A review by stephen_coulon
The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

A social-study sort of novel that explores a posh group of trans-Atlantic richies whose lives take remarkably different paths. Though the cast starts out in life in the same privileged milieu, their progressing character studies are diverse: there’s an early hippie who looks for enlightenment in the East, a calculating socialite who uses marriage as a safety net, and literature’s biggest snob perhaps, who embodies impossible but inspirational Wildean standards. Maugham’s characterizations are classical and complex, reflecting realities that elicit genuine empathy. His style is akin to having an honest conversation with a friendly aristocrat with his casually elevated diction. His greatest strength though is his tone, his pragmatic English honesty, with its ability to admire another’s virtues and ideals without feeling guilt for rejecting them. This openness to explore the variety of human experiences without passing judgment makes this a lovely book for socially curious souls.