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A review by hux
In Youth is Pleasure by Denton Welch
3.0
I've been putting off reading Welch for a while because, due to various opinions I respect, my expectations have been raised to quite a significant level (the English Proust, you say?). This seems like a good place to start and while I enjoyed the book and was impressed by the writing, it never really became anything more than a charming tale of adolescence.
The story revolves around Orvil Pym, a fifteen year old boy who, for a few days in the summer holidays, leaves his boarding school to spend time in a hotel in Surrey with his father and two brothers (plus an additional trip down to Hastings). He never really feels connected to his brothers (especially the eldest, Charles) and finds himself wandering alone by the river or investigating abandoned buildings. He has various flights of fancy and creates a myriad of imagined scenarios (often self-indulgent and self-pitying) but ultimately feels dread at the idea of having to go back to school. Meanwhile the plot (such as it is) has a curious exploration of proto-sexual feelings, most of which are directed at the newlywed Aphra but which also seem to be aimed (subtly) in the opposite direction until a genuine sense of homoerotic tension is cultivated. It's very respectfully done and always maintains an ambiguous nature.
All in all, the book is very light and bounces along without ever offering anything too challenging. There are moments where you can really see why people have such a high opinion of Welch, where his prose becomes utterly drenched in metaphor and simile, with rich, inventive descriptions and clever analogies. It makes for a highly nourishing experience but, for me, it never quite hit the heights I was hoping for.
But I could see what people are talking about. The book is very charming and I look forward to reading more of his work. It's closer to a 3.9.
The story revolves around Orvil Pym, a fifteen year old boy who, for a few days in the summer holidays, leaves his boarding school to spend time in a hotel in Surrey with his father and two brothers (plus an additional trip down to Hastings). He never really feels connected to his brothers (especially the eldest, Charles) and finds himself wandering alone by the river or investigating abandoned buildings. He has various flights of fancy and creates a myriad of imagined scenarios (often self-indulgent and self-pitying) but ultimately feels dread at the idea of having to go back to school. Meanwhile the plot (such as it is) has a curious exploration of proto-sexual feelings, most of which are directed at the newlywed Aphra but which also seem to be aimed (subtly) in the opposite direction until a genuine sense of homoerotic tension is cultivated. It's very respectfully done and always maintains an ambiguous nature.
All in all, the book is very light and bounces along without ever offering anything too challenging. There are moments where you can really see why people have such a high opinion of Welch, where his prose becomes utterly drenched in metaphor and simile, with rich, inventive descriptions and clever analogies. It makes for a highly nourishing experience but, for me, it never quite hit the heights I was hoping for.
But I could see what people are talking about. The book is very charming and I look forward to reading more of his work. It's closer to a 3.9.