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madamenovelist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexism
utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Alcohol
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Religious bigotry, War, and Classism
Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
mreisen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Medical content, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Minor: War
chris_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Homophobia, Xenophobia, Dysphoria, and Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, War, and Injury/Injury detail
atamano's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism and Classism
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Vomit
mahmabaer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
My favorite character was
I will say, however, Evelyn Waugh is a talented writer. He weaves the atmosphere of smoky rooms, amber colored drinks, sunshine-drenched country roads and rolling oceans beautifully, and the atmosphere of the story was well developed. I could easily imagine each scene as we travelled with Charles through the story.
All in all, if you are a fan of stories with lots of elaborate entanglements and romantic language, especially as it may have taken place in the 1920s, it might be something you'd enjoy. However, I feel I've had quite enough of the Flytes family for a lifetime.
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Alcohol
caitlancole's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Homophobia, Infidelity, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Racism
eli_jw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Classism
Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, and War
jwells's review against another edition
The romantic nostalgia over the aristocracy would be tolerable (it's not like Waugh is the only one) if not paired with open scorn for people less privileged. Oh, does Hooper have unflattering glasses? Dentures, and an inadequate handshake? Clearly that's enough excuse to justify an entire exploitative class system. I mean, we wouldn't want things to be, god forbid, inelegant.
Is this supposed to be a pro-religion book, I wonder? I suspect we're meant to think that Julia makes the right choice at the end, for example. And be happy that at least the flame is burning in the chapel again?
It's pretty difficult, when we've already seen Christianity make her brother's life miserable. Presumably it's the reason Sebastian can't stand his family.
Apparently there are critics who favor a platonic interpretation of BR. Having not read them, I hope they just mean that they think Charles is straight. Not that Sebastian is.
Anyway, can't blame religion for everything; Charles manages to screw up his life without its help, with a choice of life partner as lukewarm as his drink order (whiskey with tepid water).
I sound rather cranky in this review, but I also read BR twice in January, though I'm not a big re-reader as a rule. I don't know how, but Waugh gets me invested in these people, even when they are annoying, and even when I dislike what he's using them to convey.
Still, I can hardly stop turning pages.
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
greyofmydayoldtea's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism and Infidelity