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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
A Handful of Dust is the second Evelyn Waugh novel I've read. I picked it up at my library based on my enjoyment of The Loved One.
The novel has three main parts and plays a light homage to Swann's Way with chapter titles like "Du Côte de Chez Beaver" and "Du Côte de Chez Tod." While the first part certainly reads like a parody of Proust with the bored young boy, the passion for ugly Gothic architecture and parties full of famous people this parody is merely a distraction. The second part is more akin to The Importance of Being Earnest and the final part is like a drunken rendition of Heart of Darkness.
The novel starts off like any number of high society parodies that have come out of British literature. Tony Last and his wife Brenda are putting on a good show of being a happily married aristocratic couple until the untimely death of their son. Then things take a turn for the surreal.
First there is the attempt at a comedy of errors with the husband pretending to have an affair so his wife can divorce him. He just can't bring himself to do it. So rather than go home and deal with the grief of losing a child he runs away to the jungle (Dutch Guyana).
The jungle third has me thinking that I've been reading too many stories like this recently. First there was the very funny Fiction and then the not so funny "Sooner or Later or Never Never" by Gary Jennings and now A Handful of Dust. Of course in order of publishing, they go front to back but I've ended up reading them youngest to oldest.
With one hit and one miss for me from Evelyn Waugh, I will try another novel from him. I will stick though to getting them from my library just in case I don't like it.
The novel has three main parts and plays a light homage to Swann's Way with chapter titles like "Du Côte de Chez Beaver" and "Du Côte de Chez Tod." While the first part certainly reads like a parody of Proust with the bored young boy, the passion for ugly Gothic architecture and parties full of famous people this parody is merely a distraction. The second part is more akin to The Importance of Being Earnest and the final part is like a drunken rendition of Heart of Darkness.
The novel starts off like any number of high society parodies that have come out of British literature. Tony Last and his wife Brenda are putting on a good show of being a happily married aristocratic couple until the untimely death of their son. Then things take a turn for the surreal.
First there is the attempt at a comedy of errors with the husband pretending to have an affair so his wife can divorce him. He just can't bring himself to do it. So rather than go home and deal with the grief of losing a child he runs away to the jungle (Dutch Guyana).
The jungle third has me thinking that I've been reading too many stories like this recently. First there was the very funny Fiction and then the not so funny "Sooner or Later or Never Never" by Gary Jennings and now A Handful of Dust. Of course in order of publishing, they go front to back but I've ended up reading them youngest to oldest.
With one hit and one miss for me from Evelyn Waugh, I will try another novel from him. I will stick though to getting them from my library just in case I don't like it.
I really love the Popular Penguin series – what’s not to love about cute orange covers, penguins and the nice price of $9.95 AU? I had never read a Waugh book before (shame I know) so I picked up this one to give him (yes, him) a try. As soon as I finished A Handful of Dust I rushed out to buy all the other Waugh Popular Penguins. He is that good. The prose is excellent, the dialogue witty and the man knows how to pack a narrative punch that will have you gasping at the twist.
A Handful of Dust is the story of Brenda and Tony, who live in a cold and drafty country house. They appear to have a warm and easygoing relationship, but Brenda is somewhat bored of being buried in a Gothic mansion in the middle of nowhere. With a little egging on from her friends, she begins an affair with the social climber John Beaver. What is meant to be a bit of fun has some disastrous consequences and will eventually push Tony and Brenda far apart.
One of the initial plot twists that drives Tony and Brenda further apart was certainly unexpected, but handled brilliantly by Waugh in terms of different reactions and emotions. Later on in the book, the casual way Tony is set up for an affair shows the morals of this group of people in a very interesting (and unexpected for me!) light. The later plot twist is certainly extreme and I defy anyone to predict the change of setting – but what else would you have had Tony do? The ending certainly leaves food for thought too and makes you wonder at the intentions of the players after all.
