A Romance of Two Worlds [Hardcover]

Marie Corelli (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Grosset and Dunlap (January 1, 1912)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002DX0EWQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extremely occult . . . and extremely beautiful, May 28, 2002

By 

"kaia_espina" (Quezon City, Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Romance of Two Worlds (Paperback)

To which literary genre does "Romance of Two Worlds" belong? It has sci-fi, fantasy, and occult elements. It offers some adventure, some romance, and some mystery. What is most striking, however, is that the plot is about a spiritual quest--the kind everyone feels the need to begin, sooner or later, when the world's answers no longer satisfy one's questions.

Marie Corelli's nameless narrator represents the seeking soul in all of us. Yet, at the beginning of the story, she appears to have given up the search. Unlike those who have never bothered to search and do not mind being in the dark, she is wasting away in mind, body and spirit. Then she meets a mysterious painter who asks to do her portrait. It is in his studio that she has her first supernatural experience, which rejuvenates her body and rekindles her need to find the answers.

Her first teacher is another mysterious figure, a Chaldean named Heliobas. (It is hinted in some chapters that he may be one of the identities of the Avatar known as the Comte de St. Germaine. I'm keeping an open mind.) Naturally, most of the world sees him as eccentric and frightening: his strange experiments with electricity and his radical takes on everything (including the books of the bible) make him a fascinating teacher to those who have "eyes to see and ears to hear," but a threat to society to those who remain in the dark.

Here is how Corelli's writing can be so off-putting. Nobody likes thinking that he or she is in the dark about anything; yet Corelli stoutly implies that this must be so for those who do not believe in her blatantly occult themes. Then she goes on to combine occult and Christian elements, creating a bizarre form of esoteric Christianity that she presents as TRUTH.

Yet let's not quibble over terminology. So what if Corelli believes that the soul is literally electric and that Heaven is a great electric circle? Other writers have made similar guesses about the soul and about Heaven, using safe words like "love" or "light." When we read that Jesus' body was electrically charged, which was why he could heal through touch, we can at least be impressed by the spunk it took to say such a thing in Victorian England.

Ultimately, everyone gets to write the story of his or her soul's search for God and to discover that the many different stories are just retellings of the same one. This retelling is particularly lovely, due to Corelli's descriptive and reverent style. It is with great passion that the heroine declares: "I desire to know why this world, this universe exists; and I also wish to prove, if possible, the truth and necessity of religion. And I think I would give my life, if it were worth anything, to be certain of the truth of Christianity."

I don't want to reveal the reason why the novel's title is "Romance of Two Worlds", because behind it is a fascinating twist that I think all readers should discover on their own. Don't worry that the book is all dialogue and teaching, however, as the plot takes many unexpected turns.

Other books in what has been called the "Heliobas triology" are "Ardath" and "The Soul of Lilith". However, it is "The Life Everlasting" that is the proper continuation of "Romance of Two Worlds", as it leads our heroine to a romance of her very own.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful spiritual adventure!, May 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Romance of Two Worlds (Paperback)

I was compelled to read from cover to cover and the left the Romance inspired with renewed hope....renewed spirit. You might also like ANGELES IN HARSH WORLD, by Don Bradley. Another wonderful, mystical adventure.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This magnificent piece of work changed my life..., November 28, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Romance of Two Worlds (Paperback)

You have probably already read all about how wonderfully Madame Corelli writes, and thus, I shall not elaborate on that. All that I can say is that this heavenly-sent book has changed my life. I had always been turned off from Christianity because of all the things that I knew of the church, and of the bleak end that awaited all who didn't belive in the church. But Marie opened up my eyes and my heart. I came across this book by "chance" and am now sure that it was all ordained by God. Thanks to this book opening up my senses, I now have found my twin soul and we are eternally grateful to God for the gifts he has given us. I highly recommend this book to both those who feel that they have already begun upon thier own spiritual journey, and those who feel alienated from God. "The Life Everlasting", a later book by also written by this earthly angel is another book that I belive we all need to read. Just give it 30 pages and you will most certainly agree with me. Thank you ! and God be with you!