''Sebastian'', or ''Ruling Passions'' (1983), is the fourth volume in ''

The Avignon Quintet ''The Avignon Quintet'' is a five-volume series of novels by British writer Lawrence Durrell, published between 1974 and 1985. The novels are metafictional. He uses developments in experimental fiction that followed his ''The Alexandria Quartet'' ...

'' series by British author

Lawrence Durrell Lawrence George Durrell (; 27 February 1912 – 7 November 1990) was an expatriate British novelist, poet, dramatist, and travel writer. He was the eldest brother of naturalist and writer Gerald Durrell. Born in India to British colonial pa ...

, which was published from 1974 to 1985. This novel is set mainly in

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

immediately after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It continues the story of Constance and a Gnostic cult, which was introduced in the first novel of the quintet, ''

Monsieur ( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of respe ...

'' (1974).

Plot summary

A letter informs the Egyptian Sebastian Affad that he will die; a mix up has caused major ructions within the Gnostic sect in Egypt. Affad is called back to Egypt for admonishment. Before leaving Switzerland, however, he has asked Constance to use her psychiatric skills to treat his son, who has become

autistic Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing di ...

. She is gradually successful in working with the boy. After Affad returns to Switzerland from Egypt, the couple renew their relationship. The psychopath Mnemidis intervenes. After escaping from the institution where Constance works, he goes to her flat, intending to kill her, but murders Affad instead. The book finishes in a surreal manner. Affad seems virtually to disappear from Constance's memory; and two chapters give conflicting accounts of Constance's action upon the death of her boss Schwartz. Unexpectedly Sylvie reappears, for the first time since ''Monsieur''. (She is said to be a fictional creation of author Aubrey Blanford, also introduced in the first novel as a character.) She begins an affair with Constance.

Reception

Critic Graham Hough of the ''

London Review of Books The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published bimonthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews. History The ''London Review of Book ...

'' wrote about the need to read all the novels in this series. But he also wrote, "As it happened, I read them in the wrong order, but such is the vitality and attack of Durrell’s writing that it hardly mattered. Enter them anywhere and one is sucked into the stream."Graham Hough, "Auld Lang Syne"
''London Review of Books,'' Vol. 5 No. 22/23, 1 December 1983, p. 14; accessed 17 October 2016

References

External links

The International Lawrence Durrell Society
Official website of ILDS 1980 British novels Faber & Faber books Novels by Lawrence Durrell Novels set in Switzerland Novels about lesbian topics {{1980s-LGBT-novel-stub