The Loved One by Evelyn Waugh Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Loved One
Book Review: A dead-on (no pun intended) satire
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the great modern satires. Waugh accurately skewers both the film and the funeral industries. I've worked in both; Waugh captures the self-serving artiface of both.His style is sparkling. I've read this novel several times and still laugh out loud reading it.Book Review: A good book full of irony, romance, and dead people.
Summary: 5 Stars
Evelyn Waugh is undoubtedly very creative in expressing and revealing the irony of "The Loved One." The novel is easily read but partially difficult to understand. At some parts, especially during dialogue, the reader may be lost at who is speaking due the lack of some words like "said." Not that I feel that Waugh is reluctant to use them but I can understand that a repetition of many "said" words can bland the communication between characters. Also, Waugh's plot was a bit confusing for me. It was sometimes difficult to feel the realism of the book when I couldn't interpret the time frame, (i.e. Sir Francis' past life, Sir Francis when he's alive, the present with Mr. Barlow, Mr. Barlow's past, Miss Thanageo's past.) Other than that the plot went along smoothly. The novel's characters are a work of art. I thought I knew Mr. Barlow as a sensitive writer, but he had no clue how to deal with love. Miss Thanageos can only be pitied. She ha! d a good life, but didn't listen to her heart, but to Guru Brahmin. The setting of the novel somewhat disappointing. I think of Hollywood as a lively place, far from the gloomy cemetery; not a place where lots of people die, and where unexpected things happen. I was surprised by the mortician's attitude. Unlike a classical, long-faced, spooky undertaker, Waugh came up with a cheerful mortician (yet Miss Thanageos still kept a cold emotion within when dealing in business.) In this book, you can't expect a happy ending. The last chapter has much to reveal. It uncovers the coldness of Mr. Barlow, the insanity of Miss Thanageos' life problems, and the desperate groveling of Mr. Joyboy, (ends up that he isn't joyful anymore...) For those who haven't read this book, I must say, read carefully; expect irony and the unexpected, and don't take the death of book characters seriously; (in the book, it happens too often.)Book Review: A good book full of irony, romance, and dead people.
Summary: 3 Stars
Evelyn Waugh is undoubtedly very creative in expressing and revealing the irony of "The Loved One." The novel is easily read but partially difficult to understand. At some parts, especially during dialogue, the reader may be lost at who is speaking due the lack of some words like "said." Not that I feel that Waugh is reluctant to use them but I can understand that a repetition of many "said" words can bland the communication between characters. Also, Waugh's plot was a bit confusing for me. It was sometimes difficult to feel the realism of the book when I couldn't interpret the time frame, (i.e. Sir Francis' past life, Sir Francis when he's alive, the present with Mr. Barlow, Mr. Barlow's past, Miss Thanageo's past.) Other than that the plot went along smoothly. The novel's characters are a work of art. I thought I knew Mr. Barlow as a sensitive writer, but he had no clue how to deal with love. Miss Thanageos can only be pitied. She ha! d a good life, but didn't listen to her heart, but to Guru Brahmin. The setting of the novel somewhat disappointing. I think of Hollywood as a lively place, far from the gloomy cemetery; not a place where lots of people die, and where unexpected things happen. I was surprised by the mortician's attitude. Unlike a classical, long-faced, spooky undertaker, Waugh came up with a cheerful mortician (yet Miss Thanageos still kept a cold emotion within when dealing in business.) In this book, you can't expect a happy ending. The last chapter has much to reveal. It uncovers the coldness of Mr. Barlow, the insanity of Miss Thanageos' life problems, and the desperate groveling of Mr. Joyboy, (ends up that he isn't joyful anymore...) For those who haven't read this book, I must say, read carefully; expect irony and the unexpected, and don't take the death of book characters seriously; (in the book, it happens too often.)Book Review: A good criticism of America's Hollywood
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is not a monumental work, nor is it extremely profound, the main character however is a man that the reader cannot fully understand. Once I finished this book I was considerably more puzzled about Dennis' character than I was at the beginning. It is unpredictable from the start and a difficult book to put down. The ridiculous characters created by Waugh are what he might consider "typical Americans", unrefined, overly-dramatic, and confused. A note at the beginning of the book suggests that Waugh wrote the book after a visit to Hollywood in the middle of the 20th century and it is somewhat apparent as you read "The Loved One" that he has a disregard for American "values" or "character" and as an American reader you can see for yourself what absurdities reside in our way of life, both then and now. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in good, humorous literature, maybe not to a casual reader, however.Book Review: A great book about two men who love one woman
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an excellent novel about two men loving one woman. The two men are named Mr. Joyboy and Mr. Barlow and the woman they love is named Miss. Thanotogenos. This novel is suspensful because the reader does not know if Miss. Thanatogenos is going to pick Mr. Joyboy or Mr. Barlow to be her boyfriend. This is also a great novel because there are many surprises that await the reader throughout the whole story. Another thing i liked about the novel is how Mr. Joyboy and Mr. Barlow try to win Miss. Thanotogenos. The only thing that i think was missing from the novel is a little more conflict between Mr. Barlow and Mr. Joyboy. Other than that everything else in the novel was great.