Reviews

The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges

mxpixieears's review against another edition

adventurous funny informative lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

adlewis's review against another edition

3.0

Disappointing, considering it’s Borges. The language is lithe and evocative, but he cedes too much space to the sources being referenced. I would have preferred far more of his voice and brilliant imagination than his bone fides.

haroun_haroun's review against another edition

3.0

Dungeons and dragons Monster manual for intellectuals

juushika's review against another edition

3.0

Diverse but limited, esoterically researched and glaringly incomplete, and this all feels as it should be: this approach to the subject could never be perfected; it's the biased, perforce limited, but awesomely expansive product of one man's knowledge. The voice is suitably erudite, skeptical, and playful; Borges is as present in the text as the beasts. It makes for fun browsing, but it's not especially my style--I prefer something more exhaustively researched or more atmospheric/creative. But as the author's presence and selections are the real selling point, perhaps my opinion would differ were I more familiar with Borges.

sinny's review against another edition

4.0

Una radiografía de los seres fantásticos de diferentes culturas, su nacimiento y sus cambios de una cultura a otra.

reaperreads's review against another edition

funny informative reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

bethanyruth's review against another edition

3.0

The Book of Imaginary Beings is a compendium of fictitious characters from all types of literature and tradition. Arranged alphabetically, Borges includes things from gryphons to angels to the Cheshire Cat. Peter Sis does the drawings, which are fantastic in all meanings of the word.

Look for this book if you’re in the mood to read a work that is in between fiction and non-fiction, but don’t have much time. The pieces are short and sweet; they are easy to digest, and fun.

rachelanne345's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective slow-paced

4.0

frandelaney's review against another edition

informative mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

read this book for an illustration project, beautiful writing from an abundance of authors. would have liked a couple of more modern mythological creatures featured (from the 1900s), but i did like the comparisons often used to connect the creature with good or evil
wish there was a slighter more intimate focus on what the creatures looked like but i understand it’s open to interpretation 

dzsossz's review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0