Reviews

Decline and Fall by Evelyn Waugh

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paola_mobileread's review against another edition

5.0

According to the introduction to the Penguin edition, referring to his own work Waugh said

‘I regard writing not as investigation of character but as an exercise in the use of language, and with this I am obsessed. I have no technical psychological interest. It is drama, speech and events that interest me.’

Yet he is very precise in his depiction of English class conscious society. Witty, funny, and piercingly critical, it portrays in Paul Pennyfeather the stereotypical, quintessential English gentleman who sails effortless through life's up and downs (in this respect, the passing of Lord Tangent with no consequences for those involved is also a gem).

The "cover story" is itself hilarious, with Paul's almost perfect composure providing a comedic counterpoint to the innumerable catastrophes befalling him and those around him.
I can imagine how contemporaries must have loved and laughed at the myriad of clever references to the contemporary political and cultural elites. At the same time, society is severely reprimanded: from the justice system, to the press, to conventions and privilege, which I read all as different manifestations of the same "ill", the English class system.

There are further reflections of what it all means - there are several references to suicide here and there, but also to some form of renewal, as in the many lives of Grimes, Philbrick and Fagan, not to mention Paul himself and Margot. And then there is Otto Silenus' simile between a Paris Luna Park ride and people notion of life

‘People don’t see that when they say “life” they mean two different things. They can mean simply existence, with its physiological implications of growth and organic change. They can’t escape that – even by death, but because that’s inevitable they think the other idea of life is too – the scrambling and excitement and bumps and the effort to get to the middle. And when we do get to the middle, it’s just as if we never started. It’s so odd.

And is it different lives, or different identities? Paul's return to Scone as an unrecognised, new Mr Pennyfeather and his last conversation with Peter seem to come down for the latter.

The writing is also beautiful throughout, carrying the reader effortlessly along, though at points Waugh seems to want to remind somewhat more explicitly how good he is at this

Surely he had followed in the Bacchic train of distant Arcady, and played on the reeds of myth by forgotten streams, and taught the childish satyrs the art of love? Had he not suffered unscathed the fearful dooms of all the offended gods of all the histories – fire, brimstone and yawning earthquakes, plague and pestilence? Had he not stood, like the Pompeian sentry, while the Citadels of the Plain fell to ruin about his ears? Had he not, like some grease-caked Channel-swimmer, breasted the waves of the Deluge? Had he not moved unseen when darkness covered the waters?

EDIT: if you are young, or non-British, or both, I recommend an annotated edition (I had the Penguin one, which I am happy to recommend) that can explain the many implicit references to people, places, politics, etc.

jonathanrobert's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

2.5

kivt's review against another edition

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4.0

Recently reread. As good as I remembered. I like this much more than Brideshead Revisited--same sense of despair and decay, less sketchy Catholicism, more humor.

smf24601's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No

4.0

mirandaaaa's review

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funny lighthearted relaxing medium-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

Ahh the luxuries of reading in bed. You don’t realise how nice it is until you’ve done it again and you realised you missed it.

“I have been in the scholastic profession long enough to know that nobody enters it unless he has some very good reason which he is anxious to conceal”

This book was a fun and easy romp through the English “polite” society and their wild habits. The segues into school/prison was pretty wild but adds to the vibe of an easy read. You certainly don’t have to think too arduously whilst reading, which was nice. I defo now want to read Brideshead revisited even more now though.

“I don’t believe people would ever fall in love or get married if they weren’t told about it”