A review by mlazaric
The Charioteer by Mary Renault

5.0

The Charioteer is one of the more optimistic gay classics I have read so far, for example, compared to Giovanni's Room I found it shed a more sympathetic light on the spectrum of gay characters and had a more optimistic outlook. Despite the plot taking place in the UK during the World War II, the characters were remarkably modern, realistic and sympathetic. The war itself was not the central topic of the book, it focused more on the interpersonal relationships between the characters and the effects of the war and the closet on their psyches and personalities, which made it timeless. The book contained quite a few gay characters, some of which were sympathetic, while others were antipathetic, however most of them were relatable in one way or another.

My only quibble about the book was the use of British colloquial style which by itself was not something I dislike, however combined with a lot of British and war phrases and words of that period, it made me feel like I did not fully grasp all the nuances and the subtext of certain sentences. Reading the book on a kindle was useful, since I could highlight certain words or acronyms and get their definitions, although that does not really help with whole sentences. Overall, I would definitely recommend it and I plan on rereading it sometimes. I think it is helpful for putting things into perspective and adding a bit of optimism to today's cynicism.