Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Retour à Brideshead by Evelyn Waugh

8 reviews

slahlum's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Terminal illness, War, Vomit, Alcoholism, Classism, Miscarriage, Death, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt

caitlancole's review against another edition

challenging reflective sad 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Homophobia, Alcoholism, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Racism

kit_carmichael's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny informative 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Misogyny, Classism, Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Grief, Mental illness, Racial slurs, and War

eli_jw's review against another edition

reflective sad 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

2.5

I can see why this book is held as a classic, but for me it had just about everything I hate in a novel. I finished it but I greatly considered not doing so.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Infidelity, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Terminal illness, War, Racial slurs, and Homophobia

jwells's review against another edition

emotional reflective

This was a thought-provoking book for me. On one hand, I could hardly put it down - I think it's great. On the other hand, I want to violently reject everything resembling a message or theme I can detect in it. 

The romantic nostalgia over the aristocracy would be tolerable (it's not like Waugh is the only one) if not paired with open scorn for people less privileged. Oh, does Hooper have unflattering glasses? Dentures, and an inadequate handshake? Clearly that's enough excuse to justify an entire exploitative class system. I mean, we wouldn't want things to be, god forbid, inelegant. 

Is this supposed to be a pro-religion book, I wonder? I suspect we're meant to think that Julia makes the right choice at the end, for example. And be happy that at least the flame is burning in the chapel again?

It's pretty difficult, when we've already seen Christianity make her brother's life miserable. Presumably it's the reason Sebastian can't stand his family.

Because he has to stay closeted.  Otherwise there's a fine out and proud role model in Anthony...  not that he's not persecuted, but he's also not drinking himself to death.

Apparently there are critics who favor a platonic interpretation of BR. Having not read them, I hope they just mean that they think Charles is straight. Not that Sebastian is. 

Anyway, can't blame religion for everything; Charles manages to screw up his life without its help, with a choice of life partner as lukewarm as his drink order (whiskey with tepid water).

Celia is like a warm up spouse, marrying the sister of the friend he didn't care about (Boy), instead of the sister of the friend he maybe cared about too much. It's almost like even marrying Julia sounded too dangerous or too close to real passion.

I sound rather cranky in this review, but I also read BR twice in January, though I'm not a big re-reader as a rule. I don't know how, but Waugh gets me invested in these people, even when they are annoying, and even when I dislike what he's using them to convey. 

Still, I can hardly stop turning pages. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism

Moderate: Terminal illness, Homophobia, Death of parent, and Infidelity

rpg_gf's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Miscarriage, Racism, and Terminal illness

Minor: War

the_endless_void's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism and Death of parent

Minor: Miscarriage, Terminal illness, and Racial slurs

cheekybritlit's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

2.75

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Alcoholism, Child death, Death of parent, Infertility, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, and Terminal illness