Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Pantheon / Random House reissue (1973), Hardcover, 347 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML:A WWII soldier embarks on affairs with two very different men in a landmark novel that "transcends categorizations" (The Telegraph). After being wounded at Dunkirk in World War II, Laurie Odell is sent back home to a rural British hospital. Standing out among the orderlies is Andrew, a bright conscientious objector raised as a Quaker. The unspoken romance between the two men is tested when Ralph, a friend of Laurie's from school, re-enters his life, introducing him into a milieu of jaded, experienced gay men. Will Laurie reconcile himself to Ralph's embrace, or can he offer Andrew the idealized, Platonic intimacy he yearns for? This novel has been called one of the foundation stones of gay literary fiction, ranking alongside James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room and Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar. Celebrated for its literary brilliance and sincere depiction of complex human emotions, The Charioteer is a stirring and beautifully rendered portrayal of love. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Mary Renault including rare images of the author.… (more)
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User reviews
LibraryThing member presto
After following Laurie Odell at various stages through his youth, including a significant meeting with Ralph Lanyon, at nineteen some three years his senior, his Head of House at school whom Laurie idolised, we very soon pick up the story when Laurie is wounded at Dunkirk.
Now hospitalised and now
Laurie finds himself torn between his love and feelings of responsibility for Andrew, and the more seductive attractions that Ralph, who clearly loves and cares deeply for Spud, can offer.
The Charioteer it a beautiful and very tender love story. Very well written, although perhaps now showing its age a little it being first published in 1959, the eloquent prose occasionally hinders ones understanding, and it is at times subtle to the point of obscurity; in more than one instance I was left unsure about events even after several readings of a passage. However it is nonetheless most touching and moving; the three significant characters, Spud, Ralph and Andrew, each very different but each very appealing, and with many more diverse characters, some good hearted but with a few with more sinister intent, combined with an involving plot set against the background of the WWII, this is a most satisfying and memorable read.
[I read this in the 2003 Vintage Books edition - the poor quality of production leaving a lot to be desired.]
Now hospitalised and now
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facing the future as a cripple he befriends the soldier in the next bed, but it is the arrival of young Andrew, a new hospital orderly and a conscientious objector who moves his heart. The two men form a close and loving but chaste friendship, Laurie (know as much by his nickname Spud) wanting intimacy but content to accept that Andrew's beliefs will not allow it. All is well until by chance Spud meets up again with Ralph who introduces him to a new private world of exclusively queer men.Laurie finds himself torn between his love and feelings of responsibility for Andrew, and the more seductive attractions that Ralph, who clearly loves and cares deeply for Spud, can offer.
The Charioteer it a beautiful and very tender love story. Very well written, although perhaps now showing its age a little it being first published in 1959, the eloquent prose occasionally hinders ones understanding, and it is at times subtle to the point of obscurity; in more than one instance I was left unsure about events even after several readings of a passage. However it is nonetheless most touching and moving; the three significant characters, Spud, Ralph and Andrew, each very different but each very appealing, and with many more diverse characters, some good hearted but with a few with more sinister intent, combined with an involving plot set against the background of the WWII, this is a most satisfying and memorable read.
[I read this in the 2003 Vintage Books edition - the poor quality of production leaving a lot to be desired.]
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LibraryThing member Rubygarnet
Mary Renault cured me of the homophobia my upbringing had instilled in me. Which doesn't tell you much about this most excellent book, I admit, but which is my deepest emotional response to it, gratitude and praise for how it cured me of ugly bigotry with its multifaceted beauty.
LibraryThing member lycomayflower
A novel written in the 50s and set in the early years of World War II, The Charioteer focuses on Laurie Odell, a wounded survivor of Dunkirk who finds himself falling in love with both a young conscientious objector who works on Laurie's hospital ward and an old school acquaintance now in the navy.
