Customer Reviews

The Lost Diary of Don Juan: A Novel

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In Seville, he was named Juan Tenorio, but his mother abandons him near a monastery. Nuns secretly raise and torture the child even as they train him to cherish and worship women. He eventually runs away from the nasty environs to become an outlaw. Eventually he meets the Marquis de la Mota, who teaches him to be a master spy, a master swordsman, and a master lover. He is so adept at the latter; some consider him to be a demon. Hearing word of the legend of lovemaking, the inquisitor general investigates Don, who refuses to wed even at the coaxing of his mentor as a means of saving his life. That is until he encounters the fiery warrior woman Dona Ana.

Using the device of finding Don Juan's diary to tell his story works brilliantly in Douglas Abrams' superior historical fictional memoir of the renowned lover from his perspective. By writing the saga through the journal, Don Juan becomes more than a one head joke as the audience sees a full blooded person with wants and desires that are not only in the boudoir. Interestingly when Don Juan describes a conquest (and not just with women), he waxes poetic like a romance writer. Readers will enjoy this fast-paced account of the world's greatest lover as he plunges into one escapade (and woman) after another.

Harriet Klausner

I found this book mesmerizing -- and at the same to have a very deep heartful side to it. It's an amazing page turner, exciting as hell, with a plot that just keeps twisting and turning so that you can't wait to see what happens next. Meanwhile, the main character, Don Juan, slowly becomes ever more real and more human. He begins as the notorious seducer of women, with an attitude towards his conquests that, no surprise, is almost cavalier. He will be with no woman more than once. He recognizes and awakens and serves their desire, but then departs. But as time and fortune have their way with him in this absolutely thrilling telling, his heart starts to open, and almost in spite of himself he finds himself falling utterly in love with the one woman he cannot seem to impress. After decades of conquests, the man whose very name has come to be synonymous with seduction for seduction's sake, comes to question how he has lived and is ready for a much greater adventure. Does he find that a single kiss in the arms of your true beloved is worth more than a thousands nights with a thousand different women? I won't spoil the story for you by giving away the outcome, but I will say this: If you have ever wondered how -- or if -- sexual liberation and monogamous commitment can go together, read this book. It's a spellbinding story that left me breathless, wanting more, and also deeply affirmed in my choice to be true to one woman.

D. C. Abrams' "The Lost Diary of Don Juan" is a novel written about the fictional character Don Juan in the context of the infamous heyday of the Spanish Inquisition - approximately in the 1590s.

What rings true here is Abrams' scathing, withering condemnation of the Catholic Church and the ruling Spanish Aristocracy, the promulgators of this medieval holocaust, where countless innocent people were murdered because of their beliefs. Well, actually, they were murdered because they did not believe in Catholic ideas and rituals.

Beyond being buoyed by Abrams' correct take on actual history, his tale of Don Juan is little more than a faux-lascivious and grossly salacious little soap opera.

What's interesting is that this author is a sexologist. Often in the dialogue between Don Juan and his female tutors (or their private thoughts), you can clearly hear the echo of a sex therapy session, where the counselor conducting the therapy has a huge axe to grind, regarding the oafishness of men as the inadequate partner in less-than-satisfying heterosexual sex-making. Don Juan instructs the reader in the proper ways to make love.

It doesn't take much "reading between the lines" to see the point: monogamy and utter and undying devotion to the woman are the only acceptable values in marriage. Further, men are almost always the culprits in bad marriages, because they do not know how to honor a woman's body and perform properly. Woman's infidelity comes from one source: the inadequate male she to whom she is married.

It's all heterosexual, pro-straight-marriage blather, enough to make a reader feel like upchucking periodically. Don Juan's only fault was that he was unable to love only one woman. Guess who, in the end, realizes his wayward past and vows to love only one woman from then on? Yuck. We need lectures (page after page of them) about this from Don Juan? The only cleverness here is that the author chose the most infamous fictional womanizer in history as the messenger of his own ideas of what constitutes correct sexual conduct.

It's a bad novel, from front to back (except for the aforementioned historical context), due to its way too obvious preaching. This is not historical fiction. It is a bad story in the context of history.

Barely a 2 on Amazon's rating scale.

First of all, I would love for this book to be required reading for all males. Don Juan's passion and worship of women is a refreshing take on the possibilities of lust and love. But it's not all seduction and cheesy euphanisms for bodyparts - - the dangerous suspense in this book never lets up.

The characters shine: the ruthless Inquisitor set on freeing Sevilla from the threat of pleasure; Don Juan, a fierce libertine intent on soothing the lonely bodies of neglected women; the satisfied wife Serena and the prostitutes in her brothel; and an intense, uninterested virgin who will only marry for love while her father sells her to the highest noble bidder. Throughout the book, all of these characters debate whether or not marriage is a prison, how a man could ever be happy with only bedding one woman for life despite living in a brothel, and whether or not love and lust are compatible and for how long?

This book is perfect for those interested in passion, seduction, intrigue and strong men and women characters.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it and am holding onto it so I can read again later. It tracks the life of Don Juan (told in first person style) and relives many of his exploits. It also is very instructional as to his romantic style and understanding of a woman's needs.
Lots of fun to read. Recommended reading for every man.

