a demur, sensitive young girl. In the end, it could be said that the fictional male writer was at war with his inner male and female self. For the most part it was a fun, if not neurotic read. However, the author, John Fowles, carried his concept to an extreme; he pushed it a few chapters too far with excruciating redundancy. Thus, by the last chapter, I had lost all interest and had no desire to finish the book. A few chapters less, rounded out, in Fowles own fashion, would have made for wonderful novel, beginning to end. ( )

עוסק בנושאים האהובים על פולס: תהליך היצירה, האמן כאלוהים, היחס בין הדמויות למחבר, היחס בין השראה ליצירתיות.
מוסווה כמטפורה פורנוגרפית למחצה על פגישת המחבר עם ארטו, מוזת הספרות. בסך הכל לא יותר מבדיחה, לפעמים מצחיקה ולקראת הסוף מייגעת. ( )

What an unusual experience! Feel like listening in on the interaction between the modern day incarnation of an ancient muse and the author of erotic literature? This is the book for you. At first I was a bit put off, but then I became totally engaged with the bizarre plot. The muse is a shapeshifter who challenges, engages and inspires the author. Fascinating piece of writing! ( )

Not sure how I feel about this one. Was it just the *character* who seemed like a misogynist? Was it all just satire? Hmm... ( )