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| Plot Summary of The Charioteer |
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"Laurie Odell has just been invalided out of World War II, and has been sent to a military hospital in the UK to recover. There he deals with his increasing attraction both for a CO serving his time at the hospital and a former schoolmater of his. This novel is a surprising departure for Renault, in that it is set in this century, but the book is well done. One of the very earliest books in which the characters don't all have to die at the end."
Ivy, Resident Scholar
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"Laurie, in hospital after being evacuated from Dunkirk, meets and falls in love with Andrew, a young conscientious objector working there as a cleaner. He also encounters Ralph, a hero from his schooldays expelled for a sexual relationship with another boy, who in turn falls in love with him. Andrew is a sexual innocent, Ralph an active member of the homosexual underworld. The bulk of the book is concerned with Laurie's attempts to choose between them."
Will Hale, Resident Scholar
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"The Charioteer centers around Laurie ODell, a young Dunkirk veteran stationed in a military hospital. Laurie is a homosexual. While undergoing physical therapy for his shattered knee, Laurie falls in love with a young conscientious objector named Andrew Raynes. This love is complicated when an old school mate once again enters Laurie's life. Ralph Lanyon is also homosexual and has deep feelings for Laurie, but Laurie feels that he must remain loyal to Andrew, even though their relationship is built on friendship rather than sex. Laurie remains torn between his romantic feelings for Andrew and his stronger desires for Ralph. Laurie must hide his true nature from his fellow soldiers and his mother while trying to find balance and love in his life. Ralph reveals his true feelings for Laurie, which forces Laurie to face up to the fact that he is romantically in love with Andrew and physically attracted to Ralph.
Shortly after Laurie and Ralph spend the night together, Laurie runs afoul of Bunny, Ralph Lanyon's former lover, who knows of Laurie's romantic interest in Andrew Raynes. Bunny posses as Ralph and suggests that he and Laurie are having an affair. This upsets Andrew and he applies for a new post. When Laurie finds out what "Ralph" did, he immediately reacts by severing all ties with Ralph. He goes AWOL and searches for Andrew in London. When he finds his friend, something inside Laurie changes and he realizes that he loves Andrew and that Andrew loves him, but it is a different kind of love than what he'd wanted or anticipated."
L.D. Stafford, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Charioteer |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 1930's-1950's
Romance/Romance Problems
Yes
Kind of romance:
- love triangle/polygon
Kind of sex:
- two guys doing it
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Taboo sex story?
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- missing body parts/abilities
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 2 (a little)
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- male homosexuals doing their thing
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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