The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

✨ my rating: 4 of 5 stars✨

Wharton’s style of writing reminded me subtly of Jane Austen’s, in that both convey subliminal messages about society through the narratives of fictional characters, plus both have amazing language and wit! I really love the relationships she draws out here, and the very measured and nuanced considerations of each person that just shows how fleshed out each character is. The ending was so poignant and sad, and it made me think of all the people we pass by each day, each with their own stories and secrets, and how fiction and reality is constantly blurred at the edges as we grapple with our own truths. It was definitely worth the read!

🌹date read: 14 jul 2019 🌹

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Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh

✨ my rating: 4 of 5 stars ✨

I’ll start by admitting that Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia” brought me here (yay for A-level texts!) – or more specifically, the hilarious character of Bernard, with his little pun on “Brideshead Regurgitated”. I’m glad I did, because it was a really enjoyable read! Also, just to get the embarrassing things out of the way – I thought Evelyn Waugh was a female writer for the longest time and was so impressed by “her” ability to imagine army life… and then I realised that Waugh is a dude. Anyway.

I loved Waugh’s writing style – it was very clear, light, airy and witty; a breeze to read through without excessive jargon. The novel narrates the story of a young Oxford student, Charles, who becomes friends with the eccentric and charming Sebastian, and slowly gets pulled into the orbit of his aristocratic relatives. Waugh creates several distinct and memorable characters, most notably Sebastian, who I adorebecause he’s so hilarious (he and his teddy bear). I like how each of the personas are quite multi-faceted, with good and bad traits all on display, making them quite endearing in a sense.

The plot in the first half of the book was exceptionally engaging, with an enchanting dynamic between Charles and Sebastian. But then we come to the later half of the book, and while Waugh’s prose was still lucid enough to keep me reading, I found it increasingly draggy as Charles lamented and pined, while Sebastian – the one saving grace who would have made the plot much more interesting – faded from the narrative. Yet I guess it’s testimony to Waugh’s ability to create empathetic characters that I felt so sad and concerned about Sebastian’s distant plight! Waugh also juggled many different themes, but never quite fleshes out any significant insights, or at least he leaves it quite ambiguous. I found his views regarding religion and love to be slightly trite, though he does raise some good questions. Also, Charles becomes increasingly intolerable. Just. Stop. Him.

Overall, it was enjoyable and very funny; I just feel that it had more potential in the starting bit versus the more insipid later half.

🌹 date finished: 4 jan 2019 🌹

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