Reviews - The Charioteer | The StoryGraph

344 reviews for:

I have no doubt that this book was revelatory in it's time, but it doesn't stand up. Full of 50s jargon that doesn't make total sense now. The story doesn't know where it wants to rest in the beginning and when it finally does (about 100 pgs in) it creeps along at a snail's pace. I'll admit to not finishing it.

spencerseas's review against another edition

3.5

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Really intense to read, but I think I struggled a lot with implications and innuendos that required awareness of culture in the 40s and 50s that I do not have.

bluebirdsongs's review

5.0

challenging emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

readingwithmani's review

5.0

I cannot express the relief I felt reading the last three pages and realising that what I had dreaded wasn’t going to happen. Thank you Mary Renault.

someday_linda's review against another edition

4.0

3.75

walkingtheborder's review against another edition

5.0

An absolutely beautiful book, decades ahead of its time, dealing with themes of love and loss against a background of war, conscientious objection and a society, within the living memory of so many of our lawmakers, in which homosexuality was feared, hidden and criminal.

One of those books you treasure.