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The novel is nicely thinky and displays a good deal of fascinating interiority for Laurie as he wrestles with his feelings for these men. An enjoyable story, well written (though it did drag a bit in parts), and an important one, too. My chief complaint (the thing that holds me back from declaring this a five-star, all-time favorite) was that characters seemed very often to realize things or intuit meanings into interactions, events, or facial expressions and those meanings were never made clear to the reader. A certain amount of subtlety is generally welcome in a literary novel, but this tendency rose to an irritating level and seemed almost coy at times. I wondered if perhaps Renault was attempting to capture the reality of living as a homosexual in a time and a society when one must always take care over what one says and how one behaves and must carefully infer to whom it is safe to reveal ones true self. I never could decide one way or the other if I thought that was Renault's goal, and either way, I think it detracts a bit from the novel as a reading experience. (Though the notion of trying to infuse the novel with this sense of secrecy and illicit subculture is compelling.) Despite this flaw, highly recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bran_Pap
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member kougogo
The Charioteer I think belongs to a different generation of gay writing. Laurie's pre-occupations and anxieties, while still emotions gay men (and women) cope with, have a kind of distance to them. I think this, paradoxically, makes the novel more prescient. The consequences of Laurie's indecision
In this moral universe, love is a compromise. An allowance made. A step taken reluctantly. Love is not romantic. If this sounds depressing, it is because it's true.
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can be predicted, but this doesn't make it less moving. Or less frustrating and tragic when they come to fruition. In this moral universe, love is a compromise. An allowance made. A step taken reluctantly. Love is not romantic. If this sounds depressing, it is because it's true.
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LibraryThing member AB_Gayle
This book is often mentioned as a seminal work for many gay people. Set in a time when being gay was definitely something to be hidden, so much of the story is in what is not said as subtlety and misdirection have become a way of life for these men.
It's a great story and well told. Very different
It's a great story and well told. Very different
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from today's m/m fiction where everything is in the open. All the sex scenes are left to reader's imagination. It doesn't make the story any less gripping. Show Less
LibraryThing member narwhaltortellini
I hate commenting on books smarter than I am.
Everyone seems to read The Persian Boy first, but this is actually my first Mary Renault book. Her reputation is certainly well earned. The prose has a sort of heavily thoughtful style, a lot more narration of ideas and memories turning around inside the
I'm not feeling much sport in saying what makes this book good, but I would like to say... This is a story about love, and knowing yourself. It's not really a romance, if it's possible you thought that. It's main characters are complex, subtle people, and the book does justice to the fact that there's an awful lot more to love than infatuation and sexual attraction. Some of the things in it are sweet and touching, but mostly this is an exploration of love and identity. Consequently, it wasn't always all that gripping from scene to scene. It could certainly be intense. When I was actually reading I as quite interested. But it wasn't really a hugely entertaining read, and it didn't leave me with any yummy warm satisfied feelings inside, or anything like that. (...I wish I could read an actual romance that was this emotionally realistic. Keheh, in the end, I'm still just a yaoi fangirl at heart.) The writing is wonderful, and you'd have to use some seriously pointed sticks to keep me from reading another Mary Renault book in the future. I suppose this just isn't the kind of thing that sweeps me away, personally.
Everyone seems to read The Persian Boy first, but this is actually my first Mary Renault book. Her reputation is certainly well earned. The prose has a sort of heavily thoughtful style, a lot more narration of ideas and memories turning around inside the
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character's head than I'm used to with most books. But the writing is not boring or detached, instead full of intense feelings, intelligence, and perceptiveness. I felt almost rude waltzing so easily into thoughts so personal sometimes the character doesn't even entirely understand their meaning.I'm not feeling much sport in saying what makes this book good, but I would like to say... This is a story about love, and knowing yourself. It's not really a romance, if it's possible you thought that. It's main characters are complex, subtle people, and the book does justice to the fact that there's an awful lot more to love than infatuation and sexual attraction. Some of the things in it are sweet and touching, but mostly this is an exploration of love and identity. Consequently, it wasn't always all that gripping from scene to scene. It could certainly be intense. When I was actually reading I as quite interested. But it wasn't really a hugely entertaining read, and it didn't leave me with any yummy warm satisfied feelings inside, or anything like that. (...I wish I could read an actual romance that was this emotionally realistic. Keheh, in the end, I'm still just a yaoi fangirl at heart.) The writing is wonderful, and you'd have to use some seriously pointed sticks to keep me from reading another Mary Renault book in the future. I suppose this just isn't the kind of thing that sweeps me away, personally.
