2.84k reviews for:

Brideshead Revisited: The sacred & profane memories of Captain Charles Ryder

Evelyn Waugh

3.87 AVERAGE

sophiemaytanner's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

keeley's review against another edition

3.75

mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

melanieboyer's review against another edition

5.0

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2nd read 2017 - much better understanding through reading with Close Reads podcast.

2015 - Engrossing - though dark - story, and wonderful writing.

patrick_d_evans's review against another edition

3.0

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sigh...I...I just...

On an aesthetic level, its a beautiful novel. But Waugh really tries to sell the reader on Catholicism and aristocracy by showing that yes, everyone is miserable in both, but its all just so ~beautiful~ and you get to ~suffer~ which is apparently the only recourse that Waugh could imagine for the human condition.

laurbergo's review against another edition

4.5

challenging reflective medium-paced

hermitcliffe's review against another edition

4.25

adventurous funny fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

nahlareadss's review against another edition

4.0

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Enchanting

cathyrodgers's review against another edition

5.0

challenging reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

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Reminds me of The Great Gatsby, in that on the surface it’s a book about awful people doing and saying awful things to each other. I usually put down books that don’t have even one redeemable character. However, the sentence-level beautiful, descriptive writing held my attention. At the moment, I don’t think the plot line regarding the Catholic Church blends with the other plot lines.  All the issues with the Church seem like they were crammed into what was already a complex reflection on the passing  of time.  I may change my mind about this, though.  Overall, I’m really glad I stuck with this classic. 

thewhimsicalowl's review against another edition

4.0

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"My theme is memory, that winged host that soared about me... These memories, which are my life - for we possess nothing certainly except the past - were always with me. Like the pigeons of St Mark's, they were everywhere, under my feet, singly, in pairs, in little honey-voiced congregations, nodding, strutting, winking, rolling the tender feathers of their necks, perching sometimes, if I stood still, on my shoulder" (211).

A thought-provoking exploration of faith and doubt, trailing from Oxford to London to Venice to Paris and beyond. The story conjured resemblances to Atonement and The Talented Mr. Ripley for me. Brideshead's beginning held me rapt, but my interest waned in the middle. The conclusion drew me in once more, but, overall, the text kept me at a distance throughout. Still, there were beautiful segments of prose I will return to again and again.

rossisok's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes