Reviews

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

teresapetralia's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I only really liked the parts of the book set in Oxford. If you remove those, this book would be quite an average and boring book (which makes me wonder how people who don’t have any connection to the city enjoy this…). There’s too many metaphors and the whole religious aspect of the plot just doesn’t really speak to me.

Also, Julia and Charles’ relationship comes out of nowhere? Even though we’re meant to believe it’s been brewing since they first met??

victoriatracy's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

pindoheartreading's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It is a beautiful book with many mesmerising passages, it might be the finest writing I’ve ever encountered. Poetry form used in a novel. Waugh envelopes the reader through his masterful prose and exacting detail. 

I enjoyed the theme of divine grace and catholicism in the book as it provides such insight into the lives of the wealthy and high-born people. But I was hoping for more plot. The characters felt like they could have been more developed, but Waugh’s book might’ve then become twice or thrice as long as it is presently. 

Descriptions of setting, some depth of characterisation, and not the strongest plot. 

Waugh’s mastery of the pen is mostly the one thing that saves the book.

qwelling4's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This was like a melancholy dream. 

em_em_emily's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny sad medium-paced

4.5

ilonahauhau's review against another edition

reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

kemmer's review against another edition

5.0

The only thing that's as good as listening to Jeremy Irons narrate this is to watch the BBC video starring Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Lawrence Olivier, Claire Bloom, John Gielgud, et al. If you're familiar with the video, you'll particularly appreciate Irons's perfect-pitch mimicry of the entire cast.

emma_lynn_95's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

sarcastic_fish's review against another edition

5.0

It starts like a warm glorious summer and then slowly becomes a cold quiet winter
I miss Sebastian
He deserved better

virginiabb's review against another edition

challenging mysterious reflective tense 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

3.5