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LibraryThing member xiaomarlo
Wow! This book blew me away. Renault is a brilliant writer, in descriptions and turns of phrase, in depth of characters, in the complexity of emotions, and in the gay experience. I love reading about gay history, but I would have loved this novel even if that wasn't the subject matter, because it
Time to lend this book to everyone I know!
(I also realized while reading this that romances are all about the suspense. I tear my way through them, full of tension, the same way I would something like Gone Girl. And this one keeps the tension up SO MUCH.)
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had me riveted. I love that she leaves so much unsaid, for the reader to infer. It's much more naturalistic than most things I read. And there is a lot of symbolism beneath the surface, too. For example, Laurie's injury runs analogous to his queerness: he is constantly trying to hide it, to pass as 'normal', but he is forever marked by it, and unsure of his future as a result.Time to lend this book to everyone I know!
(I also realized while reading this that romances are all about the suspense. I tear my way through them, full of tension, the same way I would something like Gone Girl. And this one keeps the tension up SO MUCH.)
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LibraryThing member lilithcat
Laurie Odell, a young Englishman coming of age during WWII, is also coming to terms with his homosexuality. Wounded at Dunkirk, he is evacuated in a ship commanded by Ralph Lanyon, who was a prefect at his public school. There had been a mutual attraction then; Lanyon knew it for what it was,
In the meantime, he has met, and fallen in love with Andrew, a young Quaker, who is performing alternate service as a conscientious objector, at the hospital where he has had his surgery. This time, it is Laurie who understands the nature of his feelings, and Andrew who does not.
Worlds collide. This is an extraordinarily well-written, well-thought out novel. Renault is a scholar of classical Greek philosophy and history, and it is from Plato's "Phaedrus" that she takes her title and her theme, the conflict between flesh and spirit, desire and hope. A beautiful book.
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Laurie did not. Too delirious to recognize Ralph on ship, Laurie encounters him again when he is in hospital for therapy for his injury. In the meantime, he has met, and fallen in love with Andrew, a young Quaker, who is performing alternate service as a conscientious objector, at the hospital where he has had his surgery. This time, it is Laurie who understands the nature of his feelings, and Andrew who does not.
Worlds collide. This is an extraordinarily well-written, well-thought out novel. Renault is a scholar of classical Greek philosophy and history, and it is from Plato's "Phaedrus" that she takes her title and her theme, the conflict between flesh and spirit, desire and hope. A beautiful book.
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LibraryThing member ocgreg34
Laurie Odell convalesces in a Dunkirk hospital after survivor a terrible leg injury during WWII. While spending his days recuperating and chatting up war events and the families back home with the other injured soldiers in his ward, he meets Andrew Raynes, a young conscientious objector who works
But just as Laurie begins to find the intimations of a relationship forming, from out of his past steps Ralph Lanyon. They attended school together, but as Laurie soon finds out, it was Lanyon who pulled him to safety after his leg was injured during combat. Through Lanyon's friends, Laurie finds himself drawn into the gay life around Dunkirk, a somewhat darker and grittier version than what he's been imagining with Andrew, and soon Laurie finds himself faced with deciding between the two men.
Mary Renault's "The Charioteer" provides an interesting glimpse into gay life in England during WWII, and, for once, the noel doesn't end with one of the gay characters committing suicide or dying because of his gayness. All the characters are well-drawn and give voice to the differing aspects of gay life at the time: the quiet, confused man just learning about his sexuality; the jaded, bitter individuals who don't want anyone to be happy if they can't be, also; the regular guy, who no one would even know to be gay, but who lives his life like everyone else. I enjoyed the interactions of all the characters because they came across as normal, every day actions rather than "oh, look what the gay people are dong!"
The novel is a great read and doesn't make any apologies for its straightforward portrayal of the lives of gay men during WWII. Highly recommended.
