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A review by olga0603
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
4.0
In this book, Charles Ryder, a middle-aged military man tells his story with the Flytes, first with Sebastian, then with his family and later Sebastian's sister Julia.
First of all this book is delightful, it offers a lot to it's reader. The attention to detail is mesmerizing. You get a little bit of everything, the satire is ever present, the criticism about the English society, with all the social climbers (Ryder being included), the old families and their habits is funny at times, sad at others and ever so accurate.
When Charles and Sebastian meet, after Sebastian threw up on Charles' room, they become inseparable and it's Sebastian's desire to keep his best friend separate from his family for he knows that once they meet, Charles will be deeply involved with them. First of all it is quite clear the pair is in love, there is no great effort to hide it throughout the book, which is remarkable considering when this piece was written. Later on Charles even falls in love with Julia Flyte, Sebastian's sister, and mentions several times how much she looks like her brother.
Later, when Sebastian and Charles grow apart, because of Sebastian's drinking problems, Charles continues to almost be a part of the family, this interaction is very interesting, since Charles is agnostic and the Flyte family, especially Brideshead, Lady Marchmain and Cornelia, are deeply catholic. This, ironically is one of the motives that bring Charles and Sebastian Flyte together for Sebastian tries to get away from the ways of his family as much as possible, but it is also the motive behind Julia's breakup with Ryder. The religious discussion between Charles and the Flyte family is delightful to watch, these discussion happen throughout the course of the book, coming to it's conclusion when they discuss if Julia's father should see a priest and receive his last sacraments before he dies (he has been agnostic all his life), culminating in Julia's conclusion that she can't stay with Charles because of the religious aspect.
Overall a very interesting book that makes you keep reading because you want to know more and more about it's characters because they are so well developed and so interesting and, some of them, are so lovable. The social critique and description is near perfect as well as the religious content.
First of all this book is delightful, it offers a lot to it's reader. The attention to detail is mesmerizing. You get a little bit of everything, the satire is ever present, the criticism about the English society, with all the social climbers (Ryder being included), the old families and their habits is funny at times, sad at others and ever so accurate.
When Charles and Sebastian meet, after Sebastian threw up on Charles' room, they become inseparable and it's Sebastian's desire to keep his best friend separate from his family for he knows that once they meet, Charles will be deeply involved with them. First of all it is quite clear the pair is in love, there is no great effort to hide it throughout the book, which is remarkable considering when this piece was written. Later on Charles even falls in love with Julia Flyte, Sebastian's sister, and mentions several times how much she looks like her brother.
Later, when Sebastian and Charles grow apart, because of Sebastian's drinking problems, Charles continues to almost be a part of the family, this interaction is very interesting, since Charles is agnostic and the Flyte family, especially Brideshead, Lady Marchmain and Cornelia, are deeply catholic. This, ironically is one of the motives that bring Charles and Sebastian Flyte together for Sebastian tries to get away from the ways of his family as much as possible, but it is also the motive behind Julia's breakup with Ryder. The religious discussion between Charles and the Flyte family is delightful to watch, these discussion happen throughout the course of the book, coming to it's conclusion when they discuss if Julia's father should see a priest and receive his last sacraments before he dies (he has been agnostic all his life), culminating in Julia's conclusion that she can't stay with Charles because of the religious aspect.
Overall a very interesting book that makes you keep reading because you want to know more and more about it's characters because they are so well developed and so interesting and, some of them, are so lovable. The social critique and description is near perfect as well as the religious content.