Despite this being published in 1934, I found this a very easy read. It was so gripping that I would read at my desk right up to my start work time, in traffic and while walking! I’d certainly recommend this as an introduction to Waugh, although be prepared for serious issues to be dealt with in a rather offhand way at times. Ironic and great.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
A Handful of Dust is the story of Brenda and Tony, who live in a cold and drafty country house. They appear to have a warm and easygoing relationship, but Brenda is somewhat bored of being buried in a Gothic mansion in the middle of nowhere. With a little egging on from her friends, she begins an affair with the social climber John Beaver. What is meant to be a bit of fun has some disastrous consequences and will eventually push Tony and Brenda far apart.
One of the initial plot twists that drives Tony and Brenda further apart was certainly unexpected, but handled brilliantly by Waugh in terms of different reactions and emotions. Later on in the book, the casual way Tony is set up for an affair shows the morals of this group of people in a very interesting (and unexpected for me!) light. The later plot twist is certainly extreme and I defy anyone to predict the change of setting – but what else would you have had Tony do? The ending certainly leaves food for thought too and makes you wonder at the intentions of the players after all.
Despite this being published in 1934, I found this a very easy read. It was so gripping that I would read at my desk right up to my start work time, in traffic and while walking! I’d certainly recommend this as an introduction to Waugh, although be prepared for serious issues to be dealt with in a rather offhand way at times. Ironic and great.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
I had no idea that Waugh’s range was so wide. A Handful of Dust is nothing like Brideshead Revisited and while it is a satire of the upper class in midcentury England, it isn’t quite like the wicked but also zany satire of The Loved One. This reminded me a lot of Nancy Mitford’s books in that it is humorous in its way but also laced with casual cruelty and in that both authors had an inside view into the bored aristocratic milieu they were sending up.
Tony and Brenda Last are married and living in at Tony’s ancestral pile in the country, Hetton. They have a young son who spends most of his time with his nanny or with the stable hand…it’s just not done to raise one’s own children. Tony is perfectly content in his role as country squire but Brenda yearns for the society and excitement of London. Enter John Beaver, a social parasite who invites himself to Hetton for the weekend and hits it off with Brenda to everyone’s surprise - even Brenda's and Beaver's. Brenda’s growing feelings for Beaver and her boredom set the plot in motion. Ultimately, I think both Brenda and Tony get a version of what they wanted in the end but it is a case of “be careful what you wish for”.
Tony and Brenda Last are married and living in at Tony’s ancestral pile in the country, Hetton. They have a young son who spends most of his time with his nanny or with the stable hand…it’s just not done to raise one’s own children. Tony is perfectly content in his role as country squire but Brenda yearns for the society and excitement of London. Enter John Beaver, a social parasite who invites himself to Hetton for the weekend and hits it off with Brenda to everyone’s surprise - even Brenda's and Beaver's. Brenda’s growing feelings for Beaver and her boredom set the plot in motion. Ultimately, I think both Brenda and Tony get a version of what they wanted in the end but it is a case of “be careful what you wish for”.
Well then. That was weird.
First 4 parts were great actually. everything Anna Karenina might have been. Then it all went downhill Heart of Darkness in Brazil style. Yikes.
And that frustrating ending. Man.
First 4 parts were great actually. everything Anna Karenina might have been. Then it all went downhill Heart of Darkness in Brazil style. Yikes.
And that frustrating ending. Man.
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The gut wrenching sorrow of selfish behavior is fully exposed
FUCK BRENDA I'M SO GLAD THERE'S AN ALTERNATE ENDING. This book tore me up. It made me so upset and frustrated I had to vent to my mum who probably had no idea what I was talking about and probably didn't care either. But I had to talk to someone about the torture Evelyn Waugh put me through. He's the first person I would want to speak to if there is a heaven. This book starts out seeming like a cosy little English novel about posh people and parties, but becomes more unbearable as you go through, the more you start to sympathize with Tony. Waugh uses a clever technique of contrasting Tony's journey and that of his unfaithful wife Brenda, which results in an extraordinary and again, painful, irony. I suggest you take the alternate ending as the true one as the original ending is far from happy.
Quite good until the kid dies then it doesn't know what to do with itself the ending in africa is pretty much the weakest ending ever. But its worth reading for the first half.
Read for a Modern British Novel literature class in college.
dark
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Moderate: Child death
Stunningly good. Quite darkly funny. Think I'll have to read dickens next in honour of Mr Todd.