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leonardcohenfan69's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aelumen's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.25
pepeleb's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
sophiemlpink's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
3.5
landonwittmer's review against another edition
4.0
A great book but not really my taste. Waugh is an incredible prose crafter, but at the end of the day, he's a highly stylized English novelist, and this novel almost reads Victorian at times. Not that that's an objective negative, just that it's difficult for me to stomach, and if it is for you too, I would approach this book only when you're in the mindset for a slog.
This style does lend itself well to one of the book's main themes--the modern degradation of British high culture and empire--but you can find similar things in much more enjoyable novels: a bit in Woolf's oeuvre, a lot in the Patrick Melrose novels, Wide Sargasso Sea, etc. etc.
Those are all subjective complains though. My star detraction is because the first ~250-300 pages drag a LOT. The last 100-150 pages--everything from Charles's trip on the cruise ship on--are incredible and have made an impression on my mind, but the first 3/4ths of the book could've been much tighter.
This style does lend itself well to one of the book's main themes--the modern degradation of British high culture and empire--but you can find similar things in much more enjoyable novels: a bit in Woolf's oeuvre, a lot in the Patrick Melrose novels, Wide Sargasso Sea, etc. etc.
Those are all subjective complains though. My star detraction is because the first ~250-300 pages drag a LOT. The last 100-150 pages--everything from Charles's trip on the cruise ship on--are incredible and have made an impression on my mind, but the first 3/4ths of the book could've been much tighter.
eleanorryd's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
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
3.0
mbokoske's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
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
3.75
happylilkt's review against another edition
4.0
Exquisitely written. Unaffected, even when its characters appear to be so. Accompanies the characters through tempestuous relationships and destructive addictions all the while leading to the solid foundation of God and conversion.
tgyll's review
emotional
reflective
fast-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
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage
libraryofdreaming's review against another edition
4.0
Brideshead Revisited took me completely by surprise. I expected something a little scandalous and maybe a bit dry, but I actually really enjoyed it. It is a thought-provoking read that kept me glued to the page. I finished it in a little less than a day (albeit a mostly sleepless one). Evelyn Waugh is one enigmatic writer. I am still questioning the point of this book. Is it really a support of Catholicism or something less flattering? What is the real nature of Charles and Sebastian's relationship? Was the book part celebration of the upper/wealthy class or part condemnation? Even the ending puzzled me to the extent that I had to go read some Spark Notes to reassure myself. As it is, I feel like I need to reread this book sometime in the future before I get it all sorted out in my head.
While the book's pace occasionally flounders and I'm not completely satisfied with the ending, I was enthralled by Evelyn Waugh's writing. Some parts of the book are practically a love letter to architecture and they were truly my favorite. I wish I could set a scene as well as he could! Though enigmatic, Brideshead Revisited felt like a memorial to youth. I could easily imagine Evelyn Waugh writing it on leave during World War II, feeling like his entire world was being destroyed. I commend his skills that he managed to convey a feeling of melancholy and desperation even at the duller and more frustrating bits of the book. And there were frustrating bits.
**spoilers ahead**
I felt for Charles and Sebastian but I didn't completely understand them. Nor did I truly understand Sebastian's destructive pattern. It was obvious he was struggling with his family but I felt like there needed to be more. Perhaps that's my own issues talking, I sympathized with Sebastian but also I wish he realized how fortunate he was. I was very unsatisfied by his ending. I needed he and Charles to be reunited again. I needed him to be happy and healthy again. The time jump felt rather jarring and I almost dropped my book when it turned out of the blue that Charles was married. Way to shock your readers, Waugh! Although I sympathized with Charles and Julia (and had been shipping them from the beginning) their affair was rather frustrating. I didn't like Charles' abandonment of his kids. Though, were they really his kids? He says at the end he's childless... They couldn't ALL have died, could they? And his wife was unfaithful...