Not knowing much about the history of Don Juan Tenorio or being a fan of world history, this book was somewhat out of my "genre" of what I would normally elect to purchase off the shelf at a local bookstore. Being that I was offered the opportunity to be a part of the Book Tour for The Lost Diary of Don Juan, I was elated to face the opportunity to step "outside my `norm' " and lose myself in a tale of history, pride, power, lust, jealousy, and most of all, true love.

In visiting the novel's website, you can discover articles pertaining to the differences between the great lovers Don Juan and Casanova. Truthfully, I was so taken by Abrams' account of Don Juan's journey, that Casanova simply didn't interest me! Along with this article, fans of the novel can review photographs and articles from the author, Douglas C. Abrams, himself.

The Review: The Lost Diary of Don Juan

For my readers who are accustomed to my "direct approach" to book reviews, I will stay true to my style in giving you my most truthful opinion of this novel. I was expecting it to be one of those historical (yawn), boring, and another "way-exaggerated" romance novels that was filled with tales of the improbable, and most likely, impossible. The beginning of this book seemed to prove me right. It was quite the unveiling of the characters, the setting, the history, etc. Time for my nap! But, then, out of nowhere, this book takes a turn for me... and I understand why it is that Abrams took such attention to the detail in outlining the facts of the story. They all are completely relevant and key to the overall connection that I had to the book. Then, I went back and re-read the beginning... and, loved it!

I read this novel on paperback and understand that it was published in 2007. With that being said, many of you have had an opportunity to pick up this work and read it. For those who have not, I fear to give up too much of the story line in the event that you decide to read it for yourself... which, if you believe in true love, you definitely should. However, there are main elements of the story that I will reveal in this review... but, I won't share the ending!

This novel is based upon the supposed diary of Don Juan Tenorio in the late 1500's in Seville, Spain. Don Juan's beginnings are as tragic as his ending... he was born to a prostitute and his life was considered a liability for her profession. She left him at the doorstep of a convent in Carmona, Spain. Due to the fact that he was born with a slightly lamed leg, the nuns elected to raise him within the convent as the overflowing orphanages would surely not care for him properly and they feared he would die. He is raised by these Priora Francisca and Padre Miguel Antonio until his young teens. At that time, he was determined to live a life of worship and devotion to God as a priest in the Church. That was, until he discovered his secular needs as a man via his interest in a girl who entered the convent, Hermana Teresa... a ripe, beautiful 16 year old who he falls deeply in love with. Despite the laws of chastity within the confines of the convent, he and Teresa form a physical relationship in addition to their emotional commitment. Eventually, they are caught by Hermana Marta and Don Juan was exiled from this convent to a monastery in Seville, Spain. There, he was admonished for his sins.

Don Juan's experience at the monastery was not a good one. He was faced with interaction with Fray Ignacio de Estrada, who is "The Inquisitor" (2nd only in line to the Inquisitor General). For those not too familiar with the Spanish Inquisition, from what I can ascertain from the novel, in the name of "God" people were burned alive at the stake for being "heretics" or as simple as being a red-head. Anyone who followed Luther's teachings as well as fornicators were subject to death. And, The Inquisitor had a list!

We come to love Don Juan and become entranced by his adventures with the women he loves. He is such a compassionate man, let me tell you! He finds great pride in utilizing his skills and pleasing the women he seduces. The readers are introduced to Dona Ana, who will become the one woman who can transform Don Juan's heart into one of a monogamous man... loving only one. Of course, there are obstacles he is faced with involving his brotherhood with the other noblemen, the Marquis, The Inquisitor (I just hate that guy), and the Commander (Dona Ana's father). But, Don Juan is quite clever and the way that he arranges to win Dona Ana's heart, escape death, and live "happily ever after" is a tale that had me completely engrossed. There are other characters within the story that I grew to love including Alma, Seville's greatest courtesan. The ending of the story... simply, I approve!

One of my favorite tales in Don Juan's diary was his night of escape with Dona Ana to the "Tour of Heaven." (sigh). See picture of actual site (upper, right) with the tower.

The diary is filled tales of passion, grief, adventure, and provides little "pearls of wisdom" in Don Juan's self-discovery. Reader be warned... there are some very "steamy" scenes in this novel that, well, got my heart beating a bit faster. Abrams writes them with such passion and delicacy... bravo!

Interestingly enough, the photos displayed herein are from Abrams' tour of Carmona and Seville. The author took many years in understanding the layout of Seville, the history, the legend... and it shows in the intricacy of the book.

Now, for my favorite lines of the novel:
"A woman's desire does not die before her last breath."

"Indeed, although pleasure and pain are often impossible to separate." (they're discussing physical encounters)

"How easy it is to satisfy a woman' how great are the rewards and gratitude for any man who makes even the slightest effort. But how few are those in this cruel age who seek to understand womanhood, and so my lust finds countless women who yearn for even the most basic kindness."

"The greatest power in the world, greater than kings and people, is the desire of women. Love, the priests tell us, rules the heavens, but does desire not rule the earth? One who understands the workings of desire understand the very secret of life..."

