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The Charioteer

A Virago Modern Classic
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( 6,458 ratings, 756 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Charioteer by Mary Renault delves into the emotional and moral struggles of a young man named Laurie Odell, who is recovering from injuries during World War II. Set against the backdrop of a war hospital, the novel explores Laurie's complex relationships and burgeoning self-awareness amidst societal constraints. Themes of love, friendship, and identity are interwoven as Laurie navigates the tensions between his desires and the expectations of the world around him.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you appreciate introspective novels that explore themes of identity, love, and self-acceptance. Set against the backdrop of World War II, it delves into the complexities of human relationships and the search for meaning in tumultuous times. With beautifully nuanced characters, this story weaves together elements of historical fiction and emotional depth.

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The Charioteer

First published in 1953, The Charioteer is a tender, intelligent coming-of-age novel and a bold, unapologetic portrayal of homosexuality that stands with Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar and James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room as a landmark work in gay literature.

* Featured on www.virago.co.uk * Early proofs available

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Injured at Dunkirk, Laurie Odell, a young corporal, is recovering at a rural veterans' hospital. There he meets Andrew, a conscientious objector serving as an orderly. The men find solace in each other's friendship, which slowly develops into a covert, chaste romance. Then Ralph Lanyon appears, a mentor from Laurie's school days and now a naval officer. Through him, Laurie is drawn into a tight-knit circle of gay men with few illusions about life, and for whom liaisons are fleeting. He is forced to choose between the ideals of a perfect friendship and the pleasures of experience.

First published in 1953, The Charioteer is a tender, intelligent coming-of-age novel and a bold, unapologetic portrayal of homosexuality that stands with Gore Vidal's The City and the Pillar and James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room as a landmark work in gay literature.

Series: Virago Modern Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Charioteer by Mary Renault is praised for its emotional intelligence, beautiful writing, and deep emotional impact, transcending typical literary categories. It is celebrated as a stunningly good book and stands out as a tender coming-of-age love story by one of the twentieth century's greatest writers.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781844089505

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 November 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Virago Press Ltd

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Simon Russell Beale

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 27.0mm

Width: 197.0mm

Height: 127.0mm

Weight: 360g

Pages: 432

About the Author

Mary Renault (1905-1983) was born in London and educated at St Hughs, Oxford. She trained as a nurse at Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary, where she met her lifelong partner, Julie Mullard. Her first novel, Purposes of Love, was published in 1937. In 1948, after North Face won a MGM prize worth $150,000, she and Mullard emigrated to South Africa. There, Renault was able to write forthrightly about homosexual relationships for the first time - in her masterpiece, THE CHARIOTEER (1953), and then in her first historical novel, The Last of the Wine (1956). Renault's vivid novels set in the ancient world brought her worldwide fame. In 2010 Fire From Heaven was shortlisted for the Lost Booker of 1970.

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