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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-paced
Absolutely loved it, gripped my heart from the beginning and only tightened its hold throughout. One of those books I won't ever forget with an ending I could have never predicted.
hopeful
inspiring
medium-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
Wow this book is SO beautiful. Seriously, some of the most beautiful writing I’ve read in a while. It’s flowery enough to be lovely but not so much that it’s completely overshadowing the story. Every detail seems to matter and I love that so much.
I also love reading a queer story (from the 1950s no less!) that isn’t completely steeped in tragedy. It takes place during WW2 but I didn’t find that it even used the war itself to justify meaningless violence. Nothing was over the top. And even when characters had to face Laurie’s identity, nobody reacted with violence.
I also enjoyed the fact that romance wasn’t a central point for Laurie. It was a big part of the book but he had a life outside of that. This book has definitely convinced me to pick up more of Mary Renault’s work.
I also love reading a queer story (from the 1950s no less!) that isn’t completely steeped in tragedy. It takes place during WW2 but I didn’t find that it even used the war itself to justify meaningless violence. Nothing was over the top. And even when characters had to face Laurie’s identity, nobody reacted with violence.
I also enjoyed the fact that romance wasn’t a central point for Laurie. It was a big part of the book but he had a life outside of that. This book has definitely convinced me to pick up more of Mary Renault’s work.
After reading this book Mary Renault had become one of my favourite authors.
We follow Laurie Odell, first as a child, then a school boy and finally a young man injured after fighting in Dunkirk. After being injured he ends up meeting Andrew and Ralph. Andrew is a young male nurse who works at the hospital and Ralph is the former head of counsel at his school and military fleet officer in the war who lost command due to an injury. Laurie falls in love with both men but in different ways. Andrew doesn’t realise what the nature of his feelings towards Laurie are and is very innocent and sweet. Nonetheless, Laurie falls in love with him and they share a lot of cute moments, but Laurie always feels like he can’t be 100% himself around him.
Ralph’s love is very direct and physical, he knows what he wants and knows himself well. (something Andrew can’t offer.) He’s very mature and understanding.
I’m not going to spoil what happens , but I really liked the way this was written. Sometimes the events in this book are very unclear , and I recommend you take your time while reading, otherwise you might miss something.
“In seven years, thought Laurie, every cell in one's body has been replaced, even our memories live in a new brain. That is not the face I saw, and these are not the eyes I saw with. Even our selves are not the same, but only a consequence of the selves we had then. Yet I was there and I am here; and this man, who is sometimes what I remember and sometimes a stranger I met at a party the other day, is also to himself the I who was there: his mind in its different skull has travelled back to a place his living feet never visited; and the pain he felt then he can feel again.”
We follow Laurie Odell, first as a child, then a school boy and finally a young man injured after fighting in Dunkirk. After being injured he ends up meeting Andrew and Ralph. Andrew is a young male nurse who works at the hospital and Ralph is the former head of counsel at his school and military fleet officer in the war who lost command due to an injury. Laurie falls in love with both men but in different ways. Andrew doesn’t realise what the nature of his feelings towards Laurie are and is very innocent and sweet. Nonetheless, Laurie falls in love with him and they share a lot of cute moments, but Laurie always feels like he can’t be 100% himself around him.
Ralph’s love is very direct and physical, he knows what he wants and knows himself well. (something Andrew can’t offer.) He’s very mature and understanding.
I’m not going to spoil what happens , but I really liked the way this was written. Sometimes the events in this book are very unclear , and I recommend you take your time while reading, otherwise you might miss something.
“In seven years, thought Laurie, every cell in one's body has been replaced, even our memories live in a new brain. That is not the face I saw, and these are not the eyes I saw with. Even our selves are not the same, but only a consequence of the selves we had then. Yet I was there and I am here; and this man, who is sometimes what I remember and sometimes a stranger I met at a party the other day, is also to himself the I who was there: his mind in its different skull has travelled back to a place his living feet never visited; and the pain he felt then he can feel again.”
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
I have tried to read this book many times over the years and for some reason given up around the same part everytime.
This year I manged to start and finish it!
The book is a touching love story between a wounded soldier and a young Quaker who is working at the hospital he's recovering at, add in a former school chum and you have all the ingredients of a tragic, touching and rather beautiful love triangle.
Written in the 1950's and set during the 1930's it's a wonderful glimpse into blossoming love and the battle with emotion.
A good read indeed
This year I manged to start and finish it!
The book is a touching love story between a wounded soldier and a young Quaker who is working at the hospital he's recovering at, add in a former school chum and you have all the ingredients of a tragic, touching and rather beautiful love triangle.
Written in the 1950's and set during the 1930's it's a wonderful glimpse into blossoming love and the battle with emotion.
A good read indeed
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
This is a beautiful book that take careful reading to get the most out of it as not only is the meaning in what is said but what is not said and the tone it is said in. There were several times i needed to reread a paragraph to get its full meaning.
The novel amazed me in that it was written in the 1950. It shows the life of the time the book is never preachy of an agenda just states the love story and how it effects people. The book also shows some gay culture of gay men grouping up to form a community borne of the repression.
The story is about love as real and love as an ideal and how the lack of it is truly the most terrifying thing.
This is a book of its time and as such is very valuable and never forget where we have had to come from to the place of gay liberty today (I know not everywhere)
The novel amazed me in that it was written in the 1950. It shows the life of the time the book is never preachy of an agenda just states the love story and how it effects people. The book also shows some gay culture of gay men grouping up to form a community borne of the repression.
The story is about love as real and love as an ideal and how the lack of it is truly the most terrifying thing.
This is a book of its time and as such is very valuable and never forget where we have had to come from to the place of gay liberty today (I know not everywhere)