This book was so bitter, cynical and dry that I almost abandoned it after the first twenty pages, and I am so glad I didn't. Waugh is uncompromisingly harsh with his characters, the disillusionment is just overflowing the pages, and part of me adores the twisted way the horrible characters always end up on top, while the sympathetic ones wind up dead or in hopeless difficulties. Some parts were absolutely hysterical, I was howling with laughter over Waugh's dry humour in tales of backstabbing bureaucracy and the repulsive (yet very clever) antics of the awful Basil. This certainly isn't a book that makes one particularly fond of other people or leaves one with any hope for the human character, but it's incredibly strong, clever writing, precisely portrayed characters, inventively plotted and executed. I absolutely worship Waugh's sense of humour, I feel like I can just see him leaning back in his chair, smoking and laughing at the world. Definitely a favourite.
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