A review by drlove2018
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh

3.0

I definitely enjoyed this book, even though it wasn't quite the light-hearted romp (through WWII, ahem) that I had been expecting from the blurbs on the jacket. It did, however, amply meet my need for something less dense and academic than the three books I've had going for several months now. I was able to actually finish it in relatively short order, which felt good to do since I hadn't read a book straight through cover to cover in far too long. It is rather classic Waugh (I say this based on all 2 of his novels that I've read) - sharp, dry British wit and social satire. Just the kind of humor I love, but if you're looking for a laugh-riot or a beach read in the traditional sense of the term, this ain't it. Personally, this IS what I would call a beach read and it hit all the right notes with me. Dry wit about human folly perpetrated in the unexpectedly fascinating collision of extraordinary circumstances with ordinary people, the entirety of this book defies the notion that ordinary and uninteresting are always synonymous. I plan to read the other two books that, along with this one, make up the "Sword of Honour" trilogy. I might even try to do it before the summer is over :o