45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn WaughWhen I first started Brideshead Revisited I was not that sure I would enjoy it, and thought it would be a chore. It is quite slow to start, but I soon found myself engrossed in the life of the main character Charles Ryer, and his involvement with the Flyte family.
Brideshead Revisited is told in the first person by Charles Ryder. In the prologue he is in the British Army at the beginning of World War II moving to a new camp, which he finds is the estate called Brideshead. Yes, he has been here before. The remainder of the novel is the telling of the circumstances of his prior knowledge of this beautiful estate.
The story follows the relationship between Charles and Sebastian Flyte, who he meets at University. Charles quickly becomes involved with the Flyte family, something that sticks long after Sebastian is no longer around. It seems like the Flyte family, and their house Brideshead, is an addiction for Charles. No matter how often he leaves the house he keeps coming back, or meets one or other of the family on his travels. He can’t even escape when he goes abroad, bumping into Sebastian (who is now heavily dependant on alcohol) or his elder sister Julia.
I think the reason for his infatuation is the family seem glamorous to him, compared to his quiet, and dull homelife with his recluse of a father. Charles is an artist (something that later in the book he travels abroad to study) and he sees beauty in Brideshead and the family, especially Julia, and he greatly admires Sebastian’s mother Lady Marchmain.
My only criticism of the book is that you are left wondering what happened to the family. With the exception of Sebastian’s parents you don’t know how their life panned out, and what has happened to them. I especially wanted to know the fate of Sebastian, who I had come to really like. Other than that a good read, and a book I would recommend. Stick with it and get through the slow beginning, and you will enjoy it.
Rating - 7/10
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