A review by naomidanae
The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges

informative mysterious slow-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

3.5

I like the idea of this book a lot—a sort of encyclopedia of mythical or imagined creatures. Borges is incredibly knowledgeable and his breadth of understanding of these creatures is quite impressive. The entries often feel like they’re missing some information. Now, I don’t believe it should be made so long as to double the length of the book, but there are some entries that are just one paragraph, for example and only include a short physical description. The translation felt well done, and I appreciated the translator’s note at the end. 

Some quotes:
“Hell is an animal with other animals inside it.”
“The time of men is not the time of god.”
“When the Twilight of the Gods shall come, the serpent shall devour the earth and the wolf shall devour the sun.”