You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
**Huge spoiler alert**
I confess, I skipped to the end. This was after reaching the point when Ryder is completely ambivalent about his own children (albeit by a woman he hardly seems to care for, but still) and it becomes clear that he's going to pursue Julia. I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading for 2 or 3 weeks. I started (and in a few cases, finished) a few other books and tried to bring my mind around to giving Ryder another try. Finally I just decided to see what happened in the last 10-20 pages or so, with the idea that if some great truth were revealed, I would backtrack and follow the progression. Ryder and Julia had an affair and both got divorces from their seemingly tepid spouses. Not much more talk about Sebastian, which did make me wonder a little. Then Julia dumped Ryder because her religion will always be between them. Thus he's left to live his life alone and join the military. Assuming Sebastian hadn't yet died of liver failure, jealous lovers or some sort of accident involving a car and his bear, perhaps Ryder should have just gone back to him and had the relationship that I thought was pretty much guaranteed when I read the first couple of chapters.
I confess, I skipped to the end. This was after reaching the point when Ryder is completely ambivalent about his own children (albeit by a woman he hardly seems to care for, but still) and it becomes clear that he's going to pursue Julia. I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading for 2 or 3 weeks. I started (and in a few cases, finished) a few other books and tried to bring my mind around to giving Ryder another try. Finally I just decided to see what happened in the last 10-20 pages or so, with the idea that if some great truth were revealed, I would backtrack and follow the progression. Ryder and Julia had an affair and both got divorces from their seemingly tepid spouses. Not much more talk about Sebastian, which did make me wonder a little. Then Julia dumped Ryder because her religion will always be between them. Thus he's left to live his life alone and join the military. Assuming Sebastian hadn't yet died of liver failure, jealous lovers or some sort of accident involving a car and his bear, perhaps Ryder should have just gone back to him and had the relationship that I thought was pretty much guaranteed when I read the first couple of chapters.
“I could tell him, too, that to know and love one other human being is the root of all wisdom.”
slow-paced
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
2nd read 2017 - much better understanding through reading with Close Reads podcast.
2015 - Engrossing - though dark - story, and wonderful writing.
2015 - Engrossing - though dark - story, and wonderful writing.
sigh...I...I just...
On an aesthetic level, its a beautiful novel. But Waugh really tries to sell the reader on Catholicism and aristocracy by showing that yes, everyone is miserable in both, but its all just so ~beautiful~ and you get to ~suffer~ which is apparently the only recourse that Waugh could imagine for the human condition.
On an aesthetic level, its a beautiful novel. But Waugh really tries to sell the reader on Catholicism and aristocracy by showing that yes, everyone is miserable in both, but its all just so ~beautiful~ and you get to ~suffer~ which is apparently the only recourse that Waugh could imagine for the human condition.
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes