I like to think that John Crowley is always a treat. Sure, I've only read two of his novels, but they have been so good as to allow me to call myself a John Crowley fan. The other book of his that I have read, Little, Big is often considered his masterpiece. It is unsurprising, then, that I will compare The Translator with it.

The Translator is a much simpler story than Little, Big. It is much more grounded in 'reality' (though not entirely, and the plot is not nearly as complex. This does not effect one of the most important aspects of a John Crowley book, though: the writing. John Crowley is still a master at this craft and can manipulate the reader's emotions as he sees fit.

As a result, The Translator makes a good introduction to John Crowley for the uninitiated. It is a very accessible novel, and a fairly quick read.

Are there problems? I suppose, but they are more in the line of 'not being Little, Big' than any actual problems with the novel itself. People looking for a much more complex experience will probably be disappointed, but sometimes the author and reader need simpler fare, so they ought to get over it. It would also appear that this novel, more than anything, is a writing exercise to tinker with some ideas from the <iAegypt cycle by the same author. As a brief history lesson, The Translator was written before the last book in this cycle, and I imagine when I read it, I'll find out which ideas Crowley was, for whatever reason, struggling with at the time.

Is it his best? No, but that would be like saying Romeo and Juliet is not Shakespeare's best work. It is still a great work in its own right and only displays failures in comparison to at least one of his other novels.