The Loved One

Rating:
Summary: Short but very sweet
Review: Don't let the length of this novel fool you.This is utterly brilliant writing-a wonderful contrast between engrained snobbishness of the historical English and the bland,trite,intellectually sterile mind of the American.What an indictment on American culture-this book was so purely enjoyable I was grinning from ear to ear when not bent over laughing.Great stuff(and so many reviews!).At 126 pages you can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant..Pure Brilliance
Review: This book is perfect. Death, romance, conflict, it has it all

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece.
Review: A brilliant example of Waugh at his best..not a superfluous word in this perfect novel.

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Summary: A dead-on (no pun intended) satire
Review: 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.

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Summary: FUNNY LOOK AT LANDS OF MAKE BELIEVE: HOLLYWOOD AND CEMETERY
Review: Waugh is at his satirical best in this book about happenings of the Whispering Glades Cemetery, which was inspired by his visit to Hollywood and numerous visits to Forest Lawn (the cemetery to the stars) while he was meeting with MGM about the possible purchase of his better-known and more widely-read Brideshead Revisited. He never sold the film rights to Brideshead, but came away with the material that he used for this book, which is a funny look at Hollywood and its goings-on. Hollywood is a fantasy land and that is what Waugh creates with his fictional cemetery. The cemetery makes both The Loved Ones and The Waiting Ones believe that after death they are going to a much better place. People in Hollywood lead perfect lives and I guess they want to believe that when they die it only gets better. Waugh doesn't think that's so. Guess, Hollywood can't make everybody believe everything.

Rating:
Summary: Boring, uninteresting
Review: "The Loved One" tries to be so outrageous and outlandish that it would become enjoyable, but is instead very un-involved and dull. There isn't a single character that you can like or identify with or help propel any interest in the plot. If I hadn't had to read it for my English class I would have burned it and never felt bad about not finishing it.

Rating:
Summary: Savagely funny
Review: Almost as funny as the book are the self-parodying contributions from Californian schoolkids below, who complain that they cannot possibly relate to the book because it was written more than 50 years ago. Are we really at civilization's peak?

Rating:
Summary: Good, funny yet serious
Review: This book is great when taken on a literal level and is quite a good read, although not an easy one. However, if one takes the time to look at the amazing satire employed, thay realise that itis truly a masterpiece. I have found various satirical comments on both American adn English society and I am waiting to read more from Waugh.

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Summary: Good Satire Commercialization of Death Condemnation Aristocr
Review: Authors often use satire to illustrate specific points and show where changes in society need to be made. Satire is most basically the playful act of criticizing flaws with humor and sarcasm. Satire is a useful literary tool which audiences can identify with and understand easily if used correctly; however, satire is a confusing and often misunderstood literary device if the author is vague and imprecise with his satirical references. Evelyn Waugh uses a great deal of satire in his book The Loved One with the utmost care and accuracy. From his statements on the commercialization of death to his ultimate condemnation of the English aristocratic society, Waugh's skill with satire is a rarity that is seldom found in modern writing. Waugh effectively reproaches those who profit off death and those who act as nobles in the modern world through his use of sarcasm and the dark humor created therein.

Rating:
Summary: extremely humorous!
Review: This book is the perfect satire on everything including human existence and death. fantastic how anyone can make the subject of death comical yet leaves you with a tragic feeling!