Simply beautiful. A great part of this book's magic stems from Renault's mastery of dialogue. Her characters' speech is lively, rich in undertones, and couched in the context of their relationships and historical space. A great deal is left unsaid, giving one the sense that each presented dialogue just skims the surface of the speakers' inner lives. The more introspective passages of the novel are stylistically distinct but just as well-crafted, replete with striking metaphors and beautiful lines. Psychoanalytic and Classicist influences are strong. It's not an easy book to read, but it is a reflective one--the reader is rewarded for rereading a sentence or section two or three times with a glimpse of understanding into a complex emotional landscape, and maybe something larger. It's not just a book about one man's experience with love, but about the nature of love itself--not a topic that ought to be approached in simple terms, especially at a time when gay love is not even supposed to be a topic of conversation at all. ( )

I have no idea what happened in the last paragraph, which is to say how it ends. Renault skillfully evokes Ralph's louche social set; Andrew seemed less convincing, and again, with that part of the story, I'm not entirely sure what was supposed to have happened, especially during Laurie's final interview with David. ( )

Mary Renault is best known for her fictional evocations of the culture of ancient Greece in books like The Bull from the Sea and The Persian Boy. However in this beautiful novel she creates a romance with a gay theme set in the early 1940s. Nevertheless she demonstrates the same skills as an author that shines in her other novels. Her positive portrayal of homosexual love is at once admirable and inspiring. ( )

Read, favourite. ( )

First and foremost, I think this book is so important. I can't believe that I didn't know of its existence until I was in my twenties; especially since I've been out since I was 13. I think it's a must-read for queer folks of all sorts, especially gay men, as it explains a lot about issues of substance abuse and promiscuity in the queer community. I also think it's a must-read for anyone interested in WWII, as it provides some very interesting dynamic insights, particularly with regard to its portrayals of homosexuality in the armed forces.

Now, as for the book itself:

The writing is phenomenal, and the prose is beautiful. I really enjoyed sinking my teeth into the writing in a way that I usually don't in realistic/historical fiction (i.e. I prefer reading for plot in these genres). My only complaint is that sometimes it's so dense you actually lose the plot a little bit, or miss important events that are only alluded to in the actual prose.

The characters are (for the most part), fantastic. I love Laurie, and even though I frequently disagreed with his decisions, I sympathise with his struggles and experiences greatly, and I think he's an incredibly well-written and human character. Also, Andrew is everything good in the world bundled up as a character and I love him so much. Even the minor character of Alec is well-characterised, and I really enjoyed his final scene with Laurie in the hospital, as is Bunny. The only character I well and truly despise is Ralph. As I said in one of my updates, Ralph can go get fucked. He basically manipulates and pressures Laurie throughout the entirety of the book, and he represents every gay man I've ever loathed, who has pressured younger gays into sex or alcohol or drugs or some combination thereof. Gurl bye.

Finally, the plot: I really did enjoy the plot, though I think it's fair to say it's a slow-paced book, but the buildup of Laurie and Andrew's relationship in particular is well-paced and delivered well. My only complaint about the plot is that they didn't end up together!! Ralph is trash, Laurie! Pick Andrew!

All in all, though, a really great book which, if a bit dense at times, is so important for any variety of reasons, and I would highly recommend. I would even go so far as to say it's something which should be taught in schools.

P.S. Not one, but two dogs' deaths are mentioned in the second half of the books, and one of the scenes is really emotional. Please beware if you've not read it, and if you have, please contact me so we can form a support group because I am not over Gyp. ( )