Reviews

Every Man for Himself by Beryl Bainbridge

gilliadd's review against another edition

2.0

For such a damning story, I didn't much care for anyone. I guess I wanted to mourn someone at the end, but the characters are all flat. It has some nice quotes though and the writer can clearly construct a good sentence but the story itself is lackluster.

narniaru's review against another edition

4.0

It is rather strange that I began reading this novel the day Beryl Bainbridge died. I felt so sad because I was enjoying her style of writing so much. Beryl writes about people and she is very honest. I think setting this story on the Titanic was all the more interesting because it just enlightens how silly people can be.

pixiegael's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a pretty quick read, a slim book, but a story well told.

We travel on the Titanic with a group of bright young things, all the usual pains of growing up (albeit with lots of money), and there are intrigues and conflicts in their relationships and in the past of our narrator. And then there's an iceberg, and the band played on.

It kept me entertained for a few days, anyway.

impla77's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

Interesting backdrop, especially since we know the oncoming doom, but I don’t think this was really that compelling? Morgan, the main character was fine, but the relationships between these toffs was just not interesting to me

sanrodsara's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

1.0

andrew61's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this story about the Titanic disaster from the point of view of the Morgan the nephew of Rothschild. He's an interesting narrator pulled by the shallow rich friends who frequent first class but uncomfortable with the working crew from whom he has emerged as his mother is a black sheep. Beautifully written each sentence is well crafted. Like Birthday Boys a good read.

hannahbrennan's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

wendoxford's review against another edition

4.0

We all know how this story ends yet Bainbridge presents Titanic's maiden voyage in a masterly way. She uses techniques that brush fiction against known historical characters, layering the entrenched "classed" society meeting its fate with witty observations - a vignette of black humour/comedy of manners.
The writing avoids references to "good chaps" (or indeed "bad lot") yet it festers there nonetheless as we watch the social interaction, jaded morality and sense of entitlement from the first class deck.
I love the book's unique slant and its constant bubbling tensions.

amyalicejakob's review against another edition

adventurous tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

iainkelly_writing's review against another edition

5.0

A Booker shortlisted novel, and a Whitbread winner, that was intriguing and readable - a rare thing. A sharp look at an endlessly interesting disaster. I read the Folio Society edition with artwork by the author.