A Handful Of Dust

A Handful Of Dust
Evelyn Waugh
Penguin Books, 2000

First impression:
School work, which makes it slightly less exciting because I know we will analyse it to bits. Nonetheless, so far a very pleasant and relaxing read, light-hearted in its jaunty, English manner but still ironically tragic behind the veil.

Review:
Having been immersed in Mary Shelley's world the past week, the structure of this book when I took it up again appeared somewhat half-arsed. In one way, it is incredibly shallow; the reader is given everything from a distance, listens in on conversations and observes fates unfold, without any given motivations. In another, it is incredibly complex, full of omens, allusions, and a high degree of tragicomical and satirical influences. I have a hard time making up my mind about whether I actually enjoyed it, but I do know that I appreciated its message of society corrupted, and as long as it sets the gearwheels in motion, it's good enough for me.

Rating: Good