"... But to live, a man must have a purpose or his life is a rudderless ship."

"Woman is the masterwork of God, the last Creation and endowed with the divine power to create new life."

"The priests tell us that the body is like a thorn to the soul, but I have seen the truth-it is only from the body that the soul blossoms, and our soul cannot be separated from it in life."

"... The true passion of which you speak could occur only in marriage, for without love, there is only lust, forever fleeting and empty."

"Seduction and passion are simply Life longing for Life."

"There is a time for reading, and there is time for living."

"When the truth is blasphemy, then deception becomes dogma."

My thoughts on the author:
In the Author's Note at the end of the book, he explains:

"My desire in writing the book was not only to resurrect this greatest of historical lovers and to give voice to his true motives; I was also moved to write a book that would explore the tension between lust and love and that would confront the human question of how any man or woman can find lifelong satisfaction in one committed relationship."

Although this is Abram's first novel, he has co-authored other books on love, sexuality, and spirituality. He lives in Santa Cruz, CA with his wife and three children.

Final Thoughts:
There is a very helpful Glossary at the end of the book in addition to a provided synopsis. For book clubs, there are provided questions and topics for discussion. My most favorite question was #10... "Who is your favorite female character in the book? What did you like about her? Did you identify with any of her struggles? What do you think her life was like after knowing Don Juan?" Let's just say... my answer is Alma and I could go on for pages about why and in answering the subsequent questions.

On Sher's "Out of Ten Scale":
If your interest is historical romance novels... I'd put this one up there with a 9.5! (Ole!) If that isn't the genre that you favor and you're testing the waters, like I did... I'd have to say I was pleasantly surprised and would give this an 8.5... nearly a 9. Why? Abrams was able to take my mind out of myself and into a story that I became lost in, I felt for the character, and now I want to go to Seville!

For anyone interested in the infamous Don Juan, or historical fiction in general, this novel is a good solid read. While at times the seduction of Sevilla's women gets slightly repetitive, you are bound to be swept away by the honest passion of the lovers, the romantic city, or the uncertainty and mystery of the age in which Don Juan may have lived. Running across Sevillian rooftops in a black mask to escape jealous husbands and fathers, masquerading at balls, associating intimately with nuns and prostitutes, while doing everything in his power to evade the Inquisitioner, Don Juan certainly has the reader entertained from page one. However, the most turbulent dilemma he faces at the heart of this novel is whether he can in fact ever love one woman....and you'll have to read through to the end to find out!

I was delightfully surprised with this story. I must confess, I was expecting something more along the lines of Deuce Bigalow, American Gigolo, but much to my pleasure, this was a romantic historical fiction. It is very informative should you be looking more into what times were like during the Spanish Inquistion. It starts out with Don Juan, basically a womanizing man whore. However, he has utmost respect and reverence for the female species and when he actually falls in love, it warms the readers heart. You laugh and cry and literally sit on the end of your seat in anticipation wondering if he and his love will be reunited. I rarely read novels about or written by men, but I highly recommend this.

Before reading The Lost Diary of Don Juan, the infamous title character was nothing more than a name to me. From a mere caricature, Abrams has skillfully created a character who is richly complex and multi-layered. As I read the eloquently written pages of Don Juan's diary, it was impossible not to be drawn into his libertine life and the intrigues of the city of Seville in 1593.

With beautiful, readable prose, Abrams paints a vivid picture of late 16th century Spain. The descriptions have a very cinematic feel. I could visualize the walled courtyard of a nobleman's home, and the dark, dank interior of Don Juan's favorite tavern. I could feel the velvet fabric of his maroon doublet. I could smell the faint, seductive orange-apricot scent of a woman's perfume. The prose tends to feel a little flowery and euphemistic when describing Don Juan's many and varied sexual encounters, the upside of this being that the subject matter is thus handled in a manner that is inoffensive to a broader audience.

The Spanish Inquisition was going strong in 1593, creating a sinister atmosphere in Seville which Abrams conveys well. His Inquisitor is a cruel, dark, ominous figure. The reader will sense that treachery and betrayal are rampant in Don Juan's world. Because of this, the trustworthy few - a nun or priest here, a loyal coachman there - feel all the more significant and engaging as supporting characters.

What a disappointment. If I hadn't been required to complete this book for a reading group, it would never have survived the 50-Page Rule. It is the cliched, hackneyed, poorly-written plot of every bad movie you've ever seen - the gallant cavalier transformed by love.

Though purportedly set up in a diary format, only token attention is paid to this premise as the story progresses. Don Juan references "making a note in this diary" and then there's a date thrown in at the end of a few entries, but other than that, it's just a straightforward, not terribly original story.

Abrams can't decide what he wants his story to be. Is it a romance, a confessional, a swashbuckler? Stunts which would be impossible to perform in real life, and would require special effects in a film, are described here as if one can suspend belief in physics. Ridiculous lines such as "I opened her clam shell to agitate the pearl within" made me laugh out loud.

This gave me a lot to discuss at my book group, and for all the wrong reasons. A shame, too, because the basic premise could have been beautifully explored if placed in more skillful hands.