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as an orderly at the hospital. They strike up a friendship, meeting sometimes late at night in the hospital kitchen to chitchat or spending an hour or two on walks in the surrounding countryside.But just as Laurie begins to find the intimations of a relationship forming, from out of his past steps Ralph Lanyon. They attended school together, but as Laurie soon finds out, it was Lanyon who pulled him to safety after his leg was injured during combat. Through Lanyon's friends, Laurie finds himself drawn into the gay life around Dunkirk, a somewhat darker and grittier version than what he's been imagining with Andrew, and soon Laurie finds himself faced with deciding between the two men.
Mary Renault's "The Charioteer" provides an interesting glimpse into gay life in England during WWII, and, for once, the noel doesn't end with one of the gay characters committing suicide or dying because of his gayness. All the characters are well-drawn and give voice to the differing aspects of gay life at the time: the quiet, confused man just learning about his sexuality; the jaded, bitter individuals who don't want anyone to be happy if they can't be, also; the regular guy, who no one would even know to be gay, but who lives his life like everyone else. I enjoyed the interactions of all the characters because they came across as normal, every day actions rather than "oh, look what the gay people are dong!"
The novel is a great read and doesn't make any apologies for its straightforward portrayal of the lives of gay men during WWII. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member markprobst
The Charioteer is the kind of storytelling that doesn’t exist any more in the modern literary world. There’s barely any plot, but instead an exploration of emotions, self-discovery, and desires. It’s written in the style of utmost literary propriety, rather than that of modern colloquialism,
For those of you unfamiliar with the story, it is set in England in 1940. Laurie is a 23-year-old soldier convalescing from a serious leg wound in a veteran’s hospital. He befriends a young conscientious objector/pacifist/Quaker, Andrew, working there as an orderly. Laurie understands the sexual undercurrent of their friendship, but Andrew does not. Then through a circumstance of fate, an old school chum, Ralph, enters the picture. He’s a naval captain who has just lost his command and is now part of a small clique of gay men, most for whom he feels contempt though he relies on their communal support. Ralph, who has developed a dependence on alcohol to counter the effects of the war, finds in Laurie a salvation, while Laurie finds his love divided between two men. One with whom that love can be fully realized, and the other which must be protected and kept chaste, lest it be destroyed.
What makes The Charioteer such a masterwork, is that Mary Renault found an ingenious way to infer a hidden meaning to so much of her text. As this was first published in 1953 when the literary world was not ready for full-on descriptions of homosexuality, I don’t know whether she actually wrote more, and was censored by her superiors, or if she instinctively knew just how much she could get away with without crossing the line. A discerning reader can pick up all the little cues and know exactly what is missing.
The wonderful depth is all due to the character development. Laurie and Ralph are real-life human beings. Andrew less so, but that is because he is relegated to the supporting cast. Every bit of dialog, every physical movement, every thought (and there are some lovely flourishes of humor in Laurie’s stray thoughts) plays to perfection without a single false note. The yearnings, fears, confusion and joys are absolutely genuine and I wouldn’t trade a second of it for a slam-bang action-oriented plot.
For anyone professing to be a student of seminal gay fiction, or historical gay fiction, The Charioteer is imperative reading.
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which makes for lovely prose but a much more difficult read. I often found myself re-reading sentences two or three times to fully grasp the meaning.For those of you unfamiliar with the story, it is set in England in 1940. Laurie is a 23-year-old soldier convalescing from a serious leg wound in a veteran’s hospital. He befriends a young conscientious objector/pacifist/Quaker, Andrew, working there as an orderly. Laurie understands the sexual undercurrent of their friendship, but Andrew does not. Then through a circumstance of fate, an old school chum, Ralph, enters the picture. He’s a naval captain who has just lost his command and is now part of a small clique of gay men, most for whom he feels contempt though he relies on their communal support. Ralph, who has developed a dependence on alcohol to counter the effects of the war, finds in Laurie a salvation, while Laurie finds his love divided between two men. One with whom that love can be fully realized, and the other which must be protected and kept chaste, lest it be destroyed.
