Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred and Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder by Evelyn Waugh

9 reviews

kmhst25's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

1.75

I think you would have to be some combination of male, Catholic, or Silent Generation to get much out of this one, and I am none of those things.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Religious bigotry

Minor: Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexism, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and War

decafdirtychai's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

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

4.75

 Even more Brideshead-y the second time around. Jeremy Irons has the perfect autumnal voice for this book, but there are some slurs in it! Invoked a strange feeling. This book has every trope you need for a September read: 1st person observatory narrator, enchantingly sad woman, "thwarted" love, inconclusive thoughts on religion, melancholy + nostalgia, a thick layer of homosexuality without calling it that, descent into alcoholism, English estates, and a feeling that you need to cry without being able to. I wish I could write like this, I'd never shut up.

If you wanted to like The Secret History (Tartt), but didn't, you could try this one instead. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction and Alcoholism

Minor: Homophobia and Religious bigotry

utopiaandmelancholy's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• 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

A closely-nostalgic glimpse of a time-period and aspect of society which has since been widely portrayed on TV. However Waugh's closeness and clear personal feelings on the matter made for a reflective, if slow, read about the effect of the time period on people born into their station. To be honest, Waugh's appraisal of his own work in the introduction was what I found most interesting. The story was good enough that I would probably try to find an adaptation to watch if I wanted to revisit the time period though, so I am glad to have read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Alcohol

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Religious bigotry, War, and Classism

Minor: Death, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Death of parent

chris_reads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

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

abijoupansy's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Alcohol

atamano's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism and Classism

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and War

Minor: Vomit

mahmabaer's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

I have learned, through the listening of this audiobook, that a good narrator can make or break one's interest in a story.  Had I been reading this book on my own, or with a less skilled voice than that of the legendary Jeremy Irons to tell me the tale, I think I would have given up on it.  I found it dry, dull, and rather unappealing.  It reminded me greatly of "The Great Gatsby", a book I have loathed since I was forced to read it in high school.  

None of the characters, save perhaps Cordelia, were characters of any real redeption, and all seemed to be satisfied to be victims of their circumstances, without much desire to improve themselves.  Charles' sexuality and the romantic language that was used between he and Sabastian did keep me intrigued, unsure of exactly what their relationship was (and in truth, I'm not sure that either the author or the characters themselves knew truly).  I found that no character had a definitive ending, especially Sabastian, who we spent the first half the story touring around with, and then he just... disappears, and suddenly our attention is turned to Julia, who, at best, had been a side charcter with little impact on the story for the first half the book.

 

My favorite character was

the charming, stuttering Anthony, with all his "Oh my de-ahs," over and over again.  I wish there had been more of him and his escapades throughout the story

.

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.

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Content Warnings

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

akane_readsyt's review against another edition

dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Death of parent, and Alcohol

Moderate: Homophobia and Religious bigotry

rubymacbeth's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Ableism, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Classism