While I did give this book a chance, I ultimately decided to DNF. Fictional stories based on real-life characters aren't typically something I read, but I wanted to try this one. I did not know much about Aleister Crowley before starting this, and I believe that to be the reason I couldn't get into it. Despite not being the book for me, I did enjoy the writing style. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read nonetheless!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I think this was a really interesting read! Very fascinating and had me from beginning to end! I definitely would recommend this as I really enjoyed it.

The Deaths and Afterlife of Aleister Crowley (2019) is Aleister Crowley looking back on his life. In this version he didn't die in Hastings in 1947 and instead resides in Shangri-La well into his hundreds.

The novel is Aleister Crowley's imagined attempt to set the record straight and initially closely follows his life story. However, before long it is overlaid with an alternate history in which he is engaged by the British Secret Service where his occult knowledge is used in the interests of his country and humanity.

Aleister Crowley fans will probably lap it up. I have a passing interest and, for me, this was overly long. A shorter, tighter book would have been better.

3/5

Loved it from start to finish!
It was a genius book and I couldn't wait to reach the end!
100% recommend!

The Deaths and Afterlife of Aleister Crowley is a fascinating book. The book brings to light several of the issues Aleister had to face in his life. Well written and interesting.

You know, I honestly wasn’t very familiar with Mr. Crowley before this book, but I have to admit this is pretty interesting (although, I’m still not sure how much is fact within all the fantastical fiction). A man so demonized by society for his alternative beliefs, at the time, creates a vivid picture of the world that existed decades ago. His flamboyantly outrageous and oftentimes abrasive personality comes across well in these pages. After doing some light research, it’s clear that the man in this book is a good representation of the man who existed decades ago (and wasn’t, in fact, this sort of “savior God”). I’m just trying to wrap my head around the concept of the book as a whole. I sort of wish I’d read a full biography before this sort of semi-biographical fantasy AU.

This book is a great insight into Aleister cowley and why and how he became the way he was and what happened to him to make him that way.