What makes The Charioteer such a masterwork, is that Mary Renault found an ingenious way to infer a hidden meaning to so much of her text. As this was first published in 1953 when the literary world was not ready for full-on descriptions of homosexuality, I don’t know whether she actually wrote more, and was censored by her superiors, or if she instinctively knew just how much she could get away with without crossing the line. A discerning reader can pick up all the little cues and know exactly what is missing.
The wonderful depth is all due to the character development. Laurie and Ralph are real-life human beings. Andrew less so, but that is because he is relegated to the supporting cast. Every bit of dialog, every physical movement, every thought (and there are some lovely flourishes of humor in Laurie’s stray thoughts) plays to perfection without a single false note. The yearnings, fears, confusion and joys are absolutely genuine and I wouldn’t trade a second of it for a slam-bang action-oriented plot.
For anyone professing to be a student of seminal gay fiction, or historical gay fiction, The Charioteer is imperative reading.
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LibraryThing member alexdaw
This is one of those books that you finish reading and you're busting to talk to someone else who has read it. The language is often quite cryptic and requires perseverance....a function of the time/subject matter. Perseverance is rewarded with heartstopping moments, intrigue, suspense,
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exasperation and above all love for the very real characters. I shall miss them. Show Less
LibraryThing member wrichard
in the dark days of 1940 a soldier and a sailor rekindle love after a few false starts
LibraryThing member scaredda
This book was a real discovery. Written in 1953, it’s a gentle and romantic story of discovery, affection and love. Written by a lady that has developed a lot of experience in historic novels. What is very specific however is that the writer is a woman. And she described the love of a man for
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another man. Read with today’s eyes the story is almost too simplistic sometime. But again, the perspective of the time when it was written (as well as the time of narration, during WWII), just makes this an amazing piece to read, creating a story that is both fresh and romantic. Definitely a great discovery! Show Less
LibraryThing member shojo_a
I really liked this. She has some amazing turns of phrase, and it was so dense. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a book in another language, and I had to focus more to parse it. Which sounds like this isn't a positive review, but I really liked it. I'll try to do a better review when I've got
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more time. Show Less
LibraryThing member dbsovereign
Slightly claustrophobic for me, but Renault writes about homosexuality like no other author and is also a wonderful historian. Her characters tend to bleed angst.
LibraryThing member 1Owlette
The Charioteer is a beautifully written and extraordinarily perceptive novel, detailing the life and relationships of a young soldier confined to hospital in the days after Dunkirk. An extremely vivid evocation of time and place, it is also one of those subtle works that is likely to linger in the
While Renault deserves credit for her unusual choice of subject matter (in the context of the early '50s), the fact that the novel addresses homosexuality may in fact serve to distract from what is, in the end, a powerful and moving exploration of love, loss and the complexities of lived experience as opposed to inflexible ideals of existence.
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memory, growing in force, long after it has been read.While Renault deserves credit for her unusual choice of subject matter (in the context of the early '50s), the fact that the novel addresses homosexuality may in fact serve to distract from what is, in the end, a powerful and moving exploration of love, loss and the complexities of lived experience as opposed to inflexible ideals of existence.
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LibraryThing member shojo_a
I really liked this. She has some amazing turns of phrase, and it was so dense. Sometimes I felt like I was reading a book in another language, and I had to focus more to parse it. Which sounds like this isn't a positive review, but I really liked it. I'll try to do a better review when I've got
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more time. Show Less
LibraryThing member taffygold123
Difficult to decipher meanings and have to re-read some sentences over and over to determine exactly what she is saying. However, it's worth it as it is a touching love story, because Laurie loves both men, although they are completely different.
LibraryThing member jwhenderson
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
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that shines in her other novels. Her positive portrayal of homosexual love is at once admirable and inspiring. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1959
Physical description
347 p.; 8.4 inches
ISBN
039448813X / 9780394488134
Local notes
OCLC = 1116
Other editions
The Charioteer by Renault, Mary (2003) Paperback (Paperback)