My other problem with this book was its depiction and, in my opinion, misunderstanding of Christianity. Evelyn Waugh was apparently a Catholic, so this is probably an intrinsic differences between my belief and his. This book falls prey to a very common misconception of Christianity. Salvation and redemption cannot be bought. No personal sacrifice can achieve forgiveness, it has already been freely given. You need only accept. Therefore, when Julia and Charles part at the end of the book because Julia hopes by sacrificing a great love she will somehow earn her way to redemption, it is a futile act. I desperately wanted to reach into the book and explain things to her. Instead of feeling like her action was somehow justified, it just broke my heart for both of them. While the ending was enigmatically hopeful, I was still not satisfied because of the lack of understanding.
I was originally considering watching the more recent movie adaption because it starred Hayley Atwell, but after one look at the trailer I almost threw up. Turning this multi-faceted and confusing classic into a stupid love triangle?? Gross! Not even the combined quality of Hayley Atwell, Ben Whisaw, and Matthew Goode could make me touch that movie with a stick... **spoilers end**
Part requiem, part morality tale, part religious commentary... I cannot put Brideshead Revisited in any kind of box. I don't quite understand it myself. Many future revisitations might help answer my questions, but I can't deny that somehow this book managed to charm me. I certainly haven't stopped thinking about it...
While the book's pace occasionally flounders and I'm not completely satisfied with the ending, I was enthralled by Evelyn Waugh's writing. Some parts of the book are practically a love letter to architecture and they were truly my favorite. I wish I could set a scene as well as he could! Though enigmatic, Brideshead Revisited felt like a memorial to youth. I could easily imagine Evelyn Waugh writing it on leave during World War II, feeling like his entire world was being destroyed. I commend his skills that he managed to convey a feeling of melancholy and desperation even at the duller and more frustrating bits of the book. And there were frustrating bits.
**spoilers ahead**
I felt for Charles and Sebastian but I didn't completely understand them. Nor did I truly understand Sebastian's destructive pattern. It was obvious he was struggling with his family but I felt like there needed to be more. Perhaps that's my own issues talking, I sympathized with Sebastian but also I wish he realized how fortunate he was. I was very unsatisfied by his ending. I needed he and Charles to be reunited again. I needed him to be happy and healthy again. The time jump felt rather jarring and I almost dropped my book when it turned out of the blue that Charles was married. Way to shock your readers, Waugh! Although I sympathized with Charles and Julia (and had been shipping them from the beginning) their affair was rather frustrating. I didn't like Charles' abandonment of his kids. Though, were they really his kids? He says at the end he's childless... They couldn't ALL have died, could they? And his wife was unfaithful...
My other problem with this book was its depiction and, in my opinion, misunderstanding of Christianity. Evelyn Waugh was apparently a Catholic, so this is probably an intrinsic differences between my belief and his. This book falls prey to a very common misconception of Christianity. Salvation and redemption cannot be bought. No personal sacrifice can achieve forgiveness, it has already been freely given. You need only accept. Therefore, when Julia and Charles part at the end of the book because Julia hopes by sacrificing a great love she will somehow earn her way to redemption, it is a futile act. I desperately wanted to reach into the book and explain things to her. Instead of feeling like her action was somehow justified, it just broke my heart for both of them. While the ending was enigmatically hopeful, I was still not satisfied because of the lack of understanding.
I was originally considering watching the more recent movie adaption because it starred Hayley Atwell, but after one look at the trailer I almost threw up. Turning this multi-faceted and confusing classic into a stupid love triangle?? Gross! Not even the combined quality of Hayley Atwell, Ben Whisaw, and Matthew Goode could make me touch that movie with a stick... **spoilers end**
Part requiem, part morality tale, part religious commentary... I cannot put Brideshead Revisited in any kind of box. I don't quite understand it myself. Many future revisitations might help answer my questions, but I can't deny that somehow this book managed to charm me. I certainly haven't stopped thinking about it...